Coast to Coast Noir by Andrew McAleer

Author:Andrew McAleer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Down & Out Books

We were three weeks into whatever the hell we were doing, and every time I saw Marie’s husband my guts did a twist. Throughout my shift, I found myself constantly glancing his way, looking for telltale clues on his fat, unshaven face. Any hint that he knew—or even suspected—something was going on between me and Marie.

But he seemed no different than before—sweating like a pig as he walked the mill floor, cursing at us at full volume, even over the roar of the machinery. Or else camped out in his dingy office, leaning back in his desk chair, engrossed in some beaver mag.

Then one day, to my surprise, Marie sauntered across the mill, carrying a lunch pail and heading for Frank’s sanctum. It was the same day that one of the light bulbs in the overhead crane’s cab went out, and the whole floor had to shut down for ninety minutes while we waited for a guy from the electrician’s union to climb up there and change it. Union rules forbade the crane operator from changing the bulb himself, so we all just parked ourselves near the vending machines and talked shit.

But my attention kept being diverted to that office. Having taken the lunch pail from her, Frank stood with Marie in the doorway, a thick arm wrapped protectively around her waist. She wore some kind of summery dress, almost translucent, and those same flirty sandals.

Other eyes were equally drawn to her. I was hanging that day with Styles and Lucky. Gabe had called in sick, though we all knew he was really on campus, leading a protest of Nixon’s continued bombing of Cambodia.

In the real world. A million miles away.

“She’s wearin’ red toenail polish.” Styles squinted across the floor. “And sandals. Sexy, but stupid. Fuckin’ steel floor plates got no give. Feet gotta be killin’ her.”

Lucky grunted. “Don’t think she’ll be stayin’ long.”

He was right. By now, Marie had slipped out of Frank’s grasp, but not before he could give her departing rear end a vigorous slap.

As she hurried off, not even glancing in our direction, Frank offered us a leering smirk. I didn’t return the look. Instead I just imagined his reaction if he knew who else was on intimate terms with that enticing ass.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.