Dark Sommer: Nora Sommer Caribbean Suspense - Book Three by Nicholas Harvey

Author:Nicholas Harvey [Harvey, Nicholas]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harvey Books, LLC
Published: 2022-09-28T04:00:00+00:00

20

INDOOR PLUMBING

Friday 8:00pm

My Jeep wasn’t the best vehicle for conversation, which usually suited me fine. Hallie sat up front and Jazzy rode in the back on the small bench seat. It took some persuading by Hallie to get the young girl into the vehicle at all. She was convinced we were driving her to jail or foster care. Once we were under way, she seemed to enjoy the wind in her hair, but couldn’t hear a word we said.

It was Friday night, so they expected me at the Fox and Hare pub where my island family gathered and Reg Moore’s wife, Pearl, played on the little stage. The bustling pub was worse than the Jeep for conversation, but I figured I could show my face, order some food, then we’d sit outside. I pulled into the busy car park and managed to find an open space in the corner. There was a big rut in the dirt which had kept cars from using the spot, but the oversized tyres on my lifted CJ-7 rolled through the divot without any trouble.

We hopped out, and I noticed Jazzy kept herself several paces from me. I figured she was ready to bolt if she felt vulnerable or trapped. Curiosity and hunger were my main allies in keeping her with us.

“I like da car,” she said, following Hallie and me across the car park.

“Thanks, my boyfriend did all the work on it.”

“Where’s your boyfriend?”

“He’s dead.”

It wasn’t my intention, but my answer halted the conversation. Maybe I needed to lead in with ‘he’s not very well’.

From the outside, the pub was a plain-looking stucco building. A traditional English public house sign hanging over the front doors was the only clue to what greeted customers inside. To the right of the doors was a wooden bench, often used by the smokers, or anyone needing fresh air. Which they didn’t get if a smoker was already there.

“I’ll get us food if you want to wait out here?” I said, nodding to the bench.

“Can I look inside?” Jazzy asked.

“Of course. It’s gonna be noisy in there, though.”

Undeterred, the two girls followed me inside, where Pearl’s booming voice greeted us with a background buzz of conversation and laughter from the crowd. My guess was Jazzy had never been inside a place like this before. But there wasn’t much else like the Fox and Hare on the island except Fidel Murphy’s Irish Pub & Restaurant along Seven Mile Beach. But they didn’t have Pearl Moore playing every other Friday night.

Jazzy was wide eyed. I suddenly had a thought as we pushed through the busy crowd and turned to say something to her, but Hallie was already whispering in her ear. Jazzy rolled her eyes, but nodded. Old habits die hard and this was pickpocket heaven, but I pressed on, confident Hallie had told the teenager to keep her hands to herself.

AJ stood up as we arrived at the long table Reg always commandeered near the stage. She gave me a hug, and then Hallie.

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