Death and the Language of Happiness by John Straley

Author:John Straley [Straley, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Crime Fiction
Publisher: Soho Press
Published: 2018-05-16T16:27:32+00:00

Sometimes I think I’ve been a fuck-up for so long that I don’t really know the difference between caution and cowardice. It is true I’m afraid of almost everything. But one of the things I’m most truly afraid of is the scorn of those people truly deserving of love. So I knew without a doubt that I had to do whatever it took to find Simon Delaney, if for nothing else than to protect this skinny little kid with the salty ice cream dish.

I turned to Jane Marie. “I’m sorry. I won’t ask any questions but I’ve got to go look for Simon Delaney. Do you have any of those free tickets the airline gave us after they screwed up that trip?” Jane Marie would not look at me but stood at the sink holding a limp-looking chicken, examining it as if she were a veterinarian.

“Yeah, I do,” she said and her voice was still icy. “I have two of them. They’re on your desk. You can take both.”

“I just need one.”

She put the chicken back to one side and didn’t look at me as she spoke. “Well, actually, Cecil, you need two.”

“Why two?” I bent down, trying without success to catch her eye. She wouldn’t look at me.

“I’m headed out on a research trip and the Social Services people say that you have to be more responsible for Todd. Particularly because he’s not working anymore.”

“So he has to come with me to Centralia?” I asked, staring at her as if she had just revealed herself as a space alien.

“Yes,” she said and nodded her head decisively.

“I can’t take Todd with me, Janie. Hell, you know he’s never even been out of Alaska. He’s forty-two years old. He’s never been south of Ketchikan. I can’t take him. I don’t have the money. He would hate the trip. He would hate it down there. Can’t he go with you?” I was out of breath.

“Are you finished?” Her arms were folded. She took a deep breath and started speaking. Her voice was pinched now.

“No, he can’t come with me, Cecil. You are his guardian. You are responsible for him. Not me. Besides, there is no more room on my boat. I’m taking a camera crew and three students as it is.”

“Can’t you put it off for a few days?” I pleaded.

“Goddamnit, Cecil.” She slammed down the lid of the freezer. “Don’t come in here after being gone and leaving me with this house and this stupid freezer.” Her whole body shook. “Don’t come back here sulking and stinking of . . . of . . . breath mints, then complain about your responsibilities! I’m not your mother.”

“Well, how the fuck was I supposed to know that. You both sound the same,” I said to her back as it was disappearing out the door.

I saw a blue coat flipping over the banister at the same time I heard her feet on the stairs. “Take care of your own damn freezer,” were the words I heard clearly.

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