Fun House (John Ceepak Mystery) by Grabenstein Chris

Author:Grabenstein, Chris [Grabenstein, Chris]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Pegasus Books
Published: 2012-05-01T04:00:00+00:00

22

OKAY.

The guy knows how to get my attention. I sit back down.

The man from the All American Snack Shack looks exhausted and sort of sick. Maybe he has a queasy stomach from inhaling coconut-oil fumes all day. He’s wearing a navy blue polo shirt, his bottle-brush white hair looks like it’s wilting and needs watering, and, when he takes off his black-rimmed glasses, I can see bright red marks the nose pads have left behind. He takes the seat across from me.

On the TV screen over his head, I can see Elton John playing the pipe organ inside Our Lady of the Seas Catholic Church. Wow. He was really there.

Now my unexpected visitor takes a long pull on his beer. It’s beechwood-aged Budweiser, of course. No fancy European import brewskis for this patriotic American. I guess as the day drags on, I’m losing my edge. I don’t bust his chops about Bud being a Belgian beer, seeing how the folks in St. Louis sold out to InBev, a company based in some place called Leuven, which I’m told is near Brussels, home of the sprouts. And their CEO is a Brazilian.

“Thomas did not kill Mr. Braciole,” the guy says when the beer has given him enough courage to talk.

“So why doesn’t he turn himself in?”

“He’s scared.”

“How come?”

“They ostracized him.”

“The Creed?”

He nods.

“So,” I say, “what exactly does that mean? Ostracization or whatever.”

“They cut him loose. No one is covering his back. Thomas is completely on his own.”

“How come?” I ask, even though I think I know the answer.

Mr. America tips his white fuzzy head toward the closest plasma-screen TV glowing with more somber footage of Paulie’s casket being carried up the center aisle of the church.

“This much publicity is bad for business,” he says. “We like to keep a low profile. That thing in the parking lot at Morgan’s? Well, that was fun. Nobody got busted. But this? This is bad. Thomas is attracting way too much heat.”

I peer at the guy. Something about this isn’t right.

“You know I’m a cop, right?”

“Yeah.” His lip can’t help but curl a little, like he just smelled sour milk.

“So, you talking to me. The Creed finds out, won’t they ostracize you, too?”

“Maybe. But it’s the chance I have to take for my brother.”

“You’d go against all your Creed brothers for the sake of one?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“Cause he’s my brother.”

I must look confused, because I am.

Bushy-head helps out: “My real brother.”

Now my face telegraphs that I’m not buying it. I see absolutely no physical resemblance between this tubby guy and the towering Skeletor.

“Same mother. Different fathers. His was tall. Very tall.”

Oh. Okay.

“Why’d you think I let him sell that shit out of the back of my booth after some asshole torched his Hell Hole hideout?”

Ah, brotherly love. It knows no limits. No wonder they named a city after it.

“So, what does Thomas want?” I ask.

“The same thing you want: to turn himself in. Before something horrible happens. Before some hardass state trooper guns him down in cold blood.

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.