Grim Fever by R Scott Mather

Author:R Scott Mather [Mather, R Scott]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Overmorrow Press
Published: 2021-02-16T22:00:00+00:00

14

“Take a left up here,” Lindsay says.

I turn onto the westward road just as the sun breaks out through the clouds. The white-hot sunlight contrasts with the iron-gray clouds and blinds me for a few seconds.

“You okay?” Lindsay must have noticed my pained squint.

“Yeah. Where to now?”

“Park in the lot on the left. Monica’s in that building over there.” She points to a building the size of a typical restaurant.

I park and lean out of the truck, forgetting that my shoulder is in no shape to be used for leverage. I grimace as sparks flare in the damaged joint. I suck in a breath and follow Lindsay toward the building.

“Monica runs a behavioral health class.” She checks the time on her phone. “She should be out in a few minutes.”

I nod and turn my attention to a group of teens playing basketball where a girl stands half a foot taller than all the boys. She grabs a rebound, dribbles through a series of defenders, and pulls up to sink a three-pointer. Elementary-aged kids play soccer on the field next to the parking lot. Squeals of delight emanate from the grassy area.

The ball trickles over to me. I pop it up with my foot, bounce it on alternating knees a few times, drop it to my foot and stall it, holding it balanced on my shoelaces six inches above the ground. I haven’t handled a soccer ball in years, so I’m surprised that I’ve still got a decent touch. The kids ooh and ahh. I pop the ball up with a quick flick and kick it back to them. The smallest boy of the bunch collects the ball and stares at me, jaw wide open.

I smile, and the boy runs back to his friends. “Did you see that?”

“Come on, Messi,” Lindsay says with a smirk. She leads us to a door on the side of the building. Inside, several tribal members congregate in a reception area. Most of the men eye me for a moment before granting me a gentle nod. The women smile, some say hello.

“In here,” Lindsay says.

I follow her into a room lined with rows of chairs. A podium and a fold-out table sit at the front of the room where a woman in a maroon dress stacks papers on the table.

“Monny!” Lindsay runs to her cousin, and they squeeze each other into a gravitational hug.

“What are you doing here?” Monica asks.

“I wanted to come see you.” Lindsay’s voice sounds different somehow.

They hug again. When they pull apart, Monica looks at me, then back to Lindsay. “Is this Chad?” she whispers.

I suspect I wasn’t meant to hear her.

Lindsay waves me over. “Yeah, this is Chad.”

“Nice to meet you, Monica. I’m so sorry to hear about Frank.”

A sad smile comes over her face. She bows her head and says, “Thank you.”

“How are your mom and dad handling it?” Lindsay asks.

“Devastated. Dad actually came to the meeting tonight. I’m surprised you didn’t see him out in the hall.”

Lindsay frowns. “Oh, I missed him.

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