Nobody's Pilgrims by Sergio Troncoso

Author:Sergio Troncoso
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
Published: 2022-02-24T14:20:58+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Jim Crump arrives at the China King thirty minutes early before meeting with Victor Huerta. He sits in the front, near the windows facing the strip mall parking lot so he can check everyone entering or exiting the access road on Route 8, which runs parallel to I-44. The China King is less than five minutes from his work at the St. James Winery. Jim has already seen a few workers from Redtec arrive, including Manuel Aguirre, his crew chief. Manuel waved at him, and Jim nodded the most imperceptible of nods. Why should he be friendly toward Manuel? So what if Manuel has taught him how to install extra electrical sockets after demo and how to perfectly apply grout to new tile? Jim doesn’t exactly trust him. Moreover, it strikes Jim as weak that Manuel will still smile at him even as Jim constantly remains cold in return. What exactly does that man want from Jim? Amid the bustle of the China King, Manuel’s clueless smile is in Jim’s face again, with those two broken teeth and dark brown skin, as if mocking him.

Why has he agreed to meet with this Victor Huerta in the first place? What if Molly isn’t lying and this guy is connected to drug dealing? Jim knows those two with Molly are up to no good, and maybe they made up the “drug dealer” story to prevent their cousin from getting his truck back. Jim knew that wasn’t their truck as soon as he saw Molly’s photo. He has been right all along. He has followed his instincts, Jim thinks, and has never trusted those teenagers. Victor … Molly’s dorky friends … nobody. “Liars, all of ’em,” he mutters to himself as his wontons arrive. The waitress smiles at him as she also leaves a cold glass of water.

Jim has warned Molly to get away from her friends, and if she is too stupid to get out of that truck and avoid trouble … well … that’s on her. Jim has tried to protect her, but Molly listens to nobody but herself. He will tell this Victor the little he knows about the blue truck, where it probably is and where it is headed. He will keep his sister Molly out of it—it’s not her fault she hitched a ride with two liars—and maybe that will still give her a couple of days to come to her senses. He will have a quick conversation with this Victor. He will leave and make sure he isn’t followed. He will walk around to the back of the China King, get in the maroon Impala, and be done with this business once and for all. That is Jim’s plan. He will help this Victor get back his truck and nail his thieving cousins, and that will be that. Jim fidgets in his seat.

“You Jim Crump?” Jim hears above him, from a hulking giant in cowboy boots standing next to the window and blocking half the light.

“Yeah, that’s me.

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