The Hunted Girl by Lawrence J. Epstein

Author:Lawrence J. Epstein [Epstein, Lawrence J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Fig Hollow
Published: 2019-06-23T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

It was late the next morning when Ari and I drove to St. James. It was an attractive small town. I drove over to the railroad station and looked at it. The actual station was locked.

We parked along the edge of the station next to other cars whose owners had taken an early train to New York.

I pointed across the street.

“There’s a used bookstore there that I like.”

“Some other time,” Ari said.

“I know.” We passed a pizza place. There was a bank and a bar across the street. We walked another block.

The Green Oasis was across the street. We were standing in front of a small plaza next to a 7-11.

We went to the 7-11, got some coffee, and went back outside. We stared across the street.

“It looks like a nice place,” Ari said. “Do we approach or look it over first?”

“It’s dangerous if they know us or have photos of us, but I’d like a sense of the place. Who comes in? How many people are there for lunch? Any shady characters? That sort of stuff.”

“Wait a half hour, I think.”

I nodded.

We finished the coffee and stared at the traffic going by.

When it was time, we crossed the street, went inside, and were seated.

I had watched people going into and out of the restaurant, so I wasn’t surprised. The bar was small, tucked into a corner on the side of the restaurant. There were stairs leading somewhere, but there was a rope so you weren’t supposed to walk up there.

A pleasant young man led us to a table. He told us his name was Nick and that he would be our server.

Ari and I ordered plain food, he more of it than I. He told me stories about Israel while we waited. I kept looking around.

The food arrived.

“Hey, Nick. A friend told me that when I came in here I was supposed to say hi to Rupert. The small problem is I don’t know what he looks like. Can you point him out?”

“Sure. See the guy behind the bar? Hair so blond it looks white?”

“He looks like he works out,” I said.

Nick smiled. “That’s because he does.”

I gave Nick a ten dollar bill. Ari and I began to eat. We ate slowly. I kept stealing glances at Rupert.

I signaled for Nick to come over.

I handed him a twenty. “I’m just going to go over and say hi to Rupert. I may need to leave. If I do my friend will pay the bill. I just wanted to make sure you were around for the tip.”

“Thanks, mister. I’m hustling to make money for tuition.”

“I remember those days,” I said.

Nick left, and I got up and walked across the room to the bar. I sat down.

The bartender came over.

I put down a fifty.

“This is to pay for your drinks,” I said. “You look thirsty.”

“Life makes me thirsty, mister.”

“Ain’t that the truth. Can I talk to Rupert?”

“He know you?”

“Mutual friend.”

The bartender nodded and went to get Rupert.

Rupert had a scar across his left cheek that I hadn’t seen from across the room, and an English accent that was light.

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