The Surrogate Thief by Archer Mayor

Author:Archer Mayor [Mayor, Archer]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Mystery
ISBN: 0709078269
Publisher: Warner
Published: 2004-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Gloucester was still a busy town at two in the morning, at least in comparison to Brattleboro, so Joe sat thoroughly entertained on a strategically placed bench at the end of the designated pier. Across the narrow harbor, what he thought might be a packing plant was still open full throttle, its lights blazing and its mechanical heart throbbing deep within. On Main Street, traffic flowed periodically, often accompanied by boisterous shouts and the occasional horn blast. And in the distance, across the decks of several bobbing fishing boats, he could make out a man still working on some piece of equipment by the harsh light of a halogen lamp, the music from his softly playing radio barely audible on the gentle waves of a surprisingly warm, salt-flavored breeze.

And yet, there was quiet amid the groaning of docked vessels and the slap of taut lines against unseen masts—even an unsettling sense of isolation. It wasn’t hard to imagine how easily a man could be waylaid, not a hundred yards from where Joe was sitting, and have a knife silently slipped into the center of his heart.

She emerged from the neon lights like a shadow detaching from the night, at first more a sensation than an actual outline, her footsteps covered by the soft lapping of the tide against the pier’s pilings.

He smiled to himself as she drew into the feeble glow from across the water. Out of the bar’s embrace, she was dressed in light sweatpants and a shirt, her physical attributes no longer available to any possibly good tipper.

She sat next to him without ceremony or greeting, stretching her legs out before her and sighing deeply. “God, it smells good out here, especially after eight hours in that dump.”

“You come out here often after work?”

“Sometimes. It’s a mood thing. There’re nights it gives me the creeps just to walk from the front door to my car. Lot of strange people in this town.”

“How was it tonight?”

She glanced at him, her expression covered by the darkness. “That’s right. You left early. It was okay—average.”

“I couldn’t take two nights of straight Cokes in a row.”

She liked that. “You on the wagon? Must be tough hanging out in a bar.”

“No,” he admitted. “I just gave it up. I never drank much to begin with, but I finally got tired of seeing what it did to people.”

She grunted softly. “Christ. Got that right.”

“You hungry?” he asked suddenly, offering her a small paper bag.

She straightened quickly and turned toward him, accepting the gift. “You kidding? Starving. I usually go to the diner after I get off.”

He smiled. “I know—lobster roll and a strawberry shake. I heard you trading eating habits with your gin rummy partner.”

Surprised, she tore open the bag and reached inside. “I don’t believe it. That’s right.” He saw the flash of her teeth in the gloom as she laughed. “You are too much. Thanks.”

Without further ceremony, she took a large bite and settled back onto the bench, contentedly chewing, her eyes on the stars overhead.

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