Detachment Delta by Don Bendell

Author:Don Bendell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2011-03-04T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Unplanned Rehearsal

THEY were two blocks from Charlie’s house, walking along enjoying the smells of fresh-mowed lawns and the fragrances of some well-manicured yards filled with blooming flowers. He kept asking about her past in both Iran and Iraq.

They came to a small building that said “BBQ” on the outside, nothing else, but several cars were parked outside. They went inside, and Fila was surprised at the number of people in there ordering dinners to go with barbecue, hush puppies, cole slaw, and other Southern treats.

They came up to the counter and a large, smiling ruddy-faced woman came up to Charlie and spoke with a thick Southern accent. “Why, Charlie, I swanee! I haven’t seen you in a dog’s age. Want some hot barbecue today?”

“No,” he said and smiled. “My friend Fila here has not had the opportunity to taste a piece of one of your homemade pies or your carrot cake. Fila, this is Rose. Rose, Fila.”

They both nodded and lipped, “Hi.”

Then Rose gave a big laugh and said, “The way she has been looking at you, Buddy-Ro, Ah’d say ya oughta get a piece a carrot cake and split it.”

She winked at Fila, who blushed deeply.

He said, “Sound like a plan, girlie?”

“Sounds like a plan, Stud Muffin,” she shot back without missing a beat.

Rose went to her cake dish to pull out a thick, rich-looking carrot cake, and she said, “Bettah hang onta that one, Charlie. Ah like her. Woman’s got some gumption. Ya heah?”

Charlie held the chair for Fila to sit at the tiny corner table, and he sat down opposite her. Rose brought a piece of cake over, set it between them, and handed them two forks.

“How ya like your coffee, Fila?”

“Black, please.”

“Comin’ up.”

She returned with two steaming cups of coffee and Fila took a bite of the cake. She swallowed it and said, “This is delicious! Really delicious, Rose!”

Rose said, “Wal thank ya. I have a trick that makes mine bettah than all the othahs.”

“What’s that?” Fila asked.

Charlie said, “Oh, I didn’t want you to ask.”

Rose laughed and said, “Real carrots. Everybody else uses orange Crayolas. How you like them apples?”

Sporting a big smile, Fila said, “You are a marvelous cook. I mean fantastic, but you suck as a comedienne.”

Charlie laughed and pointed at Rose, and she smacked his hand with a towel she carried. “Oh pshaw.”

She went back behind the counter.

With his back to the corner, Charlie glanced at every customer who walked in the door. He was used to always sitting back to the wall, facing possible dangers. This was very common for all specops types and police officers. Fila felt comfortable, though, knowing he was there to spot any danger behind her.

On about their third bite of the delicious cake, which they were eating using only one fork that was held in his hand, with him feeding her and then taking a bite himself, trouble came.

Charlie’s eyes opened as he looked to the door, and he whispered, “Trouble.”

“Don’t nobody move. I’ll pop a cap in yo asses if ya do!” a young black punk in oversized shorts yelled.

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.