Grab by Jeff Elkins

Author:Jeff Elkins [Elkins, Jeff]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-02-20T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Jake’s Diner was open twenty-four/seven. Moe was unsure if her grandfather ever left. Like something out of a 1980’s cop movie, the diner was dark and dirty. Regardless of the time of day, the shades were always closed. Old ripped booths lined the walls and old wooden tables and chairs took up the middle. Patrons entering the dive were greeted by a large display case of pastries that Moe had never seen anyone eat.

“Hey, Desiree,” Moe said to the hostess, as she entered. The older woman was rolling silverware in napkins behind the checkout counter. The place was pretty slow at this time in the morning. The breakfast crowd had cleared out, and the lunch group hadn’t started to show up yet. Moe bet she was just trying to pass the time.

“Hey, Baby,” Desiree said with a mothering smile. “He’s out back this morning.” A few years back, Moe had once wondered if her grandfather and Desiree were romantically entangled. Moe finally decided the woman was just friendly and flirtatious. “Who’s your friend?” Desiree added, nodding toward Stacie.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Moe said. “This is Ms. Stacie Howe, my partner.”

“He’s out back, where he always is,” Desiree said.

“Thanks,” Moe said, as she led the way through the restaurant to the back door. Pushing open the door, they stepped out into the alley. It smelled like garbage, old booze and smoke. Jake’s Place shared the alley with a warehouse. To Moe and Stacie’s right, there was a large dumpster. To their left, there was an old plastic table with four plastic chairs. In one chair, sat an elderly bald man with an unkempt grey beard. He was dressed in a simple blue t-shirt and jeans. He ate a plate of eggs and toast, while sipping coffee and smoking a giant cigar. Across from him sat Detective Mason, who was wearing his standard rumpled grey suit.

“Hey, Baba,” Moe said with a smile.

Her grandfather stood. “Baby Girl! How’s my favorite granddaughter?” he asked, stepping toward her and giving her a big hug.

“I’m your only granddaughter, Baba,” she said with a mocking tone.

He squeezed her. “Don’t ruin it,” he said.

Stepping back, he looked at Stacie and asked, “Who’d you bring to see me?”

“This is my friend and new partner, Stacie Howe,” Moe said.

Stacie shook Baba’s hand and said, “It’s a pleasure.”

“Oh. Well,” Baba said with a laugh. “You hear that Eddie? It’s a pleasure to meet me.”

Detective Mason grunted a laugh and sipped his coffee.

“Where’s your other half?” Moe asked the detective, as she took a seat at the table. Stacie and Baba joined her.

Baba snorted with disapproval.

“You jealous?” Detective Mason asked with a smile.

“Please,” Baba said, leaning back and taking a drag on his cigar. “I’m the best partner you ever had. No one compares.”

Ignoring Baba’s outburst, Detective Mason said, “We just finished a double. He went home to get some sleep.”

“You didn’t need sleep?” Stacie asked.

“When you get to my age, you only need about ten hours a week,” the detective said.

Baba

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