Lawson CIty by Tyler Foran

Author:Tyler Foran [Foran, Tyler]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Argonia Publishing LTD / Four & Star Productions
Published: 2021-07-26T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Alan had a glazed look slathered on his face while he stared at his wristwatch lying on its side on the burrow. It had been a milestone award from the police station for twenty years of service; it was nice, made of stainless gunmetal steel and the watch face was digital with a black background and yellow display. You wouldn’t know the significance of the watch at a glance. All information about what the watch signified was laser etched on the battery cover facing away from Alan at that moment. What was next to his wristwatch meant more to him than the twenty years of service; propped up against his shaving kit was Cathy’s business card. He sat on an unmade bed in the back of his apartment; the sheets felt like ice whenever he touched them. His shoes were off, his shirt unbuttoned; his belt was coiled up next to him like a snake poised to attack. There was a single light on in the room, a lamp on the nightstand that glowed a dull orange. The room was silent. He reached for the jumbled mess that was his jacket on the floor and pulled out his cellphone from one of the pockets.

“Don’t screw this one up, Sharpe.” He said aloud to himself and dialed the number on the card, though he didn’t need the visual help; he had already memorized it.

“Hello?” Cathy’s voice answered after two rings. Her voice sounded congested.

“Oh no, did I wake you?” Alan asked.

“It’s—” There were sounds of rustlings in the earpiece. “—one forty-eight in the morning…” she paused and exhausted a bit of air into the receiver, “of course you didn’t.” She added a listless laugh for punctuation.

“Hey, we can do this another time. I don’t want to keep you up.” Alan said in a tone that hinted he may have been wounded.

“No, no, don’t be silly. I’m still on Nevada time, I took a sleep aid earlier, and you know how that goes. What’s up?”

“I was wondering if you wanted to get a coffee.” He shook his head as soon as he suggested it but refused to correct himself and risk embarrassing himself any further than he already had. “I know it’s late, but I would love to catch up with you.”

“Like right now?” She asked in disbelief.

“I mean. If you’re up for it.”

There was more rustling in Alan’s ear, like a fresh piece of paper being crumpled up inside his eardrum. “What place is open this late that serves alcohol?” She asked. Alan waited out a response so she could come up with her own conclusion. “If you say Gem’s, I swear.”

Alan didn’t know what else to say. Gem’s was the only place on his mind and really the only place in Lawson City he felt comfortable going to. Alan knew of a few straggler bars peppered throughout the city that didn’t adhere to the relaxed mandates and curfews, but they were more for the younger crowd; loud music, dance floors, sugary cocktails.

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