Something from the Nightside by Green Simon R

Author:Green, Simon R. [Green, Simon R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Detective, Urban Fantasy
ISBN: 9780441010653
Publisher: Ace
Published: 2013-08-18T00:00:00+00:00

EIGHT

Time Out At the Hawk’s Wind Bar & Grill

I‘d just seen the end of the world, murdered one of my oldest friends, and discovered that the one quest I’d always intended to give my life to was now forever barred to me; so I decided I was owed a break. Luckily there was a really good café close by, so I took Joanna firmly by the hand and led her there, so that we could both get our mental breath back. The Nightside will grind down the toughest of spirits, if you don’t learn to take the occasional pit stop, when you can. Joanna didn’t want to go, with Blaiston Street and the answer to her daughter’s fate now so close at hand, hopefully, but I insisted. And she must have been tired and shaky too, because she’d actually stopped arguing before we reached our destination.

The Hawk’s Wind Bar & Grill is a sight to see, something special even among the Nightside’s many dark wonders, and I stopped outside a moment, so Joanna could appreciate it. Unfortunately, she wasn’t in the mood. Which was a pity. It’s not every day you get to see such a perfect monument to the psychedelic glories of the sixties, complete with rococo Day-Glo neon and Pop Art posters with colours so bright they practically seared themselves onto your retinas. The Hindu latticed doors swung politely open before us as I urged Joanna in, and I breathed deeply of the familiar air of the sixties as we entered the café; joss sticks and patchouli oils, a dozen kinds of smoke, all kinds of freshly brewing coffee, and a few brands of hair oil best forgotten.

The place was packed and jumping, as always, all the hits of the sixties throbbing loudly on the thick air, and I smiled about me at familiar faces as I led Joanna through the maze of tables to find a reasonably private spot at the rear of the café”. Strange-fellows is where I go to do business, or a little private brooding; Hawk’s Wind is where I go for the peace of my soul. Joanna looked disparagingly at the stylised plastic table and chairs, but sat down with a minimum of fuss. I liked to think she was beginning to trust my instincts. Her nostrils twitched suspiciously at the multicultural atmosphere, and I pretended to study the oversized hand-written menu while she looked about her. There was always a lot worth looking at in the Hawk’s Wind Bar & Grill.

The decor was mostly flashing lights and psychedelia, with great swirls of primary colours on the walls, the ceiling and even the floor. A jukebox the size of a Tardis was pumping out an endless stream of hits and classics from the sixties pop scene, blithely ignoring the choices of those stupid enough to put money in it. The Kinks had just finished “Sunny Afternoon,” and the Lovin’ Spoonful launched into “Daydream.” My foot tapped along as I unobtrusively studied Joanna while she studied the faces around her.

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.