Danger Close by James Sumner (classic novels for teens txt) 📕

Collins glanced around, suddenly self-conscious about everyone staring their way.

He thought quickly.

“Well, yeah,” he shrugged. “Like I say, I heard tell someone shot her. That’s why I’m in town—to pay my respects. Figured I might as well do a job while I’m here.”

Harris narrowed his eyes, staring hard at Collins.

Collins played on the situation. “Wait… did ya not know?”

Harris moved quickly. His hand disappeared behind him and came back around holding a gun. He aimed at Collins, who raised his hands slightly, still holding his drink.

“Whoa, easy there, Tex!” he said.

He looked around. Everyone was staring. He figured most were packing. Perks of being local. All eyes were on him except for one person sitting in the far corner, behind the pool table, mostly in shadow. They were staring at their drink.

It struck Collins as strange, but he figured it wasn’t the time to question it.

“What did I do?” he asked.

Harris glared at him, then turned to the man sitting next to him. He nodded, and the man took out his cell phone and made a call. There was a long, tense pause. Then the man shook his head.

No answer.

“Who told you?” he demanded.

Collins frowned. “About Mama? I just heard it on the grapevine is all. Marvin Gaye style.”

Harris looked at someone in the crowd of people that had all moved to surround the table. “Go to the bakery and check on her. Now.”

The crowd parted to let the person through.

Harris turned back to Collins. “If she’s dead…”

Collins took a sip of his drink, trying to remain calm. “What?”

“Bit of a coincidence, don’t you think? You show up out of nowhere and claim she’s dead, yet no one around here seems to know about it.”

“What, ya think I did it? Are ya serious?”

Harris shrugged. “Like I said, bit of a coincidence.”

“No,” said Collins, shaking his head. “It’s a bit stupid. Why would I kill Mama, then come to a place like this and brag about it, ya dumb bastard?”

Harris rushed around the table and placed the gun to his temple.

“You really ought to watch your mouth, Ray. If word comes back that she is dead, you’d best believe you’ll be joining her.”

“Ah, jeez… ya got to be kidding me.” He took another sip of his drink and sighed. “Seriously, ya try to make a bit of money. Ya polite and respectful. And where does it get ya, eh? A gun to ya head and a glass of shite whiskey.”

He finished what remained of his drink in one gulp. He slowly placed the empty glass on the table, holding it in place with his right hand for a moment. Then, without warning, he reached over with his left hand and grabbed the barrel of the gun. He leaned back in his chair and yanked it across his chest, pulling Harris off-balance.

Instinctively, Harris relinquished his grip of the gun to try and steady himself. As he did, Collins jammed the butt into his face, sending him sprawling the opposite way. He was clutching his nose as he hit the ground.

Collins jumped to his feet, holding the gun low and ready. He fought against the natural urge to start aiming the gun at people. He wasn’t being threatened by anyone else; they were simply watching. He knew from experience that the best way to defuse a potentially hostile crowd was to make them believe he didn’t consider them hostile.

“All right, enough,” said Collins. He spoke loud enough to be heard by everyone. “I’m just here for a drink and a job, okay? I don’t know how much of all that any of ya heard, but Mama is dead. Someone took her out. It wasn’t me. I knew the old lady from back in the day. I had a lot of respect for Mama… and her pastries. Now I’m gonna go get myself another drink. Does anyone have a problem with that? If ya do, speak now, or forever hold ya peace.”

He scanned the crowd. He heard a few mutterings and saw a couple of people shifting restlessly on the spot, but no one moved or spoke.

“All right, then.” He looked down at Harris and held out his hand. “Apologies for hitting ya in the face with ya gun. I just take issue with folks pointing weapons at me for no reason.”

Harris reluctantly reached up and accepted the help. Collins hoisted him to his feet, then flipped the gun around in his hand, presenting Harris with the butt.

“Are we good?” he asked.

Harris stared for a moment, then slowly took his gun back and nodded. “Yeah, we’re good.”

“Glad to hear it. Now, in hindsight, I reckon I’ll probably skip the job interview and just enjoy another drink. Ya welcome to join me, but I won’t take offense if ya don’t.”

Harris took his seat at the table as the crowd dispersed back to their own evenings. He didn’t reply. He simply looked away.

Collins shrugged. “Fair enough.”

He made his way over to the bar and signaled to the bartender, who came over straight away holding a bottle of Jack Daniels and an empty glass. He set the glass down in front of Collins and poured a generous measure.

“You make quite an impression, son,” he said admirably. “This one’s on me.”

Collins smiled. “Ah, ya too kind, Chief.”

He toasted the barman, took a sip, and leaned casually on the bar, forcing the flow of adrenaline to subside. He felt angry with himself. He was sure he had played everything right. But he pushed his luck by mentioning Mama.

He looked at his glass and decided to finish the drink, then head back to the hotel. Julie would be pissed if she found out there had been any trouble. He figured it best to just turn in for the night and get some rest before the flight back to Santa Clarita tomorrow.

As he took another sip, someone stepped up to the bar beside him. A woman. Collins glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

A beautiful woman.

He gulped his