Page 2 of Fear the Reaper
“Hey, those two arenotnormal.” The waitress laughed. “And I don’t think that would work. You’d be pooping rope for days.”
I laughed out loud, thanked her and picked up one of the fresh fries. It burned my finger, but I merely ignored the pain, dunked it in what was left of my mayonnaise and shoved a half of it into my mouth.
The bell above the diner’s door jangled and I glanced up. The massive frame that was so familiar to me filled the doorway. Swede removed his sunglasses and glanced around. When he saw me, he hurried over and fell into the booth. The seat was set up so anyone who was looking in through the window would only see me and not who I was with. I’d purposefully asked to be seated there for that reason.
“What’s going on?” Swede asked, his blue eyes darkening.
“I know you saw the black car across the lot with the two guys in it,” I said.
Swede cut my burger in two and bit into one half. He nodded while chewing.
“They’ve been following me around.” I explained. “It’s been happening for a while now and there’s nothing the cops can do or want to do about it.”
“Give me your phone.” Swede extended a large palm.
Reluctantly, I dropped my phone into it. I watched as he opened the back, popped out the battery and sim card then placed them into his pocket. “Okay, tell me everything.”
I picked up the other half of the burger and bit it. The waitress arrived to see if Swede wanted anything. He got a coffee, black, two sugars. When the waitress flirted with him, he merely lifted his ring finger. She hurried off, cheeks flushed.
That made me chuckle.
“So, about a month ago I started getting random calls at weird hours of the night.” I began. “At first no one said anything. The numbers were always blocked. Then the heavy breathing, and the computer altered voice threatening me. My studio called the cops and they did bug my phone but the calls stopped. After the cops backed off, the calls started again and the car appeared.”
“I told you this job of yours was liable to get you killed.” His handsome face twisted in a frown.
I knew he worried about me. This man had been protecting me ever since I could remember. Being the only Hopi in a room always drew stares and whispered words—people hadn’t always been kind. But, Swede and Hank were always the best example of how great men could be to me.
“Can you please not lecture me now?” I pleaded. “I really don’t think I can handle it.”
“Star, you have to stop doing this!” Swede said. He set what was left of the side of burger on the plate and leaned close. “I know there are truths to be told but at what cost to you?”
I frowned at him. “You’re lecturing.”
Swede sighed. Instead of speaking he wiped his fingers on a piece of napkin and pulled out his cell. He tapped away at it for a few silent moments then shoved it into his pocket.
“Okay,” he said. He dropped money on the table.
“What are you doing?” I asked. “Put that away.”
“Are we really going to argue semantics right now?”
“Swede…”
“Take off your coat,” he said, peeling his leather jacket off. “It’s a man’s jacket but they won’t know the difference.”
“What? You’re going to put mine on?”
Swede smirked. “Lady, I doubt that thing would fit one of my thighs. I’m going to fold it and toss it over my arm. When you move further into the place, I need to you roll up your hair and put on this hat. Give me your car keys.”
He pulled a baseball hat from the inside pocket of his light coat—I’m assuming it was to hide a gun—and set it on the table as I placed my keys down.
“Once we get outside, I want you to go left out the door and walk three cars do. You’ll see a black truck that looks like something I’d drive.. Get in, tell the GPShomeand drive.I’ll meet you there.”
“What are you up to?”
“Do you really want to know?” Swede asked with a smirk.
I titled my head.
