lug nuts into the hub cap.
“Don’t thank me. Thank old lady Fulbrook. She gave me strict instructions about how I wasn’t to cause any trouble with you.“ Harry leaned against the fender of the Cadillac, a dark, bulky shape behind the glare of the headlights.
Colby said nothing. He hesitated and then put down the wrench in order to grasp the flat tire and pull it off the wheel.
“You hear me, Savagar? I said old lady Fulbrook doesn’t want me causing any trouble with you.“
“I hear you.“
“You know why she doesn’t want no trouble?“ Harry asked conversationally.
“No.“
“She’s afraid you’ll keep her from seeing that boy of yours. Weird, huh? Twenty years go by, and she pays no attention to that kid at all. Then one day he shows up in town and she’s fascinated with him. It’s probably those eyes of his. Just like little Cynthia’s eyes. Remember those eyes, Savagar?“
Colby didn’t respond. He wished he could pick up the wrench again but it took both hands to fit the spare tire onto the axle. He told himself that if Margaret Fulbrook had given her gofer instructions not to start a fight with him, Harry the Ox would follow orders. Harry had always followed Fulbrook orders.
“Old lady Fulbrook’s gettin’ on, you know?“ Harry continued. “One of these days she’s gonna kick the bucket.
Been having a few chest pains lately. Doctor can’t find nothin’ wrong, but you know what chest pains mean.“
Colby hoisted the spare tire and started to slide it into place.
It was then Harry moved, charging out of the shadows and into the glare of the Cadillac’s headlights with a speed that was astonishing in a man his size.
Colby dropped the tire and spun to one side, trying to get to his feet. He didn’t move fast enough. Harry’s arm came down in a vicious arc. There was a length of pipe in his fist.
Just like old times, Colby thought. His spinning movement ensured that the pipe missed his skull but he took the blow in his ribs. Pain shot through him. He went sprawling on the pavement, forcing himself to roll quickly to the side.
“Now that’s a sucker punch, you son of a bitch,“ Harry roared and swung the pipe again. “I’ve been waitin’ twenty years to do that.“
The second swing narrowly missed Colby’s shoulder. He staggered to his feet as the pipe clanged on the pavement and he stepped quickly back out of Harry’s range. The big man charged again.
This time Colby went in under the swing but he was still off balance. He managed to sink a fist into Harry’s huge belly, but Harry fell on top of him, using his massive weight to carry Colby toward the ground.
Colby barely escaped the full weight of the other man. He threw himself to one side as they both hit the hard pavement. Harry lashed out with his fist because the hand holding the length of pipe was trapped momentarily under his body. Lights danced in Colby’s head as the huge, meaty hand caught the side of his face.
But Harry lost his advantage on the ground. He lay like a beached whale for a few seconds, breathing noisily as Colby got to his knees.
Colby wasted no time taking advantage of the situation. He used the heel of his hand in a chopping action that was designed to numb Harry’s shoulder. Harry yelled as his fingers went into a spasm, and the pipe clattered on the pavement.
Colby kicked the pipe well out of the way and then stepped back out of reach. He sucked in air and watched Harry sit up slowly.
“Let’s call it even,“ Colby said, aware of the pain in his side.
Harry said nothing. He got awkwardly to his feet, edged around Colby, who never took his eyes off him, and moved heavily toward the Cadillac. He lowered his bulk slowly into the driver’s seat and yanked the door shut.
With a protesting groan from its overworked engine, the big car shot out onto the road. Colby had to jump out of the way. An instant later he was staring at the big car’s taillights.
Some things would never
“Don’t thank me. Thank old lady Fulbrook. She gave me strict instructions about how I wasn’t to cause any trouble with you.“ Harry leaned against the fender of the Cadillac, a dark, bulky shape behind the glare of the headlights.
Colby said nothing. He hesitated and then put down the wrench in order to grasp the flat tire and pull it off the wheel.
“You hear me, Savagar? I said old lady Fulbrook doesn’t want me causing any trouble with you.“
“I hear you.“
“You know why she doesn’t want no trouble?“ Harry asked conversationally.
“No.“
“She’s afraid you’ll keep her from seeing that boy of yours. Weird, huh? Twenty years go by, and she pays no attention to that kid at all. Then one day he shows up in town and she’s fascinated with him. It’s probably those eyes of his. Just like little Cynthia’s eyes. Remember those eyes, Savagar?“
Colby didn’t respond. He wished he could pick up the wrench again but it took both hands to fit the spare tire onto the axle. He told himself that if Margaret Fulbrook had given her gofer instructions not to start a fight with him, Harry the Ox would follow orders. Harry had always followed Fulbrook orders.
“Old lady Fulbrook’s gettin’ on, you know?“ Harry continued. “One of these days she’s gonna kick the bucket.
Been having a few chest pains lately. Doctor can’t find nothin’ wrong, but you know what chest pains mean.“
Colby hoisted the spare tire and started to slide it into place.
It was then Harry moved, charging out of the shadows and into the glare of the Cadillac’s headlights with a speed that was astonishing in a man his size.
Colby dropped the tire and spun to one side, trying to get to his feet. He didn’t move fast enough. Harry’s arm came down in a vicious arc. There was a length of pipe in his fist.
Just like old times, Colby thought. His spinning movement ensured that the pipe missed his skull but he took the blow in his ribs. Pain shot through him. He went sprawling on the pavement, forcing himself to roll quickly to the side.
“Now that’s a sucker punch, you son of a bitch,“ Harry roared and swung the pipe again. “I’ve been waitin’ twenty years to do that.“
The second swing narrowly missed Colby’s shoulder. He staggered to his feet as the pipe clanged on the pavement and he stepped quickly back out of Harry’s range. The big man charged again.
This time Colby went in under the swing but he was still off balance. He managed to sink a fist into Harry’s huge belly, but Harry fell on top of him, using his massive weight to carry Colby toward the ground.
Colby barely escaped the full weight of the other man. He threw himself to one side as they both hit the hard pavement. Harry lashed out with his fist because the hand holding the length of pipe was trapped momentarily under his body. Lights danced in Colby’s head as the huge, meaty hand caught the side of his face.
But Harry lost his advantage on the ground. He lay like a beached whale for a few seconds, breathing noisily as Colby got to his knees.
Colby wasted no time taking advantage of the situation. He used the heel of his hand in a chopping action that was designed to numb Harry’s shoulder. Harry yelled as his fingers went into a spasm, and the pipe clattered on the pavement.
Colby kicked the pipe well out of the way and then stepped back out of reach. He sucked in air and watched Harry sit up slowly.
“Let’s call it even,“ Colby said, aware of the pain in his side.
Harry said nothing. He got awkwardly to his feet, edged around Colby, who never took his eyes off him, and moved heavily toward the Cadillac. He lowered his bulk slowly into the driver’s seat and yanked the door shut.
With a protesting groan from its overworked engine, the big car shot out onto the road. Colby had to jump out of the way. An instant later he was staring at the big car’s taillights.
Some things would never
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