escaping like air from a leaking tire. “What am I going to do?” she moaned and put her face down on her arms. At least she wasn’t wailing anymore.
Barbara reached over and patted April’s arm. “Now, now. I’m sure we can find this author of yours.” She looked at me. “It seems Max Carson went out for a drink last night and hasn’t been seen since.”
April said something into her sleeve. Barbara interpreted for us. “He has a radio interview at four this afternoon and a television appearance this evening.”
April said something else into her sleeve. It sounded like, “Idols are walking near us and won’t stop,” but when Barbara translated it became, “I don’t want to go back to working at the coffee shop.”
All of a sudden I was very tired of Max Carson, April Quist and the whole business. “Miss Quist,” I said sternly. “Max’s book signing at our store was last week. Our business with him is concluded.”
“Greg!” Lynn’s tone was both shocked and sharp. I couldn’t remember the last time she had spoken to me like that. I felt my face flush. “April needs our help. If you don’t feel like helping her, you can go watch the store. Maybe you can sell some more of Max’s books and make some more money off him.” She paused, and Barbara nodded her agreement. “In the meantime Barbara and I will do what we can to help April.” All three women glared at me.
“I’m sorry,” I stammered and realized there was nothing else for it but to do as I was told.
I could hear them talking as I fussed around the storefront, straightening things that didn’t need straightening, moving a book from one display to another and then back again. I could hear their voices but not what they were saying. The mood of the conversation must have improved, as after a while I heard outbursts of giggles from Lynn and April along with Barbara’s infectious laugh. I decided to see if my banishment was over.
It was, or at least I was allowed into the back room again. I don’t know what they had been talking about, but all three went silent as I came in. April looked at me, then at Lynn, and the two of them burst into laughter again.
I ignored their childishness and went to pour myself some coffee. There wasn’t any. I looked at the three of them at the table with their coffee cups. Lynn raised hers. “Sorry,” she mouthed.
I came over and sat at the fourth place at the table. “So have you figured out what you’re going to do to find Max?”
Lynn gave a smug smile. “Yes, we have. You are going to go pick him up.”
“You know where he is?”
Lynn showed me her cell phone and explained. “Candy sent me a text message a little while ago. She’s got Max down at The Pink Poodle.”
The Pink Poodle was the strip bar where Lynn used to work. Candy, a former stripper like Lynn, still worked there, taking care of the dancers.
April leaned her head on one hand with her elbow on the table and stared at Lynn with wide eyes. “Wow, you really were a stripper? That must have been so amazing. What an experience.”
Lynn frowned. “An experience is what it was, April. Believe me, it’s nothing glamorous.”
I felt the conversation slipping away. “Why don’t the two of you go pick up Max? You don’t need me along.” The truth was that I was remembering the last time I had been there–over a year ago–and the undignified way I’d left.
Lynn shook her head. “Donnie wants you to come get him. He didn’t say why.”
“Can I really come along?” April asked. “I’d love to see what it’s like there.”
I was about to say no when Lynn answered for me.
“I suppose all three of us can go. It will be nice to see the girls and Angus, if he’s there.” Angus was the bouncer, a huge mountain of a Scotsman. He had provided the propulsion for my exit on my last visit, not that I held that against him.
Lynn and April disappeared upstairs. Lynn wanted to change her clothes, and April wanted a
Barbara reached over and patted April’s arm. “Now, now. I’m sure we can find this author of yours.” She looked at me. “It seems Max Carson went out for a drink last night and hasn’t been seen since.”
April said something into her sleeve. Barbara interpreted for us. “He has a radio interview at four this afternoon and a television appearance this evening.”
April said something else into her sleeve. It sounded like, “Idols are walking near us and won’t stop,” but when Barbara translated it became, “I don’t want to go back to working at the coffee shop.”
All of a sudden I was very tired of Max Carson, April Quist and the whole business. “Miss Quist,” I said sternly. “Max’s book signing at our store was last week. Our business with him is concluded.”
“Greg!” Lynn’s tone was both shocked and sharp. I couldn’t remember the last time she had spoken to me like that. I felt my face flush. “April needs our help. If you don’t feel like helping her, you can go watch the store. Maybe you can sell some more of Max’s books and make some more money off him.” She paused, and Barbara nodded her agreement. “In the meantime Barbara and I will do what we can to help April.” All three women glared at me.
“I’m sorry,” I stammered and realized there was nothing else for it but to do as I was told.
I could hear them talking as I fussed around the storefront, straightening things that didn’t need straightening, moving a book from one display to another and then back again. I could hear their voices but not what they were saying. The mood of the conversation must have improved, as after a while I heard outbursts of giggles from Lynn and April along with Barbara’s infectious laugh. I decided to see if my banishment was over.
It was, or at least I was allowed into the back room again. I don’t know what they had been talking about, but all three went silent as I came in. April looked at me, then at Lynn, and the two of them burst into laughter again.
I ignored their childishness and went to pour myself some coffee. There wasn’t any. I looked at the three of them at the table with their coffee cups. Lynn raised hers. “Sorry,” she mouthed.
I came over and sat at the fourth place at the table. “So have you figured out what you’re going to do to find Max?”
Lynn gave a smug smile. “Yes, we have. You are going to go pick him up.”
“You know where he is?”
Lynn showed me her cell phone and explained. “Candy sent me a text message a little while ago. She’s got Max down at The Pink Poodle.”
The Pink Poodle was the strip bar where Lynn used to work. Candy, a former stripper like Lynn, still worked there, taking care of the dancers.
April leaned her head on one hand with her elbow on the table and stared at Lynn with wide eyes. “Wow, you really were a stripper? That must have been so amazing. What an experience.”
Lynn frowned. “An experience is what it was, April. Believe me, it’s nothing glamorous.”
I felt the conversation slipping away. “Why don’t the two of you go pick up Max? You don’t need me along.” The truth was that I was remembering the last time I had been there–over a year ago–and the undignified way I’d left.
Lynn shook her head. “Donnie wants you to come get him. He didn’t say why.”
“Can I really come along?” April asked. “I’d love to see what it’s like there.”
I was about to say no when Lynn answered for me.
“I suppose all three of us can go. It will be nice to see the girls and Angus, if he’s there.” Angus was the bouncer, a huge mountain of a Scotsman. He had provided the propulsion for my exit on my last visit, not that I held that against him.
Lynn and April disappeared upstairs. Lynn wanted to change her clothes, and April wanted a
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