Good morning and Happy Hump Day ! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.
Charlemagne is less than pleased when Tyrone shows up at the library where he is trying to research his family. How and why? See what's going on in this week's chapter of An Unholy Alliance. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale.
The last thing I wanted to do was create a scene.
Not there and then. Later? Well, I wouldn’t guarantee anything about what might
occur, given the opportunity.
Shelving my irritation, at least for the moment, I
gave him a withering look. “Why are you here and how the hell did you find me?”
I knew I hadn’t given him any clue as to where I was going when I’d received
the text from Casey. I mean, why would I have? I hadn’t even said good-bye, or
any variation thereof.
“Pure dumb luck,” he chuckled. “And a little bit of
deductive reasoning.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I caught him eyeing
my tea a bit too suspiciously for my taste, so I protectively moved it closer
to me, just in case he had designs on it. Let him ask Casey for a cup and see
how far that got him. Although they were nice, and might just give him one, not
knowing how annoying he truly was.
“What kind of tea is that?” He was glancing more openly
at my cup now. I shot him a baffled look at the way he’d not-so-subtly changed
the subject. Like I’d forget what I’d asked.
“What difference does that make?” I countered. “And you
didn’t answer my question. How did dumb luck, which I suspect is something you’re
more than passing familiar with, and a bit of deductive reasoning lead you
here, of all places?”
Again he ignored me. “You should probably drink
green tea. It’s rich in antioxidants. Do you know what those are?”
“Do I look stupid?” I snapped.
He shook his head. “No, of course not. I just don’t
like to assume anything. Then you know that antioxidants, like those found in
green tea, help to improve blood circulation. Considering your condition, I
assume you need all the help you can get in that area.”
“It’s not a condition,” I blurted out without
thinking through my words. And now I’d just admitted to being what I am… and
didn’t I feel stupid. I felt my temper begin to flare. How was he able to
manipulate me so easily? I found him…that is, Tyrone was… damn the man, he was very…
infuriating.
I was beginning to lose my words, and that I would
not countenance.
“I don’t need lessons in biology from someone like
you! I’ve studied at more universities than you can even imagine. What have you
done? Graduated from tech school?” Now who was making assumptions? I couldn’t
believe I’d let myself be goaded into engaging in a battle of wits with this…
this… person. To what end? I could leave here at any time and never see him
again. And yet I didn’t.
I told myself that was because this was my library, not his. If anyone was going
to leave, it would be him. But if I were to be completely honest with myself,
that wasn’t the truth. Whether I was willing to admit it then or not.
“Sorry,” he chuckled again. His hand seemed to snake
toward me, as if he intended to pat my arm, perhaps in some manner calculated
to soothe the savage breast. I jerked back, maintaining a respectable distance
between us. That should let him know I didn’t want to be touched. Not that I
owed him an explanation, I just wanted things to be clear between us.
“I guess it’s the biologist in me,” he explained. “I
love talking about it. Well, you may have noticed I just enjoy talking…”
Isn’t
that the truth?
“…and most of the people I talk to don’t have a
science background, so I kind of take that into account and I end up explaining
things more often than not. I certainly didn’t intend to insult you, I promise.
I have no doubt you know many things, probably a lot more than I do. I mean,
you’ve been studying for a lot longer than I have, so it’s only natural. Plus
you sound very well educated, if you don’t mind my saying so. I can hear it in
your voice. You have a very nice voice, by the way.”
I couldn’t decide if I was more flattered or
insulted, or some combination of the two. And this conversation was drifting
farther and farther afield.
As if he could read my mind (something I was
beginning to wonder about, I admit), he finally answered my question. “I heard
it on the police scanner. The BOLO.”
The
what? What language was he speaking? And what did he hear?
“You know. Be on the lookout.” He must have noticed
the blank look in my eyes and forged ahead. “The car. The Chrysler I spotted in
the parking lot. The timing was too perfect. I mean you take off, the car gets
stolen, here it is and here you are…” He made a hand gesture and his face wore
a you see what I mean expression.
“The blind luck came in that I just happened to be
coming this way. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have seen it and figured out it might be
you. I wasn’t positive, but I was fairly sure. And of course, as you can
clearly see, I was right.”
I couldn’t tell if he looked more complacent or
smarmy or just plain pleased with himself. A desire to leave was growing within
me, but I couldn’t. At least not until I finished looking through the books
Casey had found. The papers I could keep, they were just print-outs she’d made
for me. But not the books. I couldn’t check them out, not being an actual
patron, not even a resident of the area.
“Damn!” Tyrone whistled under his breath.
What
now?
I glanced up sharply to find what appeared to be a
policeman heading our way with undoubtedly foul intent.
What had Tyrone just brought upon me?
to be continued
Now go see what's up with the other Briefers!
No comments:
Post a Comment