Page 78 of Cold, Cold Bones

Blank indifference.

“She’s a tall young woman with short blond hair? She’s just gotten out of the army?”

I was certain Winky knew Katy. She’d snared him on moving day. She’d spoken of him later. Maybe. Still, I was hitting a brick wall.

“I’m concerned because I haven’t been able to reach her for a while. Surely you remember her?”

Winky shifted his feet.

“I’m afraid she may have lost her mobile,” I added, unsure what else to say.

That penetrated Eldon’s reefer bliss. The snaggletooth smile disappeared in a blink. “Don’t be putting no thieving on me. Nuh-huh. No way. Dis ol’ boy didn’t steal no phone.”

Before I could clarify, Eldon pivoted and hurried up the street, skinny legs pumping gracelessly, arms swinging at his sides.

“Winky, please tell Eldon I wasn’t accusing him.”

Snorting, Winky lifted a boot to snub out his cigarette. The orange tip hissed as it died against the wet rubber sole.

“If you run into Katy, could you ask her to call her mother?”

“Yeah. I’ll knock myself out.” Thick with disgust.

What the hell?

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out a card. “Or could you give me a call?”

Winky took the card. Dropping it and the stub into a coat pocket, he turned and followed Eldon up the block.

Discouraged, I debated with myself. Push on? Give up and proceed to the MCME? Katy was right about etiquette. This club was closed tighter than the Skull and Bones.

No one was going to talk to me. I’d tried. Katy was a big girl. Time to go to work.

Walking back to my car, hoping it was still there and intact, I passed a small coffee shop in a large brick building whose ownersdidn’t waste money on power washing. Morning sun reflected off the shop’s front window. Painted on the dingy glass were the wordsFresh Beanand a promise of service 24/7.

I glanced inside with little interest.

Then stopped.

18

Eldon was seated at a table on the far side of the glass. The hat was off, leaving his kinky white hair plastered to his scalp. I watched him dip a triangle of toast into a mug, carefully tap the rim, then raise and nibble one crust.

No.

Yes.

I checked my watch. It was only ten. I could work late tonight. Again.

One last shot.

I pushed open the door. A small bell jangled.

Only one other table was occupied, two kids with nose rings and primary-colored hair, one red, one blue.

The old man didn’t glance up as I approached him.

“Hi, Eldon.”