Carrying Hope Read Online Free Page B

huddled in a dark corner trying to make myself unnoticed.
    After a long awkward silence, I prompted him again.
    “Well, out with it, old man.”
    He turned his gaze toward me and I noticed one of his eyes was milky white with cataracts. That one diseased eyeball made me squeamish and I wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible, more than ever.
    “I’ve heard a few whispers about what you’re doing,” he began, looking straight ahead now as if he were talking to the wall.
    “So, do you know anything about the man I’m looking for?”
    “I know plenty.”
    His cryptic way of speaking was starting to grate on my nerves.
    “Look, I didn’t come all the way out here to play twenty questions with you. If you have information, I’ll gladly pay you for it, but quit wasting my time.”
    “I’m trying to say you time, sonny. You need to rein in that temper of yours before it gets you into trouble.”
    “I don’t need proverbs from you, I need information. What do you know about my father?”
    “Shhh!” He turned to me, his eyes wide with terror. I got a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that told me this was going nowhere. Still, Tanner was never wrong about a lead. I had faith that my best friend knew what he was doing.
    “Even in a place like this, the walls have ears, my boy,” his gaze turned back to the wall, making me feel even more uncomfortable.
    I was beginning to think that this old man really was an escaped mental patient. His paranoia made me feel like I needed to look over my shoulder constantly.  
    “What are you talking about?”
    “The man you’re looking for…”
    “My father?”
    He winced again. What in the world could make him so afraid?
    “He’s a very powerful man.”
    I chuckled. Was that all? I already knew that.
    “So am I,” I stated confidently. I’d yet to meet the man that couldn’t be bought with enough money. Protection, information, and retaliation were all things that could easily be purchased if you knew where to go.
    The geezer shook his head, flakes of dandruff falling out of his bushy mane.
    “Not nearly as powerful as you think. This has been covered up for decades. He’s not going to take your efforts lightly.”
    “Well, that’s too bad. He needs to answer for what he’s done.” My mother’s face flashed before my eyes and I tipped my head to the bartender to order another drink.
    “NO!” The old man shouted, pounding his fist on the bar. Glasses rattled in place and some of the patrons cast their gaze our way, making me feel paranoid now.
    “You’re not getting it,” his voice was back to normal and the stunned hush that had taken over the bar faded away as people resumed their activities. Maybe they’d been expecting a fight, but I was in no mood to argue with an old man.
    “Tell me what I’m not getting. Better yet, why don’t you tell me something useful?” Sarcasm dripped from my voice and I downed another drink. I was starting to feel a little hazy.
    “If you would listen, you would hear that I am telling you something useful. Stop this search now or you will regret it. He will come after you. He will destroy everything you love and leave you with nothing. Just walk away; it’s not worth it, son.”
    My answering laugh was as sarcastic as they came.
    “Jokes on him then. He already destroyed the only thing I loved.”
    His eyes sparkled with unspoken understanding. He knew he’d lost this battle.
    I stood from the bar, leaving my money on the counter. I’d listened to enough from this crazy decrepit kook.
    “I hope you’ll reconsider.”
    “And I hoped you’d be useful.”
    He looked apologetic, but he didn’t say anything. It bothered me more than I cared to admit that he wouldn’t divulge his knowledge to me. It seemed like such a simple request, but someone or something had obviously spooked this man.
    I left the bar, my temper burning as I dialed Tanner’s number on my cell phone.
    “How’d it go?”
    “Huge