Retribution ("M" Mystery) Read Online Free Page A

downtown Dungeness Bay. He had one more stop before he’d meet Amy.

    Chapter Seven

    They parked in the alley behind Dungeness Bay Fitness and Martial Arts. M got out of the car and waited for Buck to walk around next to her.
    “After your lesson I’m pretty busy but should have enough time to drop by and check on Gina around three or so.”
    He took her hand and gave it a squeeze.
    “I really appreciate that. Any new information would be a big help. Call me on my cell phone.”
    She looked up at him and smiled. “No problem.”
    He stopped and touched her on the shoulder.
    “I know this morning’s lesson is breaking into your personal time, but I just couldn’t make it this afternoon or tonight,” Buck said.
    She started walking again. “Not a problem. Helping Gina this morning was a priority that changed my schedule, and you fit right in.”
    They stopped talking for a minute as they passed a homeless man sleeping next to the dumpster, he was partly covered by a hole-riddled blanket. When they approached he gave a low groan and rolled over, the blanket fell off his shoulders.
    M stiffened as the man pulled the blanket up to his chin. “What is it?” Buck said, stopping to follow her gaze at the rumpled figure curled on the ground.
    “Maybe nothing.” She stepped closer to the sleeping figure. “Hey you!”
    The man rolled over, his short-cropped hair standing up like a rooster’s comb on one side of his head. What looked like dried vomit stained his chin. He was Asian, and looked a little young to be homeless. He held the blanket up to his chin like a virgin on her wedding night. “Huh?”
    M stepped back. “Nothing, sorry to bother you.”
    They walked in silence to the end the sidewalk, she turned and looked back down the alley.
    “Come on, what’s up? You want me to roust that guy?”
    She didn’t answer for a minute. “No leave him alone. It’s just that he’s been hanging around for a while. He’s harmless.” Then she turned to look up the sidewalk at the front of her business.
    “Windows need washing,” she said, and picked up a paper cup from the brick windowsill. “Tourists, you love ‘em and you hate ‘em.” She stepped into the alcove that housed the double doors, pushing one open for Buck.
    “Age before beauty.”
    He groaned as he stepped through. “Thanks.”
    She smiled as she followed him through the door. “All part of your training.”
    They stopped at the front desk where a young man was sorting mail.
      “How’s the traffic this morning, Mark?” M said, stepping up and picking through the stack of mail.
    “Not a lot of clients, but a lot of mail.” He plopped down a second stack of just credit card applications. “Oh, and I got your application off for the new equipment.”
     Buck shot his eyebrows up. “Buying new weight machines, business must be good.”
    She turned and leaned her back on the front counter. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I lease the machines.”
    “Oh,” he said, and looked past the manager to the over-sized clock on the wall. “I really have to get going. If this lesson is any problem we can push it off until tomorrow.”
    M stepped away from the counter and through the turnstile. “Not a chance.” Jogging toward the stairs that led to her apartment she shouted over her shoulder. “See you on the mat in five.”  Then she was out of site. He skirted the mat as he headed for the men’s changing room, and his locker there.
      ***
    Mark Lima was the morning manager for the gym and also one of M’s top black belts; at twenty-six, he’d been studying the martial arts with M for ten years. He finished sorting the mail, tearing each pre-approved credit card form in half before putting it in the trash. Private correspondence went into M’s box along with tournament invitations. When the mail was all sorted he reached under the counter for the “Back in Five Minutes” sign, placed it in the center of the front desk where