Shotgun Lullaby (A Conway Sax Mystery) Read Online Free Page B

Shotgun Lullaby (A Conway Sax Mystery)
Book: Shotgun Lullaby (A Conway Sax Mystery) Read Online Free
Author: Steve Ulfelder
Tags: Mystery, Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, Hard-Boiled
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at the dinner table with these concussive blasts of intelligence.
    But Sophie’s family role was peacemaker, mood reflector. Since Jessie came home, all that intelligence had gone dark.
    What could you do? Family is family.
    Charlene had to be thinking along the same lines as me, because she said, “How’s Roy?”
    I shrugged. “You know as much as I know. Still out in the Berkshires with his mother. I’ve been trying to get him here to ride the dirt bikes. Been leaving messages.”
    We were quiet awhile.
    Charlene scratched my shoulder. “What happened after the meeting? I got a half-dozen calls from Barnburners. People said the cops were checking up on you and that boy you brought.”
    I told her the whole thing. It took a while. Halfway through the story she rose, tugged my hand, and led me upstairs to her bedroom. I liked that. Then she stroked my hair while I spoke. I liked that too.
    When I was done, Charlene, pillow-propped on the bed now, was quiet a few seconds. “Before noon today,” she finally said, “three different Barnburners called to tell me about this Andrade beating. Like all gossips, they had parts of the story wrong. But they had the gist of it right.”
    â€œHow the hell did word get out?”
    She shrugged. “The point is, a lot of people are unhappy about it. There’s grumbling about the things you do, Conway. The favors. The muscle stuff.”
    â€œDo they think I do it for fun ? People come to us screwed up in ugly ways. I get them out of jams. And only when I’m asked to.”
    â€œI realize that, and I realize that some of the bitchers and moaners are the ones who were once in the ugliest jams.” Charlene let a finger play through my hair. “That’s half the problem, Conway. People who need help from a man with your talents don’t like to be reminded of the fact years later.”
    I nodded. “Fair enough. Now I know the holier-than-thous are eyeballing me.”
    Charlene put her head on my shoulder. “Are you worried for Gus?”
    â€œI don’t know. I think so. Yes. I have to be worried for him.”
    â€œWhat’s he like?”
    â€œCokehead. Rehab kid. College kid. Big bullshitter. Probably doing AA because Daddy made him. I had to guess, I’d say he’ll quit the coke and drink like a fish for the next twenty years. Then he’ll come back to AA for real.”
    â€œHarsh.”
    â€œHonest.”
    â€œBut you care about him a lot.”
    I waved a hand. “I’m just helping out a Barnburner.”
    â€œNonsense.” She smiled.
    â€œOkay. I like the kid. He’s got a heart. He’s scared. If he works at it, he could be a man.”
    â€œWhat’s your next move? As if I didn’t know.”
    â€œI need to figure out who’s got a problem with Gus.”
    â€œAnd look into it.” She sighed as she spoke.
    â€œOf course.”
    â€œConway Sax takes in another stray.” She said it softly. “He reminds you of your son. You can admit it to me. You might even want to admit it to yourself.”
    â€œEverybody’s a damn shrink.”
    â€œYou don’t have to be much of one to see it.”
    â€œI know,” I said. “But there’s more to it.”
    Charlene stroked my hair, said nothing.
    â€œYou should have seen the cops and EMTs coming out of this halfway house,” I said. “Could barely keep their lunch down, some of ’em, and they were hard-core pros. I didn’t want to spook Gus, so I played it light. But it looks like some serious cats want him dead.”
    â€œ If they wanted him dead, and not the poor boy they actually shot.”
    â€œYeah. If. But that’s the way I see it.”
    â€œOf course it is. Because it’s an excuse to take in a stray.”
    Most nights, that would’ve set me off, started a fight. But the way Charlene was stroking my hair made it hard to get

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