Soul Hostage Read Online Free Page B

shocking ways.  Right then, none of that mattered. I was never shocked more than by what he did next. 
    After a moment in which nothing within the car seemed to move, my short, dark partner threw back his shaved head in utter joy and let loose a roar of genuine, unbridled laughter. 
    “Ah, this guy!”  Joey exclaimed as he moved to Louis Stoaffer, threw his arm around the old man, and pulled him closer.  With his left hand still holding the gun, he tussled Louis’s already wild gray hair with his right.  “You hear that, Thomas?  ‘You just need a little faith’!”  He jerked his head back again and howled with laughter. 
    I watched in the mirror as his body continued to shake with glee.  Louis Stoaffer remained still and simply kept staring back at me with a smile glued to his wrinkled face.
    Once Joey appeared to have regained control of himself, I said, “Joey, we don’t have time for this shit.  We need to figure out what we are going to do.  Right now, we’re headed nowhere.  So let’s make a plan and then get off the road as soon as possible.”
    I didn’t bother to look in the mirror to see what was going on behind me.  The silence from the backseat gave me a picture of Joey pouting, because I had not shared in his delight.
    After a moment, he grumbled, “Okay, you’re right.  So where to, Lou?”
    I looked in the mirror to see Joey glaring at the old man.  Stoaffer seemed completely unaware of the scrutiny as his ever-present smile broadened once again.
    “Well … I … I suppose we should head south.”  The uncertainty was pretty obvious in his voice. 
    I felt my body tighten with anger at having been taken in by this crazy old man.  My irritation continued to grow, but it was nothing compared to the rage burning in the backseat.
    “You’ve got no fuckin’ idea, do yuh old man?” With Joey’s face was so close to Louis Stoaffer’s, I’m sure he felt the heat of Joey’s breath. 
    In a flash of movement, Joey’s face was replaced by the Glock.  Louis Stoaffer’s smile was still on his face, but now the expression was squished as the barrel of the gun pressed into his cheek.
    “Yuh better come up with somethin’ real damn quick       or else we got no use for yuh!” Joey  was trembling with anger.
    I fully expected to hear the blast of the gun at any moment. Instead, Louis Stoaffer chuckled as he said, “Oh, that’s not necessary.  I told you I knew of a place where we could make a killing, and that place is near the beach in San Pietro.”  Joey slowly removed the gun from Louis’s cheek, and the old guy sat back with a look of smugness as if there couldn’t possibly any further doubts about his plan.
    “Tell us more about this place.” I said still not willing to give this man complete trust.
    “I’d rather show you.”  He said quietly in an almost soothing way.
    “Tell you what, Lou.  I’d rather you told us all about this place right now. Before we toss you outta this car.  We’re not gonna drive eight hours to San Pietro only to find out you’re full of shit!”
    Joey nodded in agreement with what I said.
    Stoaffer’s smile faded to be replaced momentarily by an expression of irritation.  Then the smile returned.   He sat still for a few seconds before reaching into his pocket.  His dirty, trembling hands held another roll of mints.  He popped one into his mouth and said, “As you wish.” He said as if he was some genie making dreams come true. “San Pietro is where I used to live.  You may not believe this judging by my present appearance, but I was once a successful businessman.” 
    I found it very hard to believe.  A grunt from Joey signaled his own suspicion.  Despite the response, Stoaffer continued, “I was wealthy enough to have a large home in a very exclusive development along the beach in San Pietro.” 
    Watching the old man’s face in the mirror, I could see the memories had not been recalled in quite some time.