Tempest Brewing Tropical Storms Part 1 Read Online Free Page A

direction anyways? I still
don't know where I am or what to do. It is my first day here. Looks
like you had a hell of a storm recently. I was watchin' on the
weather channel. Was afraid I wasn't gonna make it here."
    Joy relaxed a bit and felt back in familiar
territory once more. This man had unsettled her twice in one hour
and she didn't like that. She had given the "What to do one your
first day in Key West" speech a million times. "Just a bad
thunderstorm, no real damage," which wasn't really true. There were
debris strewn everywhere that had been blown about. The tides had
risen well above normal and the beaches were still a mess. A few
roofs had lost shingles or tiles but no one had been hurt and no
major damage had occurred.
    "At sunset go to Mallory Square. Everyone goes
there for a view of the spectacular sunset. There are local
artisans selling their crafts, you know, bracelets and earrings,
drawings, painted coconuts and things like that. Local street
performers and musicians work for tips and appreciation.
Occasionally someone famous, like Jimmy Buffett will just hand out
and play incognito. It's cool. It's a Key West institution and
everyone goes. Just watch your wallet is all. It is a pick pocket
paradise."
    "Where? Vincent asked? "Mallory Square where?"
    "I'll get you a map before you go" Joy advised.
"After, just walk down Duval Street. I don't know what you like,
but it's all on Duval. It's the famous street here in Key West.
People do the "Duval Crawl." They start at one end of Duval and
stop and have one drink at every bar along the way and see how far
they can get before throwing up, passing out or getting arrested. I
don't recommend that for your first day though, maybe wait until
your second or third day here." She paused to see if he was smiling
and saw that he was.
    "Really, Duval and a block or two in either
direction has everything. Famous bars like Sloppy Joe's, Willy T's,
Margaritaville and the Hog's Breath Saloon, there's a Planet
Hollywood, art museums, stores that sell everything from fine
antiques to junk and more junk, souvenir shops that sell more junk,
restaurants, coffee shops and a whole gay section with drag
shows."
    "Drag shows, Ma'am?" Vincent asked somewhat
indignantly.
    "You know, female impersonators," Joy
explained.
    "Yes 'em, I know what a drag show is, it's
just---. He paused, "Do I look like someone who wants to go to a
drag show? Don't get me wrong, Live and let live I always say, I
just choose to live without that. Unless of course," he added
slyly, "You want to go with me, then it'd be all right I
reckon."
    Joy could only say "Let me get you that map and
your bill, I hope you have fun, Doc."
    Vincent left her a twenty dollar tip on an
eighteen dollar bill. On the receipt he had written "You are a
Joy!" A few minutes later Eric came to her and said "Good job!"
    "What?" Joy asked.
    "That guy asked for the manager. He complimented
the food, said best burger he ever ate, and went on and on about
you. Said the service was perfect and you were very friendly and
helpful. Way to go."
    Joy still had two and half hours left on her
shift. Lunch had come and gone and she was trying to keep busy,
cleaning and filling things. At the same time she obsessed about
Brian and why he wasn't picking up or answering her messages.
Something just didn't sit right with her. It wasn't a specific
thing, just a subtle inside feeling something was up, something was
wrong.
    Joy went to Shane, the other day server working
and asked "can you cover for a few minutes? I gotta go to the
little girls room and you know, take care of something."
    Shane looked aghast and replied "TMI girlfriend!
You go take as long as you need."
    Instead of going to the ladies room, Joy snuck
out back and into her car. She and Brian didn't live far, and she
just wanted to make sure he was all right. But he wasn't there when
she arrived home and so, she returned to work a while later,
feeling even more anxious and unsettled.
    When