The Accomplice Read Online Free Page B

Holliday wrenching the glass out of his jaw, Caleb felt that same kind of pain. It hurt, but it hurt a whole lot less than how it had been hurting before. And when it was over, at least he would be set right again.
    Another glass shard dropped into a cup that was so full, the glass no longer rattled inside of it.
    “All right, then,” Holliday said. “Unless my eyes are failing me, I’d say that about does it. All you need is some glue, and you might be able to put that bottle back together again. Ever hear of Humpty Dumpty?”
    Caleb’s vision was blurred, and he felt like he was falling through murky water. All of that made Holliday’s comments seem even more ludicrous. “Wha?” he asked. It didn’t hurt so much to talk anymore. “What?”
    Just as his fingertips grazed against his jaw, Caleb felt that steady, almost skeletal hand reach out to stop him.
    “Leave it be,” Holliday said. “For now, anyway. It needs time to heal, but you should be right as rain before too long.”
    Sitting up, Caleb pulled in a few breaths to clear his head. Moving his jaw didn’t exactly feel good, but the pain was nothing compared to how it had been not too long ago.
    “I can stitch up some of those cuts if you still have it in you,” Holliday said.
    Caleb looked over to the dentist and found that sitting up and seeing Holliday at an equal level was something of a new perspective. Holliday still looked pale and gaunt. His eyes, which had seemed a cool blue before, now seemed gray. Sweat had broken out across his forehead and slicked his dark blond hair against his scalp. The perspiration seemed to come from something else besides the heat that filled the room as it did the entire state of Texas at that time of year.
    Before too long, Holliday picked up on Caleb’s careful inspection of him. “You strike me as a fighting man,” Holliday said.
    Once more taken off his guard, Caleb replied, “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “The way you’re sizing me up. I’ve seen wild dogs with less fire in their eyes.”
    Now it was Caleb’s turn to smile. Even though the gesture hurt, it was good to be able to do it again. “I’ve heard about you, Holliday. You’re more than just a dentist around here.”
    Holliday’s eyes showed a glint of amusement. When he smiled, he showed a set of well-maintained if slightly bloodied teeth. “Is that a fact, now?”
    Caleb saw the bloodstains on the dentist’s teeth and reacted just enough for Holliday to pick up on it. In one motion, Holliday had turned away from Caleb and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to dab at his mouth. He cleared his throat a few times, but that soon degenerated into a series of hacking coughs.
    One after another, the coughs came. They started shaking Holliday like a pair of rough, invisible hands as the sound he made became gritty and wet. And just as quickly as they’d overtaken him, the coughs were forced back down. Holliday wiped his mouth, pulled in a breath, and once again set his eyes upon Caleb.
    Oddly enough, Caleb had to admit that Holliday looked even stronger than before.
    “You said I had some cheaters in my place,” Caleb reminded the dentist. “From what I hear, you could be one of them.”
    “And who told you that? Someone who bet too much and lost is what I’d wager.”
    “Yeah. They lost, all right.”
    “And let me guess. They didn’t take it up with the law, either?”
    “No. They didn’t.” Caleb nodded at the way Holliday composed himself. He liked to think he had instinct to spare when it came to judging men. Even so, it was hard to get a read on the dentist before him. “So who is this cheater, then? Will you tell me?”
    “First things first,” Holliday said. “How about you settle up with the girl out front for this service before I provide you with another one?”
    A knot formed in Caleb’s stomach. “I don’t have any money with me. At least, probably not enough to pay for this.”
    “Are you happy with my