The Blue Ridge Project: A Dark Suspense Novel (The Project Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

surprise, and Jimmy gave him a toothy smile. “Knew it, I’m brilliant at guessing.”
    “How did you know?”
    “I’m a psycho.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “I can read minds. I read your thoughts and got the answer.”
    “Psychic, you mean.”
    “Yeah, that one.” Jimmy chuckled. “Only messing. You’re wearing outside clothes and you smell like perfume that older women wear. Deduction, my boy.” He put his hand to his chin, and affected a serious, thoughtful expression for a few seconds before chuckling again.
    “That was good. I was never great at reading people.” Robert sobered at that thought . “So what happened? An accident, or what?”
    Jimmy finished off his can of iced tea in one gulp and peeled a banana. He brandished it as he spoke. “It’s a funny story. I was working for a subcontractor installing electronics equipment, and we were coming up on the end of the contract. Our supervisor waddles in and says, ‘I know ye’ve been working hard boys, but I’m sorry, there’s been some management issues, so we won’t be gettin’ paid’”—Jimmy did a rough imitation of a countrified man who only took shit from higher-ups, and Robert grinned again—“and I thought, well, fuck this, I’m taking a long lunch and a longer drink. So I went down to the nearest bowry, I had a few small ales and a couple of large ones and I went back to finish the job. Professional pride and a skinful of dutch, you know?”
    Robert, who had often had a drink on the job, nodded.
    “About half an hour after I get back, I trip on a loose wire while I’m backing up unrolling some cable and bust my head on one of the steel cabinets. I woke up in a bed upstairs.”
    Robert raised his eyebrows. “Shit. That’s a bad bit of luck.”
    “Tell me about it. I can’t even claim off the accident because I had a drink on me. Chances are I would’ve tripped either way, but you can never know. So now I have to go looking for work as soon as they discharge me. I’m treating this like a holiday. The boss, fair play to him, sorted me out with this lovely hospital. The room is as good as any you’d get in a hotel, plus you get a free check up, so fuck it. I’ll drag out the symptoms for an extra day or two and get back to it.”
    Robert snorted and shook his head. “I can get behind that. I wouldn’t usually, but it sounds like you got the short end. I guess you could say I’m sympathetic.” Robert paused. “I recently got shafted out of a job myself.”
    “O h, yeah?” Jimmy’s eyebrows went up in genuine interest. “What’s that, then?”
    The lady called from the counter, cutting off Robert before he could answer. “Boys? Food’s ready.” She left the sandwiches on the counter and a bottle of orange juice beside Robert’s. Condensation dribbled down the side of the bottle.
    “Grub’s up! Hold on to that story, Robert. I’ll hear it off you again. Here, if you’re short on work, I can always find a quick earner if someone is in need. I’ll give you my number.”
    The cellphone Robert pulled from his pants’ pocket was dead, so he reached in his jacket pocket and handed Jimmy the pen he found there. Jimmy scribbled some digits on a napkin and handed it and the pen to Robert who put them away.
    “Thank s, Jimmy, I appreciate that. I better head back with this stuff; my mother will think I’ve left halfway through the visit.”
    “I’ll see you anon, Robert. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to jump into this sandwich here and head back to my room. I’m feeling a bit tired all of a sudden. Nice talking to you.”
    “Yo u, too. Take care. Thanks, ladies,” Robert said, and waved to the cafeteria girls. They waved back as he took his sandwich and juice up the stairs.
    As he reached the stairway, he met the nurse from earlier on the way down. Her face almost matched the color of her white uniform, and she stopped short when he appeared in front of her at the top of the stairs.
    “Mr. Duncan. I- I’m so