The Mall Read Online Free

  One of the problems with having a robot on the scene act as dispatcher was they were sparse on the details.   Clarity and perspective sacrificed on the altar of efficiency.
    “Anybody have an eye on what’s going on at the Ferris Wheel ?”
    A moment later a garbled voice replied: “Yeah, we got two teens with skateboards outside the entrance of the Wheel at the fountain.   You nearby, Lynch?”

    “On my way now.”

4
     
    When the door of the apartment opened, a little white Bishon peeked through, yapping madly.   The woman at the door swept the animal aside with her heeled shoe and cried, “Back, Andy!   Back!”
    The door opened wider, the stale smell of air freshener sprayed precipitately atop years of nicotine residue assaulting Lara.
    “Coraline!   Look at you, my child!   So beautiful!”
    Charlene swept open the door, went to one knee and held her arms out to Cora.   The five-year-old dutifully went to the woman, gingerly placing her arms around her.   Owen cast a disgruntled look at his mother.   She gave a firm shake of her head in return.
    “Owen, look at how much you’ve grown,” Charlene cried with a croak of a throat abused by years of smoking.   She gave him a one-arm squeeze—her wrist rattling with dangling jewelry--that he managed to tolerate.   Following his sister inside the house, he turned back just long enough to make a gagging face for his mother’s benefit.
    Lara tried to maintain her expression as her mother-in-law gave her a look of harsh appraisal, then stepped aside, allowing her to follow her children inside.
    “I apologize for Andy’s behavior.   He reacts that way with all strangers,” Charlene murmured, casting a judgmental eye in Lara’s direction.   “I’ve set out plates of cookies for you two in the den.   Why don’t you watch some TV while your mother and I have a talk?”
    Lara tried to control her slowly rising panic as her children disappeared from her view into the next room.   She wouldn’t give this woman the luxury of the fear she knew from experience that she coveted.   The little white dog started after the children but Charlene gave a single snap and it scurried immediately to her heel.
    She turned and started down the hallway, turning into the first room to the right, not taking a look back, only assuming that she would be followed.
    “He’s well trained.”
    “Should be,” Charlene chirped, stepping around a heavy oak desk in the darkened office and drawing a pack of cigarettes from the top drawer.   “I paid enough for the little bastard.”   She waved Lara to the leather couch beside the door.
    Lara edged back into the couch and sunk into its plush cushion.   She immediately pushed herself up, leaning forward--elbows on knees--hoping to appear somewhat business-like, despite her floundering confidence.
    Andy gave her feet a few sniffs, then pranced out the door and down the hall.
    Charlene cracked the blinds on the window behind the desk, sending a harsh ray of dying sunlight from the hazy Houston sky into Lara’s eye line.   She was nothing more than a silhouette to Lara now, a dark smoking shape that could be Beelzebub for all she knew.   Perching herself on the corner of the desk, Charlene’s silhouette sat that way for a few silent moments.
    Lara gave a long and heavy sigh and scooted even further out on the edge of the cushion as if preparing for a quick launch off the starting line.   “Listen, Charlene…”
    “What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?”
    Lara swallowed awkwardly.   So it was going to be this way, she concluded.
    “Truth is me and the kids are temporary without a place to stay.”
    “Evicted?   Again?”
    Lara opened her mouth then snapped it closed again.   She shut her eyes and counted to three.   “Charlene, I would appreciate you putting your grandchildren up for a few days until I make arrangements.”
    “Why were you evicted this time?   Boyfriend