Road Talk

by Cherime MacFarlane

Synopsis

He's her muscle, nothing more.
Life and Love in Alaska, Volume 4. Please note each story of this series is a short story.
Molly only takes chances while driving. Life burned her, and she isn't ready to open herself up to new wounds. Louis, Lou for short, knows more about the woman than Molly likes. When she discovers Lou crewed with her dead husband, Molly wonders how much Davis Lee told his shipmate about her.
He's supposed to be her muscle to facilitate an aircraft engine exchange. It's a business trip into the wilds of Alaska that has them cooped up in a truck for days. Where will their road talk take them?

Release date: December 5, 2015

Publisher: Paper Gold Publishing

Print pages: 62

Sample

 

On the dot of 8:00 am, I was at the Palmer field. James flew in, a bit hot as usual, taxied over to the truck, and got out with this guy I've never met. The look on my face must have given me away, because James immediately started with the introduction.

"Hey, Molly B. I want you to meet Louis. Lou, for short. He's working with us for the summer. He's been out on that crab boat Davis Lee was on."

It had been four years since Davis Lee died. The crew had attended the funeral, but I don't recall much about it. I blanked everything. I'm still not good about dealing with that shit. I did not want to get into any of it. I don't have a full box of tissues with me, anyway.

The guy stuck out his hand and, short of telling him to get lost, I had to shake. I didn't recall Lou at all. Then again, he isn't all that remarkable to look at. Dark hair, dark eyes, and a face that looks as if it has seen a whole lot of wind burn over the years. Wrinkles around his dark eyes and at the corners of his mouth tilted upward when he smiled and said hi. Not a real tall guy, Lou was just kind of average all the way around.

I did not like this action one little bit. I really didn't know the guy, and I was going to be stuck in a vehicle with him for probably somewhere close to twenty hours.

"Listen, Lou, I need to talk to James here a minute." I grabbed James' arm and propelled him around the front of his Super Cub.

"What goes here? I don't know that guy. I'm not sure I want to be stuck in a vehicle with the man for as long as this is going to take."

"Molly, I wouldn't have brought him along with if there was any other way. I've got to drop this engine off with you and head out to Dillingham. Dorcas can't hold down the fort 'cause she's down in Seattle with Mom. Frankie has a case of the stomach flu, and that leaves Angel to hold down the office."

"I do not want to talk about anything. I don't need any stories about him and...."

"Molls, honey. The guy is pretty quiet. Since the start of summer, I've maybe heard two complete sentences out of the man. The only reason I know he crewed with Davis Lee is when I mentioned I was sending you, he knew who you were. I asked him how he knew you, and...."

James shrugged. "Molls, you know I wouldn't send you out with someone I didn't trust. Since he's not the chatty type, I don't think he's going to get on your nerves. Please, Molly. I really need this engine swap, and so does the guy it's going to."