Page 71 of Dark Obsession

They stood in comfortable silence. The wind found its way to them through the trees, cooling Cody’s skin a bit.

Finally, Jugs said, “I need to go to Ike’s and get Enid Helen’s food.”

Cody frowned. “That’s on your way home. Why don’t you stop in then?”

“By then I’ll be too tired. We have two more jobs this afternoon.”

“Oh my God, you’re such a baby.” Cody started for his door. “Let’s go.”

It wasn’t a long drive to Ike’s Market, but going there meant they had to go through the downtown area, out 118 past the Critter Catchers office and the Hollow Leg. The intersection with Hemlock Way, the road where The Rusty Screw sat waiting for sunset, was just a quarter mile farther.

Inside, Cody threw a glance at the register where Annie used to be stationed, putting in the least amount of effort to get her through the day. A new, younger woman was scanning items for a man talking on his phone as if she didn’t even exist. A cold, tight ache churned inside him, and he forced himself to look away from the checkout lane and grab a hand basket. As Jugs headed for the pet food, Cody prowled the aisles, grabbing a few canned items and some granola bars. He heard impatient voices from the far back corner where the deli and meat counter was situated, and, curious, he stepped into the aisle running along the back of the store to check things out. One of the younger kids was manning the counter alone, eyes wide and face greasy with sweat as he tried to manage a gaggle of older women speaking over each other.

Cody took pity on the kid and approached, saying in his most charming tone, “Looks like the Miss America tour has made a stop in our humble town. Hello, ladies.”

Most of the women laughed and turned to him with smiles. A couple of them, however, were more immune to his charms. They were in front, pressed up close to the case and giving him suspicious looks from behind their glasses.

“We were here first,” one of them snapped. “Get in line.”

The kid behind the counter gave him a grateful look before focusing on the two women determined to ignore Cody. So he talked with the other four women, asking them about the cuts of meat they liked and what sides they prepared. One by one the kid waited on the women, and they headed off with butcher-paper wrapped parcels in their carts, smiling and waving goodbye to Cody.

Jugs had found him by then and stood nearby, shaking his head. “You have no shame.”

“I was helping this guy out,” Cody said, waving toward the counter. He saw the guy’s name tag: Alec.

“Dude, thank you,” Alec said. “I thought I was a dead man.”

“They were getting pretty feisty,” Cody said, then lifted his chin toward the double swinging doors that led to the back. “Paul on his break or something?”

“No, man, it’s just me. Paul’s called in sick the last two days.” Alec shook his head then wiped an arm across his forehead.

A chill started at the base of Cody’s spine and extended all the way up and across the top of his head. He swallowed hard and forced a smile. “Damn, that sucks.” He asked for two chicken breasts and a couple pounds of ground round. He could put it in the refrigerator in the break room of the office before going out on the other jobs with Jugs.

As Alec packaged up his order, Cody stood staring at the bright red slabs of meat on display behind the glass. He wondered if that was the way Bastian saw the entire population of Parson’s Hollow.

“Here you go.” Alec slid the meat across the top of the display, the paper bright white under the fluorescent lights. He looked around, then said in a low voice, “I added an extra half pound of the burger as a thank you.”

The paper crinkled when Cody grabbed the packages. “Thanks, Alec, I appreciate it. If you talk to Paul, tell him I hope he’s back on his feet soon.”

“I will if he ever picks up his phone again.”

Another customer approached the counter, and Cody waved and turned to Jugs. “Let’s get out of here.”

“What was that about?”

“More trouble.” Cody looked around before saying in a quiet voice, “Bastian’s been busy.”