Tongue Tied - Episode 5

Tongue Tied Episode 5

J.E. Thompson

Aria

Grant raised his hands. Smart man.

“I told you five years ago,” he said, “and I’ll tell you again. It ain’t your money. Wasn’t then. Isn’t now.”

I held the blaster steady. Life in this viper pit of a town had at least taught me that skill. “It’s more mine than yours. I stole it fair and square. Now, where is it?”

Grant started lowering his hands. I don’t know if he could tell my finger tightened on the trigger, or he discerned from me bracing myself that I was a gnat’s eyelash from shooting him, but quick-like he raised his hands up high.

“Ree, I gave it back to the Capernaum Mining Company,” he said. “Just cause you stole it, don’t make it yours.”

Heat rushed through my face like a sidewinder through sand, and I leaned toward him. “You lost the privilege of calling me Ree. That’s reserved for good friends, and good lovers.” I jabbed the blaster toward him. “I want my money. And—I want out of this hole in the sand.” He'd had the blaster set on toast. Shooting a man on that setting would leave him resembling an over-barbecued pig. I thumbed it to light stun.

“Look, Ree… Aria. I can’t get the money back. My hand to my heart. I took it back to Capernaum, but…”

“You got a reward? I want it.”

If I didn’t know him better, I’d have have thought he shuddered a little.

“It’s gone,” he said. “But listen to me, I can take you away. That’s why I came back here—Now, just lower the blaster, and let’s talk.”

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” I took a step toward him. I saw in his eyes, he was calculating, deciding whether he could get the gun from me before I shot him. “Where’s the reward? You say it’s gone, where is it?”

“It’s sort of sitting an hour’s walk outside of town.”

“Well then, you can describe exactly where.” I smiled at him. “And once one of my friends upstairs brings it to me, you’ll be free to go on your merry way.”

“Do you really trust any of those vermin to actually bring you the money once they have it?”

I thought on that. I could send Tugal. He’s always been sweet on me. But if it came to—“How much money did you say it was?”

“I didn’t. And that’s the problem with your plan. You see, it’s not in palladium, or gold. And what form it’s in ain’t all that easy to spend.”

Grant was a sly one. He’s probably thinking I don’t notice him edging closer as he talked. If I was still a stupid gullible fifteen year old, he might just snatch this blaster out of my hands. But I ain’t. Not no more.

“You gonna tell me where my money is? Or you gonna make me shoot you here and now, and then scour the desert for it?”

I could tell he was itching to get froggy.

(Did you show up here plumb out of the blue and miss out on Episode 4? Did you like what you read and want to start at Episode 1 of Tongue Tied?)

(Grant’s going to get himself in big trouble if he isn’t careful. Episode 6 is up, Click here.)