No Thanks Required, Part 8 (end)
And so, I'd listened to a drunken friend trust me with his life, which I'd unintentionally gambled away stealing $117,000 dollars from bullies who'd somewhere along the line degenerated into monsters. I'd started a relationship with his sister, partly...
No Thanks Required, Part 7
Me and Annie woke up next morning to astonishing news I already knew. The story of that top hat lab going up made the papers three states over in all directions. Shit, was it big news for a while. Started a fire up in the hills it took them twelve...
No Thanks Required, Part 6
I waited up till about eleven that night and then dressed in my night camos from the FG, cap and all, and then quietly made my way down to my truck and set off. I'd mapped out the course I had to take and practiced it in my head a dozen times till I...
No Thanks Required, Part 5
Meanwhile, life went on. Heartsick as I was over what had happened to Chip and my part in it, I still had to follow through, so I pulled myself together and went through the motions. I hired a rental truck and a crew of three in Horizon and made a show...
No Thanks Required, Part 3
My brother... my uncle, my unacknowledged father, or whatever Ryan was to me... disappeared into his apartment and into a bottle like some broken toy ship. I know how it sounds, but for two days, I didn't have the heart in me even to check in on him. I...
No Thanks Required, Part 2
I woke up to the pawPad ringing. Fumbled it to my ear, noticing it was Luanne's number along the way. "Howdy, Lou." "Mango, shit, I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm held up at the feed store. Could you possibly do me a solid and pick up the cubs at the...
No Thanks Required, Part 1
Chip ran his mouth when he was drunk, and that's really where all this started. But I'll come to that. \* \* \* \* \* "Is he sober?" I pretended not to hear her. She nudged me in the pads with her toes. I dollied out from under the Roadrocket and...
No Thanks Required, Part 4
It had been my intention to get in touch with the Sheriff's Office the following day at my first opportunity to find out what was known about what had happened to Chip. At least, what they were willing to tell. I would keep my ears pricked for any...