After two weeks of being shuffled around to similar bland cells, bland interrogation rooms, and bland Federal types asking dull-as-dishwater questions about my "contacts in the criminal underworld," Agent Rome finally walked into the room. I'd wondered when that would happen. I was worried about Drew, hoping she had made it back to safety. I wondered how the murder of Graham, my ex-brother-in-law and boss, would be received at home—both in Yellow Medicine County and with his family down South. I wondered how many people would blame me. Maybe Rome had the answers.Yellow Medicine
by Anthony Neil Smith
(Bleak House, 2008)
6 comments:
But the opening of Chapter Two is even better.
Man, I am such a conceited jerk.
Post it! Let the people decide!
Chapter Two: Three Weeks Ago
Drew joined me at the bar after her band finished its set. She played bass for a psychobilly group called Elvis Antichrist. They were too good for empty bars during snowstorms here in rural Minnesota. I told her they should take that act to the Twin Cities. She told me they tried, got turned away with, “Psychobilly is deader than Elvis.”
It was mid-March, the melt still weeks away. She sidled up to me, asked the bartender for a glass of Chardonnay, then, “Billy, I need help.”
Must’ve been hard for her to say that. She knew the cost of asking. I was the one who taught her how to fuck on prom night last fall after arresting her drunk date. Now they say, Don’t let Deputy Lafitte get you, boys, or he’ll steal your girls. A few have tried to catch my eye, encouraged their guys to drink more.
Drew was a special case. As long as she understood my price.
You had me at Elvis Anitchrist.
i like the wondering about how a murder would be received, seems to draw me in more than the elvis antichrist, tho at the same time that makes me think of people i would know and so maybe grounds it a bit more, hmm. "how many people would blame me." i think that "in the industry" that is called "a hook" makes me wanna know if he killed them, but still dead psycobilly bands, that's pretty really real to me, i dunno, is there a prize or anything?
I'm sure Duane has access to all those Marvel No-Prizes these days, right?
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