her nasty throat just to grind the bones. He fired up the Dodge, then slowly drove the two-point-six miles to Keller's gas station, Payne's Gas Car Care. Frederick was well known as the slowest driver in town.
He parked behind the service bays, hung the slow-witted grin on his face again like an Open For Business sign, and sauntered into the office.
"Hey, Elroy, I called three or four times this morning, but you didn't answer. You hear from Payne?"
Elroy Lewis was Payne's other full-time employee. He was a skinny man in his late forties with a roll of flab melting over his belt and yellow fingers from chaining Newport cigarettes. Lewis's dog, Coon, was sleeping in the middle of the floor. Coon, a lazy dog with bad hips, wagged his tail when he saw Frederick, but Frederick ignored him. Lewis put his elbows on the counter, and sulked.
"No, he didn't, and I gotta talk to you 'bout that. We got stuff to talk about."
Frederick stepped over the dog and made his way to Payne's office, doing a pretty good job of pretending everything was okay.
"Well, he called me last night, and said he was gonna give you a call. I guess he got busy with his sister."
"Goddamn, how long is it gonna take that bitch to die?"
"You should be ashamed of yourself, Elroy, sayin' something like that. She's his sister."
Payne Keller had disappeared eleven days ago without a word or note to anyone. When Payne turned up missing, Frederick fed Elroy a bullshit story about Payne's sister being T-boned by a drunk driver, but, truth was, Frederick had no idea. Payne's sudden disappearance terrified him. Payne could be anywhere and might say anything; Payne and his buddy, Jesus, confessing their sins.
I hope you're dead, you bastard. I hope your heart split open like a rotten grapefruit. I hope you put a gun to your head. I hope you're dead, and I hope to hell you didn't take me with you.
Frederick had decided to cover their tracks, and prepare for the worst. Elroy followed him into Payne's office.
"Well, I'm sorry about his sister, but it's goddamned rude, you ask me, him leaving without a word. The wife and I are going to her parents' next week. Payne knew I had that time off and said I could go."
Frederick rounded Payne's desk, took the keys from the top drawer, and flashed the big easy grin.
"Then go, Elroy. That's why Payne called last night, to ask if I'd cover for you. I said sure."
Elroy looked doubtful.
"You will?"
Frederick came back around the desk as a white Maxima pulled up to the self-service pumps. A teenage girl got out, looking confused by the pump. Frederick noted how Elroy stared at the girl.
"Heck, Elroy, I don't mind. You'd do it for me and we'd both do it for Payne. No problem."
Now Elroy looked guilty for being pissed off.
"Listen, when you talk to Payne again, tell him I wish the best for his sister."
"I'll tell him. You bet."
"I never knew Payne had a sister."
"You better see if that girl outside needs help. I gotta swing up by Payne's to feed his cats."
Elroy glanced at the girl again, and Frederick knew what he was thinking; the tight low-cut jeans, the cropped shirt showing a fine flat belly, the dangly thing in her navel.
Sure enough, Elroy said, "Yeah. I'd better get out there. C'mon, Coon."
Elroy nudged Coon to his feet as Frederick went back through the service bay to the storage shed in back of the station. He used Payne's keys to unlock the three padlocks and the steel security bar that kept the shed safe. He found the shovel and a two-gallon can Payne used to bring gas to stranded motorists, then searched behind the boxes of air filters, brake fluid, and Valvoline for the old Tri-Call vending machine Payne used to have out front for peanuts and Snickers. Payne and Frederick had better hiding places for their secret things, but Payne kept the shed to stash their goods.
Frederick checked to see that Elroy was busy with the girl. As if on command, Coon planted his face square into the girl's kibble. Elroy made a big deal of scolding the dog as the girl laughed, then grabbed Coon's face so he could sneak a cheap rub on the girl's privates. Frederick had seen Elroy run that trick a hundred times. Elroy trained his mutt to head straight for the cush bush, and Coon never let him down.