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Griggs and Charlie were at the batting cages. “Let me show you how it’s done, Charlie.” Griggs inside the cage, head down, elbows out. A baseball rocketed out of the machine. Griggs had his eye on it. SMACK! The ball shot up into the net.
Charlie, gobbling a hot dog, wiped mustard off his mouth. “Good one!”
“Naw.” Griggs shook his head. “It’s a foul.”
“How can you tell?”
Griggs was already locking himself into position again. “By where it went.”
It was a weekly ritual, coming out here during the workday, something that seemed to help Griggs think. Another baseball rocketed out of the machine. SMACK! The baseball shot up into the net.
Griggs seemed happier with this one. “That’s how you do it!”
Charlie couldn’t tell one hit from the other. He did not even get his turn at bat. (Not that he was broken up about it.)
The whole time they were there, Griggs kept asking the time. Once it hit 2 PM, Griggs said it was time to go. “We got someone to see.”
In the car, Charlie noticed Griggs taking a different route. This was not the way back to the police station. “Where are we going?”
“Just a quick detour.” After a few more minutes, Griggs smiled over at the younger man. “See where we are now?”
Charlie shook his head. “Actually, no.” The buildings looked familiar, but only just. “I have never been good with directions. It’s why you usually do the driving.”
“Not good with directions? But you’re the wonder kid. You always know everything.”
“Not useful stuff.”
Griggs raised his eyebrows. “Some useful stuff.” Encouraging tone of voice.
“Okay, some useful stuff.” Charlie shrugged. “But not a lot of practical stuff. But if you ever want to talk about comic books or Star Trek—”
“You shouldn’t put yourself down like that.”
“Like what?”
“Saying you don’t know anything.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You did.”
“No, look—I do believe in myself. But I also have a realistic grasp of my weaknesses. Lying about them or having misplaced self-confidence would hardly be the smart thing.”
“You think so.”
“Like now, for example—if I were under the mistaken impression that I knew where we were going and, say, I was the one doing the driving—”
“Yeah?”
“Well, let’s just say we wouldn’t be here.”
“Where would we be?”
“No idea. So, where are we going?”
“I just thought we might have some lunch.”
“I just ate hot dogs.”
“I was thinking of something a little fancier.”
They pulled in at The Palm. It took Charlie a second to remember why it sounded familiar. “We’re going to pay Massey a visit?”
YOU ARE READING
Tribulation House: Reloaded
Mystery / ThrillerNOW WITH ALL-NEW AUTHOR COMMENTARY! When the world fails to end on schedule, one man discovers that the mob is in no mood to discuss end-times theology. Read this novel on your Kindle Fire, iPad, tablet or smart phone! Get the free app here: http:...
