I didn't bother to renumber the chapters, so you have 1a. This originally was part of Chapter 1 (duh) but in the interest of cutting everything to the bone and creating action (following the rules), I added almost nothing from one scene to the other and hence it's a bit choppy.
Sadly, this seems to indicate that I could shorten all books to 5 pages or less but what would that mean? Some stories are cut too short, some go on longer than you want.
Anyway, without further ado, the next chapter, something on Sunday Morning.
Chapter 1a
The Florida sunshine hit Hyatt like a hammer. He limped the 8 blocks to the riverfront and painfully climbed the steps to the Anchor Chain, a two story bar and grill at the end of a tributary into Tampa Bay. Hyatt had helped the owner Mike Stoops, a ex-football player, deal with a tricky zoning issue when they first opened and had waived the fee in favor of occasional meals and a drink or two when business was good. It was still too early for anyone to be there and Stoops himself was manning the outside bar, polishing glasses that already painfully reflected the sunshine. This was a good sign.
“Hi Hyatt, pull up a chair and have a drink on the house.”
“Just the words I wanted to hear. How about a Scotch and pass the soda bottle over the top without spilling any.”
“The leg giving you problems?”
“I’m just stiff from sitting all week. Some days I get around a lot more.”
“Hyatt!”
Hyatt turned towards the girl’s voice, his neck made a cracking noise. It was Beth Champee, Richard Champee’s daughter. She was a pert 25 year old, who perennially looked like she had too much sun and posted provocative pictures of herself with various people at swanky places around town, usually wearing clothes so tight they looked like they would split if bent and she was very bendable. Today she was wearing a hippy sundress with flowers that was see through with sun behind her showing the over curved body of the beneficiary on what was turning into a troublesome estate. Hyatt tensed a little, as if dreading what she might be about to ask.
In her tight clothes Beth was a very serious, if half naked woman. But when she dressed like this her personality was different. How would he define her sun dress mentality, earthy? Ditsy? At least this was not going to be some serious question about how the estate was being handled unless she decided that she could exchange personalities without exchanging clothes.
“Hi Beth. I’m surprised to see you here. I didn’t know the Anchor was one of your hang outs.”
“I stopped by the office and Mr. Hayes said you probably were down here.”
“Oh, yes. I stopped by for lunch.” And I had every intention of drinking it.
“Mind if I join you?”
“Hmmm,” Hyatt thought of no way to tell a beautiful girl that he had no interest in seeing especially her right now without creating any suspicions. He indicated a stool next to him. “What can I do for you Beth?”
“Do you know how smart whales are?” the hippy version of Beth asked.
No comments:
Post a Comment