All of the Voices Read Online Free PDF

impression, and hungry, probably literally. The kid was so thin it was almost painful to look at him, but he had really big brown eyes and an uncoordinated jerkiness to his movements that bespoke of nervousness. Matt also noticed the waiter kept his gaze averted, as if afraid to look directly at them, and that perception of fear made Matt’s protective instincts kick in.
    “What’s your name?” Matt asked as the waiter began pouring Severo’s coffee into a Styrofoam cup. The kid startled and sloshed coffee over his hand—and continued with his task without so much as a gasp. That coffee had about singed the skin off Matt’s tongue seconds earlier when he’d taken a sip. Spilling it on his hand would have made him yelp and cuss.
    Severo reached for the younger man’s hand before Matt could, and only then did the waiter make a sound, whimpering as he jerked his hand free of Severo’s loosely hold.
    “I’m sorry, I was only going to check—” Severo began, his voice rough with an emotion Matt could only guess was guilt, or maybe concern, but it didn’t matter. Severo was talking to air. The waiter had run to the kitchen as soon as he’d freed his hand. “Shit!”
    ALL OF THE VOICES
    Bailey Bradford
    24

    Matt heartily agreed. “Shit, all right. Someone hurt that kid, spooked him something fierce.” Matt pulled out his wallet and started to fish out a twenty only to have Severo stop him.
    “Not too much, he might get the wrong idea.”
    “God.” Matt stuffed the twenty back in his wallet and pulled out a ten, giving Severo a questioning look. He got a nod of approval and tossed the money on the table. “Still up to listening for a little while? As long as I don’t have to go out on any calls?”
    “Yeah, anything I can do to help.” Severo slid out of the booth and Matt did too, walking beside the smaller man to the register where Virginia was waiting.
    “Coffee’s free for you two,” Virginia said as Matt reached for his wallet again. She eyed them both for a long moment then tipped her chin towards the kitchen. “I don’t know what scared the hell out of Darren, but I don’t think either of you meant to do it.”
    Severo grunted and glanced at the kitchen door. “He spilled coffee on his hand. All I wanted to do was take a look at it and make sure he hadn’t burnt himself. He freaked when I touched him and ran off before I could apologise or explain.”
    Virginia harrumphed but reached out and patted Severo’s arm. “I don’t know what happened to him. I just kind of found him looking lost and hungry, hitching a ride on the highway towards town. I don’t normally stop for hitchers, but…” She shrugged. “You seen him. He just looks hurt, and like he hasn’t seen much kindness in this world.”
    Matt picked up the pen and pulled a piece of register tape off the cash register. He jotted down his phone number and handed the paper to Virginia. “I don’t know how you can do it without making him more afraid of me, but if you can find a way, give him that and tell him I’ll help him if he needs me to, or wants me to. And make sure he knows I don’t mean anything, you know, more than that, please.”
    Virginia tucked the paper into her apron pocket and smiled. “I’ll do that, Matt. You’re just a nice man. Gonna make someone real happy one of these days.”
    The fact Virginia didn’t specify the sex of that someone wasn’t lost on Matt, but he wasn’t sure what to say so he settled on a ‘thank you’ and left the café with Severo on his heels.
    Outside in the Texas sunlight, Matt paused to give his eyes time to adjust. Virginia’s Café wasn’t exactly dim, but it was still like stepping from a dark room into one lit wall to wall by hundred-watt bulbs.
    ALL OF THE VOICES
    Bailey Bradford
    25

    “Nice hair cut. Meant to tell you that earlier but I got distracted with our waiter freaking out on us.”
    Matt glanced at Severo just to make sure the man was being sincere. His