An Ordinary Drowning, Book One of The Mermaid's Pendant Read Online Free PDF Page B

pounded its way into his blank mind and made
him acknowledge his need for water.
    When he
got back to Dewey, John headed for Isla Encantada where water and a cold
Medalla waited. Tomás nodded and smiled when John caught his eye and brought a
bottle over before John could order.
    “ Gracias .”
    “ De
nada, Señor Juan .”
    “Some
water too, please.”
    “ Sí .”
    John
noticed a woman at the bar. He couldn’t see her face, but her dark hair
cascaded over her shoulders; her flamingo-pink skirt and white blouse popped against
the brown of her skin. He stole looks at her through lunch. No one came to meet
her. She flirted with the bartender and made Tomás blush. Her husky, Bette
Davis voice drifted across the dining area and insinuated itself into John’s
ears. He began to wonder why he’d never picked women up in bars. He’d just
worked up the courage to motion Tomás over when a man slid onto the stool next
to her.
    John
watched as the newcomer leaned into the woman’s shoulder and said something.
The woman answered, shaking her head and shifting away. She lit a cigarette and
propped her elbow on the bar between them. From John’s vantage point, it was a
clear rejection. He waited for the other man to take the hint, but he didn’t.
Instead, he snapped his fingers at the bartender and ordered something without
taking his eyes off of the woman. The bartender set two beers down, his eyes
sliding from the woman—who’d grown into John’s Caribbean fantasy—to the man,
who ignored the bartender to lean again toward the woman. The bartender hustled
away but not before John saw the nervous flash on his face.
    When the
newcomer put his hand on the small of the woman’s back, she shrugged it away.
The man put it back. That’s when John acted. His chair scraped against the
floor and he stood before he knew what he was doing. The newcomer turned and
stared at him.
    “ Una
problema, señor ?” The man’s flat dark eyes telegraphed a challenge.
    It
wicked all the moisture from John’s throat. He stood there, suspended between
his seat and a certain confrontation.
    The
woman swiveled and looked at him, smoke painting a ghostly filigree around her.
She smiled. White teeth brightened her face. “ No problema , Jesus. This
is mi amigo , the one I was to meet. Right?” Her dusky voice never rose
yet John heard her across the room.
    His own
voice returned. “Yes.”
    The
lithe Caribbean beauty slid from her stool and slinked toward him. John saw
bare feet with peeping pink toenails. She met him, slipped her arm through his,
and winked. “Buy me a beer, my friend?” She smelled of cloves and something hot
and fecund. John nearly swooned.
    “Of
course.” He started to guide her to a chair when Jesus blocked the way.
    “ Gringo .”
Jesus’ breath stank of hops and something sour. “I never forget. Never. ” His
flat eyes regarded John. He looked at the woman. “You and I will meet later, mi
alma dulce .”
    She
laughed, a throaty, wild sound. “I will be all the sweeter, mi guapetón .”
    Jesus
stroked a fingertip along her forearm. “ Igual que la fruta . Until then.”
He shot a final glance at John and left Isla Encantada.
    John let
a shaky breath out and helped the woman into a seat. She reached for the dregs
of his Medalla and tilted the bottle to her mouth. John watched as she
swallowed. She kept her eyes on his.
    “So.”
She passed a hand across her lips. John noticed that they were the color of
pomegranate seeds, slightly swollen and glistening. “You are visiting Culebra?”
    He
nodded.
    She
smiled at Tomás who brought over two frosted bottles of Medalla. “ Gracias .”
He stuttered a nearly inaudible reply and left. “The beer is in my hand, my
friend. Now, perhaps, we share names?”
    John
grinned. “I’m John.”
    “ Hola ,
John. I am Raimunda.” She tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear, which
was oddly shriveled against her smooth cheek. “You have come for the beach and
the