Bingo Brown's Guide to Romance Read Online Free PDF Page B

window.”
    Wentworth closed the window, and Bingo stood without moving. A sudden breeze brought goosebumps to his bare arms. All month the weather had been seesawing between summer and winter, and now it had made up its mind. Leaves began raining from the trees.
    Bingo turned and started back to his house. Through the rustle of falling leaves, he heard the window open behind him.
    He didn’t turn around but he found himself taking smaller steps.
    â€œSo, I’m curious,” Wentworth said to Bingo’s back.
    â€œOh?” Bingo stopped in place and put his hands in his pockets. Bingo was very grateful for pockets. He never had anything of value to put in them, but his hands had spent their only really restful moments there. Like now, if his hands hadn’t been in his pockets, they would have been twitching nervously at his sides.
    Wentworth continued. “What’d you want to see me about?”
    â€œAbout something you said—”
    Bingo still did not turn around.
    â€œI say a lot of things.”
    â€œThis was yesterday afternoon when you came back out of the grocery store. You told me you’d seen Melissa.”
    â€œI had seen her.”
    â€œI know. And later you came over and knocked on my window”—Bingo threw this in as a reminder—“and I answered and you said you knew something about Melissa but it would cost me?”
    â€œYeah?”
    â€œWhat’s the price?”
    â€œThe price is that you’ll owe me—like in the Mafia. You’ll owe me and you’ll owe me and then one day I’ll come up and say, ‘I’m collecting,’ and you’ll have to do whatever I say.”
    â€œForget it.”
    â€œIt wouldn’t be murder, Bingo, I wouldn’t ask you to rub somebody out.”
    â€œForget it!”
    â€œEven though my history teacher is asking for it. He calls me Rip Van Wentworth because—he claims—I slept through his entire reading of the Declaration of Independence.”
    â€œForget it!”
    Bingo started for home.
    â€œOkay, okay, I must be getting soft, but I’ll tell you what you want to know.”
    Bingo stopped. This time he turned. He waited, still suspicious. This could be another of Wentworth’s cruelties.
    â€œI know where Melissa’s at. I know approximately where she’s at. I can take you there.”
    â€œWhere?”
    â€œShe’s at her cousin’s.”
    â€œI didn’t know she had a cousin.”
    â€œThat was who was with her in the store—her cousin. Name’s Zelda Louise, but she gets mad if you don’t call her Weezie.”
    â€œSo is she here for a visit or what?”
    â€œNobody said, but I get the feeling she’s moving back.”
    â€œMelissa’s moving back?”
    â€œWell, maybe. Like I said, ‘Melissa, you moving back?’ And Zelda Louise gives me a look like that is not a good question to be asking. Her dad probably lost his job again.”
    â€œI thought her dad had a good job in Bixby.”
    â€œHe did.”
    â€œSo what makes you think he lost it?”
    â€œNothing, Worm Brain, nothing. I’m giving you an opinion, like on the evening news.”
    â€œHe lost his job …” Bingo trailed off thoughtfully.
    His heart clutched the news.
    No wonder Melissa hadn’t called him, hadn’t written. She would naturally have wanted to spare him the hurt and—
    But surely she knew by now that he would like nothing better than to help her over any hurt that life dealt her.
    â€œYou want to go over there?” Wentworth continued, getting ready to pull his camouflage T-shirt on over his head. He peered at Bingo through the neck opening.
    â€œWhere?”
    â€œTo the cousin’s, Worm Brain! To Zelda Louise’s.”
    â€œNow?”
    â€œNo, Worm Brain, next Fourth of July.” Wentworth pulled on his shirt and ran his hands over his military haircut.