Blood Fugue Read Online Free PDF Page B

unlock and open the door he reversed a shuffle at a time to make way. He was still in his pyjamas. Kerrigan closed the door and let his nose adjust to the mustiness and decrepitude that lingered heavy on the trapped air. It wasn’t the smell of the house, it was the smell people make as they waste away.
    Burt grinned and Kerrigan gave him a hug, trapping the walker between them. Despite his eighty-one years, Burt’s grip was wiry and fierce. In his youth, he’d been a natural strong man and some of that force remained, hidden beneath the stained pyjamas and slack, wrinkled skin.
    ‘How’re you doing, Burt?’
    ‘Laughing it up, as ever, I guess.’
    ‘You sleep late this morning?’
    Burt looked confused for a moment, before glancing down at his attire and shrugging.
    ‘I was just about to shave and get dressed when you knocked on the door.’
    ‘Well, don’t let me interrupt you. I’ll see you in the kitchen when you’re done.’
    From the smell of Burt he’d been wearing the same outfit for a month.
    Kerrigan left the old man, taking the paper sack of treats into the kitchen. He was relieved to see Kathleen doing a crossword at the table instead of watching crap on breakfast TV or scaring herself with the news.
    ‘Hello, sweetheart.’
    ‘Hey, Kath, good to see you.’
    He set the shopping down on the table. Kath stood, a little stiffly, and Kerrigan hugged her for a long time, placing a kiss on top of her head.
    ‘You want some coffee?’ she asked.
    ‘You sit down and look at what I brought you. I’ll make the coffee.’
    ‘Burt won’t have any. He’s depressed.’
    ‘Burt’ll do what he’s told.’
    As he filled the kettle to make filter coffee, he heard Kath rustling through the paper bag and crooning over what he’d brought them.
    ‘Chocolate covered cherries flavour ice cream. I don’t think we’ve had that one before.’
    It was one of her favourites. He decided to ignore the comment.
    ‘You seen Maggie this week?’ he asked.
    ‘Yeah. She brought us a spaghetti Bolognese and salad. Didn’t stay long, though. Said she had an extra visit to make.’
    ‘How was the food?’
    ‘Well, Burt covered his in ketchup and Tabasco just like he does with everything, so I don’t think he noticed. I gave most of mine to Dingbat. He seemed to think it was pretty good.’
    ‘Maybe the church should concentrate on feeding stray dogs instead of you old folks.’
    ‘There’s nothing wrong with the food, as such. But the way Maggie Fredericks cooks it makes it inedible.’
    ‘I feel sorry for her family.’
    ‘She hasn’t got any family, James. That’s why she runs around after the needy. She’s no saint, she’s just bored and lonely.’
    ‘Common problem in these parts,’ he said.
    Kathleen’s response convinced him she’d been kidding about the ice cream. She didn’t miss a trick.
    ‘Oh, don’t be such a dope, James,’ she said. ‘You made this life for yourself. You were the one who left us for the big city and then refused to move back in when you came home to the valley.’
    ‘Jesus, Kath, I couldn’t move back in. I was almost thirty. Everyone leaves home. It’s natural. Anyway, I’d never get any writing done if I lived here. You’re like a pair of spoilt teenagers.’
    ‘You’d know about that. You were the most ruined child in this town.’
    ‘Don’t remind me.’
    Burt appeared. A couple of steps, a push on the walker. A couple of steps more.
    ‘I can smell fresh coffee.’
    ‘No you can’t,’ said Kerrigan, ‘I haven’t made it yet.’
    ‘Well, I’ll have a cup when you do.’
    The old man had on a pair of jeans held up by a belt that Kerrigan had punched extra holes into. He’d put on the Nike trainers Kerrigan had bought him too, but he still wore the smelly pyjama top. Next to the clean blue of the jeans and the almost unworn white of the trainers, it looked truly filthy.
    ‘You won’t have anything until you start acting like a civilised human being.