Dark Waters Read Online Free PDF Page A

cell phone number. After about three rings, Johnny Mac picked up. Jean put it on speaker. ‘Hey, big guy,’ she said. ‘Did I wake you up?’
    â€˜Mom?’ he said in an exaggerated sleepy voice. ‘Yeah. I was asleep.’
    â€˜Just wanted to let you know we’re headed back. Didn’t want to scare you when the door suddenly opened.’
    â€˜No problem,’ our son said. ‘’Night, Mom.’
    Jean hung up the phone and I said, ‘They’re still awake.’
    â€˜Oh, definitely,’ Jean said.
    We smiled that secret smile parents share when they know their kids are trying to pull a fast one. Boy, did we have his number.
Johnny Mac – Day One
    â€˜Oh, crap,’ Johnny Mac said. ‘That was my mom. They’re on their way back to the room.’
    â€˜Cabin,’ said the other boy, now known as Ryan, who was eleven.
    â€˜Whatever,’ Johnny Mac said in an attempt to impress the girls – now known as Janna – nine, with curly blonde hair and big blue eyes – and Lyssa, ten, with long, straight black hair and big brown eyes. Mature for his age (or possibly just his father’s son), the attractiveness of the two girls had not gone unnoticed.
    â€˜I guess we should get back then, huh?’ Early said.
    â€˜Have I mentioned that’s a dumb name?’ said Ryan.
    â€˜What’s a dumb name?’ asked Johnny Mac, with just a touch of heat.
    â€˜Early. Who names a kid Early, for gawd’s sake?’ Ryan said and sneered.
    â€˜My name is Earnest Eugene Rollins the fourth, if you must know!’ Early shot back. ‘But I was a month and a half early, and my mom didn’t want me being a fourth of anything, so she called me Early and it stuck.’
    â€˜Sweet story,’ Lyssa said, smiling at Early.
    â€˜Oh, yeah, real sweet!’ Ryan said, still sneering.
    â€˜Jeez, Ryan, leave him alone!’ said Janna and swatted Ryan on the arm. ‘Y’all go on. You don’t want to get in trouble.’
    The two boys waved goodbye, mostly to the girls, and headed back to their suite. They got turned around and couldn’t find their way back, but luckily, as they found out later, Johnny Mac’s mom had lost her wheelchair and had to use her crutches to get back to the suite. The boys got back in plenty of time.
    Unfortunately they never thought about the fact that the door to the suite might have locked behind them. Panicked, Johnny Mac and Early looked all around, trying to find something with which to break down the door. Nothing. Then they saw Louisa, their steward, walking toward them down the long, long corridor.
    Johnny Mac jumped up and down, waving his arms. Louisa hurried to their sides. ‘Are you OK?’ she asked, slightly breathless.
    â€˜Miss Louisa, please don’t tell my parents!’ Johnny Mac knew that a lady as young as Louisa would really like the ‘miss’ he added. The southern gentleman stuff worked like a charm. His dad had taught him that. ‘We went out for just a minute to get a milkshake at the soda fountain, but we locked ourselves out!’ he said, letting a little water fill his eyes.
    â€˜Oh, honey, don’t worry! I won’t say a word.’ She pulled out a card key and opened the door.
    â€˜Wow!’ Early said. ‘You had the right key card for our room?’
    Louisa looked down at the card. ‘Oh, no. This is like a skeleton key, but a card. It opens all the rooms.’ She smiled and shooed them inside. ‘Better get changed and in bed quick, you guys!’ She giggled and shut the door behind them.
Milt – Day One
    When we left the bar the wheelchair was not where I’d parked it. ‘What the hell?’ I said, looking around.
    â€˜That’s OK,’ Jean said. ‘I don’t need it.’
    Like I said, she does this kind of shit. Wants to be totally independent. I guess that comes from having been