Out of The Blue Read Online Free PDF Page A

from my head, I continued the small talk. “So where are we going tonight?”
    “The Golden Fleece. It’s just near the edge of the Shambles. It’s an old pub, said to be haunted by its original owners from the seventeen hundreds. I think it was on TV’s Most Haunted a few years ago.”   
    “I suppose with your job you know all about the historical aspects of York?”
    “Well, I guess I know a bit. Not going to test me are you?”
    I studied our surroundings with their narrow, cobbled streets. “Maybe I should. So this is the Shambles, right?”
    “Yep, previously these streets housed lots of butchers’ shops. Some of the shops still have the outside shelving, which would have held the cuts of meat. The narrowness of the streets helped to keep the sun off the produce, preventing it from going off.”
    I looked around at the shop fronts. “Really? So they’re mostly hip boutiques now then?”
    “Yeah, and here we are, The Golden Fleece,” Jamie announced as she headed inside.      
    From the outside, The Golden Fleece looked tall and thin. Dark paintwork surrounded two shallow bay windows and an entrance to the right. Inside the bar was dark except for the natural light from the window. It was pretty busy in the main bar and the smell of food made my stomach groan.          
    “There are some tables in the bar through there. I’ll get the drinks if you get us a table.”
    “Sure,” I said.
    “Beer?” Jamie asked as she perused the options in front of her.
    “Uhh!” I scanned the bar to see what was on offer. “I’ll have a Guzzler, please,” I said, guided by the badge design on the pump.
    “Good choice. I’ll bring them through.”
    I headed into the next room, again lit only by the bay window. Spotting a table in the corner, I grabbed an unused chair for Jamie while I sat on the wooden pew fixed to the wall lining the far side of the room.   
    Jamie walked into the lounge, catching my eye immediately. She placed our drinks on the beer mats before dropping the menu on the table between us. “The waitress will be over in a few minutes.”
    I smiled broadly, wondering if she heard my stomach groaning earlier. I took a long pull from my drink and bathing in the refreshment, I let out a low groan. When I looked up, Jamie’s eyes were locked on mine. I hadn’t realised how intensely blue her eyes were until now.
    “Surveying is thirsty work,” I said in a bid to justify my reaction.
    “Especially when you lose a boot?”
    I smiled, enjoying the banter between us.
    “So, what exactly happened?”
    “If I tell you, you have to promise to keep it to yourself.”
    “Of course.” Jamie made an attempt at a Brownies salute but she didn’t look certain how many fingers to use. “Brownies honour, I think.”          
    I looked at her confused expression as she contemplated a two- or three-finger salute. “You’re not filling me with confidence.”     
    “Well, it’s a good job I’m very trustworthy,” Jamie said as she took another drink from her beer. 
    “Okay, I was surveying the bottom section of my area and it’s quite boggy there, perfect for certain species, like orchids, but some species can be difficult to tell apart before they flower. Anyway, I thought I had seen a rare variety and as I had my boots on I walked through the bog to get to it, only to find it was a beautiful but common species, not the rare one I was hoping for.”
    “And?” Jamie tried to keep a straight face while she waited for the punchline.
    I frowned at her for wanting all the gory details. “And I tried to walk out of the boggy patch taking the shortest route, but unfortunately it was the deepest suckiest route that took my boot clean off my foot. I didn’t even notice till I took my next step into cold wet mud.”
    Jamie hid her laughter behind her hands as she looked at the embarrassment on my face.
    “Happy now?” I replied, a little crabby.
    “Very,” Jamie