Unexpected Dismounts Read Online Free PDF

thing I knew we were all back in the alley with the three bikes. Hank leaned over her silver blue Sportster and laughed until I thought she was going to throw up.
    “I just do not see what is so funny,” India said. She tossed one end of the pashmina shawl over her shoulder and planted her hands on her hips. “You just completely blew it with a woman who probably has more money squirreled away than Bill Gates spends in a year. I don’t see the humor in that.”
    Chief evidently did, because his eyes sparkled at me. “You sure have a way with people, Classic.”
    “Just people like her,” I said. “I grew up with that crowd.”
    “You couldn’t prove it by your manners.” Bonner’s reddish hair picked up the shaft of sunlight in the alley as he shook his head. “Seriously, Allison, did you have to tell her she was bloodless?”
    “I said she was anemic.”
    “Oh, that’s so much better. I’m surprised she didn’t pull her gun on you.”
    “All right, listen, y’all.” India swept the other end of her shawl over her arm and shifted her face from Appalled Bystander to Madam Chairperson. “This was our first try with a wealthy potential donor, and I think we learned something.”
    “Definitely,” I said. “That I shouldn’t be within a hundred yards of any of them.”
    “You have to be,” Bonner said. “You’re the heart and soul of this ministry.”
    “Just not the mouth,” I said.
    “I can help with that.” India’s voice had recovered its honey smoothness. “I’ll coach you, Allison.”
    “This I have to see.” Those were basically the first words Hank had spoken since we walked in Willa Livengood’s door, and they were probably the most accurate. She dabbed at the laugh-tears in the corners of her eyes and supported herself on Chief’s arm. Her shoulders were still shaking.
    “No, really now.” India’s eyes begged Bonner. “Don’t you think with a different kind of venue, where Allison can speak from a podium instead of—”
    “Getting into discussions with anybody east of King Street?” Chief said.
    “There you go.” I ran my hand down my neck to smooth the quills I was sure were standing straight up.
    India tucked my other hand between hers. “I’ve seen you be positively eloquent, Allison. You don’t whine like you have a personal ax to grind. You speak for God, and that is the whole reason I came over to your side.”
    “We’re not choosing sides,” I said. “I want to get rid of the sides.”
    Bonner pulled off his glasses and replaced them with his Ray-Bans. The black Croakies dipped toward his shoulders. “You’re going to need a nylon strap to pull Ms. Willa over.”
    “You can’t pull a fat lady out of a doughnut store with a nylon strap,” India said. “We’ve got to get us a chain.” She finally flashed her handsome smile at me. “I’ll work on that.”
    Chief glanced at his watch. “Look, I have to go. I’ve got a meeting with a judge.” He backed toward the Road King. “Tell Desmond I’m sorry I couldn’t come to his show, but we’ll make it up tonight.”
    “What time is it?” I asked.
    “Almost two,” Bonner said. “I have to get going too.”
    He took India’s arm, and as Chief roared out of one end of the alley, I watched the two of them stride toward the street at the other end like the pair of polished entrepreneurs they were. Surely one of them should be the spokesperson for Sacrament House. They could probably make even “Wash their feet” sound sane.
    “You out of here?” Hank said, helmet under her arm.
    “Yeah. Desmond’s getting an art award. I promised him I’d be there.”
    “You okay, Al?”
    I shook my head. “You keep calling me a prophet, so why don’t I know how all of this is supposed to pan out?”
    “Because you’re a not a ‘foreteller’—you’re a ‘forthteller.’ Think in the present, not the future.”
    Hank watched me for a moment longer before she climbed on her bike and eased it down the