Free Slocum and the Warm Reception by Jake Logan Page B

waddled in, wearing an expression that was neither a smile nor grimace, huffing as if every step was a trial in balance and stamina. The rounded sides of her plump figure brushed the tables and chairs she passed enough so that the other customer there had to grab his glass of water before it was knocked over.
    â€œWhat can I get for you?” she asked as she trundled to a stop at Slocum’s table.
    â€œHow about a steak?” he asked.
    â€œJust served the last one. It’s late for supper.”
    â€œTry telling that to my stomach,” Slocum said good-naturedly although his comment was not received as such. Since the expression on the large woman’s face hadn’t changed, it was difficult to say if it was received at all.
    Without moving any more than was absolutely necessary, she replied, “Too late for supper. No more steak.”
    â€œWhat do you have?”
    â€œCoffee.”
    â€œAnything to eat?” Slocum asked in a monotone that was almost a perfect match to the large woman’s.
    â€œPie.”
    â€œAnything with meat?”
    Twisting her face into a disgusted expression, she asked, “You mean like meat pie?”
    If Slocum had had a white flag to wave, he would have surrendered the conversation right then and there. “Yeah,” he sighed. “Meat pie. That’s exactly what I mean.”
    â€œI’ll go check.”
    â€œYou do that.”
    She waddled back to the kitchen, leaving Slocum to wonder why the hell he’d bothered coming back to Mescaline. His curiosity was so far gone he could barely recall what it felt like. As for putting some distance between himself and Davis Junction, there was a perfectly good desert out there with caves that were more hospitable. Any other reasons he might have had slipped his mind altogether.
    The big woman’s steps as she returned to his table sounded like someone dragging a dead body over the floorboards. “We got a few pieces left,” she grunted.
    Slocum looked up at her and asked, “Of what? Meat pie?”
    â€œYes.”
    He blinked, wondering if she was joking. It didn’t take much to see that she probably didn’t know how to do such a thing with anybody. He might even go so far as to say that the severe lines on her face, like so many cuts in an oversized lump of clay, weren’t made to express anything but the frumpy expression she showed him now. “I’ll try it,” he said. “Thanks very much.”
    She shrugged off his gratitude and shuffled back to the kitchen. A few minutes later, she came back with a plate in one hand and a glass of water in the other. “I warmed it on the stove for a bit. Brought you something to drink. You want anything asides from water, it’ll cost extra.”
    â€œWater is fine.” Slocum leaned forward and drew in a long breath through his nose. The scents he inhaled brought a smile to his face. He looked down at the plate and saw it was covered in a generous portion of meat, brown gravy, some carrots and peas, as well as several chunks of potato within a flaky pie crust. “What kind of meat is that?” he asked.
    â€œBeef and a few scraps of lamb. Had a farmer sell off his livestock on account of he was stupid.”
    â€œStupid for selling?”
    â€œStupid for dragging livestock through a damn stretch of desert. Anything else I can get for you?”
    â€œNo, ma’am. This will do me just fine.”
    â€œSuit yerself. I’ll be in back if you need me.”
    Slocum dug into the meat pie with the fork that had been wedged under his helping. It was rich and flavorful. If he didn’t purposely slow himself down, he might have cleaned his plate before the rotund woman made her way to the kitchen. Even though the pie wasn’t heated all the way through, it was still warm enough to suit his needs. To be honest, he would have downed his portion as well as another if she’d brought it to