Read Lost in the Echo for Free Online

annoyance. “If you want him to pay you.”
    “I’m figuring money isn’t worth too much any more,” the bartender replied with a smirk.
    Julie grunted her acquiescence and snapped her fingers in front of Charley’s face. “Hey!”
    He blinked but didn’t look at her. “What the hell do you want now?”
    She eyed the people nearby, even Walter, who started wiping down the bar top, acting like he wasn’t listening. Julie had done a good job of keeping her distance from Charley, and would have preferred to keep it that way, but things had quickly spiraled out of control. Screw social norms—she didn’t have time for that.
    “I need to talk to you,” she repeated.
    Still staring down at the bottle: “’bout what?”
    “Not here. Outside.”
    “We’re not supposed to go outside.” He smiled, barked out a half-laugh. “Haven’t you heard? There are monsters out there.”
    She leaned in close to him, her lips less than an inch from his ear. To anyone looking it might appear romantic, which was the last thing she wanted people to think about her and Charley, but again, screw it. “They’re headed to the depot.”
    He blinked again, this time with more focus, and slowly turned his head toward her. “What?”
    She only nodded, hoping he was smart enough to fill in the rest.
    Unsurprisingly, he frowned. “Who?”
    She spoke through gritted teeth. “Out. Side.”
    He took a breath, watching her, coming to slow conclusions, she hoped. Finally he nodded and slid off the stool. He took a step toward the door, paused, turned back and lifted the beer bottle to his lips, draining everything inside. Then he nodded again, wiped his mouth, and followed her out of the Brick House.
    The moment they were outside, she said, “The Sheriff, Griff and a few others, they’ve gone down to the depot.”
    “Why?”
    “It doesn’t matter why. Once they get there, they’re going to find more than they bargained for. It’s going to create questions. Questions that might fall back on us. Do you want that, especially with what’s happened so far?”
    “Why should I give a fuck? We weren’t supposed to be here for this, whatever this is. And now we are. And we’re fucked like everyone else.”
    “You know exactly why you should give a fuck. This whole thing has gone too far. Eventually, once this all gets sorted out— if it gets sorted out—they’re going to look for someone to put all the blame on.”
    “And what,” he coughed out another laugh, “you think that’s going to be me?”
    “It sure as hell isn’t going to be me. And you know for a fact the old man isn’t going to take the blame. So who does that leave?”
    Charley said nothing.
    “That’s right,” she was nodding now, suppressing the urge to smile. “He’s going to need a fall guy. And who do you think that fall guy will be?”
    Now he was starting to look scared. Good . That was exactly what Julie wanted. She needed him scared, because it made him more likely to follow her orders.
    “So what do you want me to do about it? I can’t stop them.”
    “No, but you can warn the old man.”
    “I don’t…” He shook his head, as if trying to clear it. “Why don’t you just call him?”
    “With what? In case you haven’t noticed, there isn’t any cell reception.”
    “Then why don’t you go warn him yourself?”
    “Because the he trusts you the most. Always has.”
    She waited, wondering if he would call her bluff. Charley Wilson was a lot of things but stupid wasn’t one of them, despite what he’d let everyone else in town believe. The alcohol helped, too. If anything, he was unpredictable, and apt to lash out when backed into a corner. Only this type of corner wasn’t one he was used to, and Julie was hoping to use that to her advantage.
    Finally he released a heavy breath. “Goddamn it,” he muttered, and started digging in his pocket for his keys.
    “Are you even sober enough to drive?” she asked, caring less for his safety