Read Sleep with the Fishes for Free Online

the truck into gear. Through her teeth she said: “Neighbor, ya got a deal!” She pulled away, looking in the rearview mirror.
    Sid pulled an about-face.
    His neighbor put out one hand and jerked the thumb of the other back at the pond.
    “Nice to see you’re stocking the pond. Hi, I’m Russ Smonig, your neighbor.”
    As was his way, Sid considered the extended hand a moment before clasping it. Shaking hands, he stared into Captain Fedora’s eyes. Then his other hand swooped up and latched onto Russ’s shoulder.
    “Sponick?” Sid asked.
    “No, Smonig. Russ Smonig.”
    “Sid.” Sid gestured casually to himself. “Hey, Smonig, you know anything about kids comin’ in here swiping trout?”
    “Sure. Hard to stop ’em though. It’s just the way kids are, you know?”
    “Hm.” Sid supposed that was true enough. It seemed his entire childhood had revolved around swiping things, though certainly not trout. “These kids, do they, like, climb up that tree? That one, the sticky one over my house.”
    “Um, I don’t know, Sid. Why?”
    “Just curious. There’s a bottle opener up there, and a buncha loose change.”
    “Up in the tree? Up there? Where?” Russ took a sudden interest.
    “Why, you know who put it up there?”
    “It must be Reverend Jim. He’s been stealing stuff from me for years and I never knew what he did with—”
    “Whoa. You tellin’ me that your local padre climbs up that tree and puts your pocket change up there?” These yokels were a pisser.
    “Reverend Jim is a crow. You know, a bird. Kind of like a pet, sort of. He likes to steal shiny objects. Was it a Pabst opener?”
    Sid’s eyes widened. “I think so.”
    “Mind if I go up and…”
    “Sure, Smonig, g’head, knock yourself out.” Sid shooed Russ toward the porch as though it were a gag. Why would anybody climb all the way up there for a bottle opener?
    Russ had a dicey moment making it onto the roof from the portico railing, but did it without falling. Minutes later he was back on the ground, breathing hard.
    “I even found the keys to my padlock. I thought I’d just lost them. And there must be, let’s see, maybe three bucks in change. This is great,” he panted.
    Sid wondered if everybody in Hellbender Eddy was so hard up.
    “Uh, you move here with your wife?” Russ asked as he pocketed his goodies.
    Sid shook his head.
    “Nope. Just me.” He gave Russ’s shoulder a quick squeeze and pulled him a step closer. “Tell you what, Smonig. Whenever you see kids here, chase ’em off, wouldya? I’ll let you fish the pond all you want—catch an’ release, of course. I’ll even give you a brand-new bottle opener. Deal?”
    “Catch and release? I don’t expect I’ll fish the pond, you know, what with a whole river out there. Besides, the Ballards pretty much used it as an eatin’-fish pond, if you know what I mean. Fed ’em strips of bacon fat and salt pork. Made ’em tasty as all get out.”
    Sid gave Russ’s shoulder another squeeze. “The Ballards is dead.” The remark was framed with a cold, bright eye and a chummy smile. He wanted Smonig to understand that from now on it was Bifulco Cabin. He let his hand fall from Russ’s shoulder.
    “True enough,” Russ admitted, becoming a bit skeptical of the prospects for selling his services as Jenny had suggested. His neighbor was a tough customer. But he forged ahead.
    “Hey, Sid, since you just moved in and all, and maybe you haven’t got around to doing any food shopping, I thought maybe you’d like to come over tonight. I’m going to barbecue some walleye, have a few Yuenglings. Interested?”
    Sid grinned.
    “Thanks, but I got a lot to do.” Sid shoved his hands into the pockets of his bathrobe and stomped in his hip boots back to the cabin. “Adios, Smonig.”
    “Hey, Sid?”
    Sid stopped on his portico and pivoted.
    “Nice outfit.” Russ smiled and turned away. He was crossing the dam breast when he heard Sid’s screen door slam.
    Russ shook