Our BetterMost Community > Creative Writer's Corner
Taking Chances, by E. L. Van Hine and L.H. Nicoll
mariez:
--- Quote from: MaineWriter on January 04, 2007, 09:29:06 am ---Good morning re-readers. The ABC people are gloating because they have passed us in views. Oh well, we'll just keep chipping away at our reading here.
--- End quote ---
Good Afternoon, Leslie and All -
Hey, maybe if you put the word out that it is "Sweet Thing" Jeremy Dupree Day at the re-read it will generate some views - especially after that J&N scene yesterday!!! ;D
And speaking of Jeremy, had to jump back to this conversation in Chapter 48, which I thought was really interesting, especially in view of recent developments!
Ellery waited the requisite five minutes and then went to Wes’s office, walking in through the half-open door. “Told ya so.”
“Okay why’d ya pick him?”
“Because he has three years experience in the MP’s in an urban setting an he’s 26 years old an he can hold a conversation with an adult without stammerin.”
“Fair enough,” Wes scowled. “So tell me how ya do that?”
“Do what?” Ellery was finding it difficult to control his smug expression.
“Know ahead a time who’s who?”
“Cause I got the Shinin, Wes. Same way I tell who the queers are.”
“Uh huh. Remind me ta ask you next time I buy a lottery ticket.”
“Will do. Weld is gonna back em up, so Weld’ll get to do summat. Dupree says he did good in school, so you get half points.”
“Leave me alone, Ellery. I am already regrettin you comin back full time.”
Ellery smiled sweetly. “I am doin my level best.”
Hmmm... so Ellery believes he can tell who the queers are, huh? I think your "Shinin" may be slipping, Ellery! :laugh:
I always love Wes and Ellery conversations! I always love to hear Wes say "leave me alone, Ellery," or better yet, the classic "I didn't need to hear that, Ellery!" ;D
Thanks - Marie
MaineWriter:
Good morning re-readers. Today, chps 51-55:
http://louisev.livejournal.com/41226.html
and it bit of witty repartee to start off the re-read...
Ellery knocked lightly on the half-open door then stuck in his head. “Avon callin, Sheriff.”
“Oh, hi. Come in.”
“I wanted ya ta meet my new sidekick,” he said, opening the door. “Jeremy Dupree, this is our Sheriff Wes Brown.”
Dupree took the hard handshake of Brown and then slouched into one of the two chairs by his desk. “You got plants I see, keeps oxygen in the room ya know.”
Wes beamed at Ellery. “You can tell my Chief Deputy that.”
Ellery rolled his eyes. “I thrive on carbon dioxide, it keeps me sharp. Listen Wes did you call yer Senator friend?”
L
MaineWriter:
Chapter 52:
Ennis said nothing for so long that Ellery thought he should go on, then he hesitated.
“Ennis.”
“Whut…” he replied, his voice soft, hardly heard.
“You knew I was a police detective before we came over here an fucked the first time.”
“I know.”
“You knew my job had a element of danger to it.”
“I know.”
“So what’s different now?”
Ennis sat up, looking down at Ellery’s face as he lay on the bed, his eyes gleaming with unshed tears. “What’s different now is, if anythin were ta happen to ya now, I wouldn’t be able ta go on. You know what that means? An it was my idea for you to find out what happened ta Jack an now suddenly it’s a murder an there might be a murderer down there an he won’t like gettin caught. An I can’t live with myself if I sent you down there an something happens. I can’t.”
“Aw… Ennis, c’mere… c’mere sweetheart.” He reached out both arms, and Ennis caved in against him, his sob muffled against Ellery’s bare chest, hot tears stinging him. He pulled him in close, rocking him slightly. “I’m sorry, Ennis, it’s gonna be okay.”
“It ain’t. It ain’t gonna be okay,” Ennis replied, shaking his head against his body, then looked up at him, eyes red with misery. “I get in a tizzy cause yer half an hour late comin home an I think, better call the hospital. Maybe he got in the cell talking ta Bill an Bill beat his brains out. Maybe there was a robbery an he got shot. I can’t stand it Ellery… I can’t… stand it.”
Ellery smoothed his hair, feeling the damp strands under the dry blond curls, sifting through his hair in long, slow strokes. “I’m here now, sweetheart. It’s gonna be okay now. I promise.”
L
MaineWriter:
Chapter 53:
“Out for some late exercise?” Wes said, putting a boot up on the door of the stall and leaning over it.
“Yeah. Doin some thinking.”
“Bout this Austin thing?”
“Yep.”
“I would say you an I are worried about the same thing, Ennis.”
“Oh?” Ennis didn’t look up, but found something worrying suddenly about Pal’s left foot and patted her fetlock to get her to lift it, inspecting the hoof for the beginning of a crack that he might need to trim.
“Yeah. I ain’t keen on Ellery trackin down a killer on his own, which is why I made em get someone ta back em up. An I done a couple of other things too. I’m pullin in a couple a favors down in Texas ta see if I can dig up some background info so that we can limit the field investigation down. I need Ellery here in Laramie. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t a promoted him. You hear what I’m sayin Ennis?”
“Yes sir.” He stood up, finally, putting a gentling hand on the mare’s back, soothing her.
“I am gonna ask Ellery to go about things a bit different with this, give it some time. We got time here, it ain’t like the case is really gonna get colder. If ya pressure him ta give it up he’ll hold on like a bulldog with a favourite bone. But if ya let me put the pressure on in the right places I can make sure he doesn’t stick his neck out.”
Ennis nodded, feeling that tightness in his chest loosen slightly. “You gonna make sure he doesn’t go do some stupid stakeout thing again an put himself in danger?”
“Yeah. That I can promise ya. I had a bit of a talk to em the other day an that is why he ain’t in Austin right now. You take care a my mares, an I’ll take care a yer Chief Deputy Ennis, that sound like a deal?”
Ennis gulped, nodded.
“See, cause he’s my Chief Deputy too, an I love em as much as you do, an I sure as hell ain’t gonna let anything happen to em just because he’s got an impetuous side.”
Ennis blushed hotly, casting his eyes down. “I appreciate that.”
“Now go home, boy, because he’s worried about ya.”
L
MaineWriter:
Chapter 54:
He went back into the bedroom and changed into his normal black denims, leaving his shoes off, and pulling on a black t-shirt, then padded into the bathroom, looking in the mirror as he washed his hands and face, removing the traces of tears that had accumulated during his jittery hours of waiting. “Dumbass. Ya couldn’t just say all right sweetheart, I love you an respect yer wishes an I know yer scared. No no. You got ta be the hardass chief deputy first. You don’t think with yer dick, boy, you think with yer gun.”
He slammed the medicine cabinet door after taking his evening medicine, thinking that he really ought to eat, and having no desire to. He stood on the patio, door open, listening for the phone, and watched a brilliantly hued hummingbird flutter over the dandelions. He couldn’t go back to living alone, not after getting this close. Investigating Jack’s death had seemed like the right thing to do, something that would allow him to prove his love to Ennis and at the same time help him put down his ghost, to grieve what he had to grieve and move on. But things had gotten ugly. How much different it would all be if he had just come back with a brief nod and a brave smile and said “Yep, boy died from a tire blowout, right there in black an white just like they thought.” But Ennis’s suspicions had already told him it would not be that easy. It couldn’t be.
Ah, Ellery...
L
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version