Unforeseen Developments Part IV

Since this is Part IV, you might want to read Parts I-III first...

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When Tommy had entered the store this day, he and Jed had said their “heys” and then proceeded to ignore each other. They really were like family. Jed figured that Tommy would talk to him when he was ready. Until then he was welcome to do whatever he needed to do. Since Jed and his wife had never had kids of their own, they had sort of adopted the kids who had worked at the store over the years. Jed’s feelings for his employees had grown since she had passed on. In particular, he felt a fatherly connection to Tommy. He thought about the six or eight other kids who had worked here over the years and continued to frequent it. They’re mostly all grown up now, even Tommy, thought Jed.

He was thinking about Tommy’s melodramatic sense of loss and sadness when he looked up; staring at him over the counter were Sherman’s dead eyes. A short burst of peppermint invaded his senses. He blinked and tried to focus on Sherm.

“What?” he managed to say.

“Nuthin. Just lookin’ around,” answered Sherm. His armpits were sweaty and the stench mixed horribly with the peppermint. “You know.” He gave Jed a knowing look. Jed wrinkled his nose, his hands still below the counter.

“Well, keep lookin’ around.” Jed turned his back on the man and realigned cigarettes and little cigars. He looked at the boxes of rolling papers. Why do I even carry these things? he wondered.

Sherm looked at Jed’s back for a moment, felt his arms tighten, and then slowly moved away and down the nearest aisle, all the while his eyes probing the racks and their contents. Cam waved from the beer coolers. Sherm looked up and Cam gave a quick, short nod.

Well there it is, thought Sherm. The signal. Sherm knew that the day was about to change.

They moved swiftly, with purpose. Cam lightly kicked Tommy’s boots, and when the boy looked up, he tilted his head as if to say “Get out. Go out the back.” Tommy blinked away the last few residual tears and began to slowly rise.

Jed noticed the movement and knew something was going down. He reached under the counter.

Cam saw Jed’s arms disappear below the counter and took four lightning quick steps toward him. He was almost upon him. Jed started, unaware that Cam could move so fast. He felt a little like a kid caught with his hands in the cookie jar. Geez, he thought. Jed smiled, raised his hands up to waist level. In one hand was a pack of Juicy Fruit gum. He put it in his pocket. He saw over Cam’s shoulder that Sherm was lowering himself to the floor. Tommy was disappearing into the back. Jed raised an eyebrow. Cam smiled back at him.

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'til next time...