‹ Prequel: Going Bush
Going Bush 2: Suburbia
10
The man quickly checked his clipboard again.
“Ah… the other you were brought in with?” he gave Taylor a questioning look.
“My brother,” Taylor confirmed, annoyed to find himself shivering slightly.
“There’s a brother as well?” the woman looked interested.
The man turned a page and seemed to consider her question.
“They’re not sure yet,” he told her, “apparently there are some health issues involved. He may not make it through the medical checks.”
“If he does, I’d like to see him too,” she nodded.
“That shouldn’t be an issue.”
“I do like his accent,” she returned her attention to Taylor.
“He was picked up in… Oklahoma.”
She nodded, as if considering, before turning her back.
“I think I’ve seen enough,” she announced.
Her escort gave Taylor a glance before discarding the cloth that had been his gag and opting to show her out instead. Moments later, Taylor was alone again.
“What the hell?” he whispered to himself, burying his face in his shoulder.
*
“That’s definitely a butcher,” Rick stated the obvious as they pulled up to the sidewalk.
Isaac waited until he’d parked before opening the door to get out. As Rick got out the other side, Isaac leant over the roof.
“So this is definitely where their phones were turned off?” he made sure.
“This is it,” Rick shrugged, stepping around to join him, “have you got photos handy?”
Isaac held up his phone as they made their way to the store and inside. Their eyes fell on the portly Italian behind the counter, already serving his first customers for the day.
Grudgingly, Isaac waited in line while Rick took a subtle look around. He couldn’t see anything to suggest it being anything but an ordinary small-time butcher store.
Due to the friendly nature of the man behind the counter it was a good five minutes or so before Isaac was seen to.
“Excuse me, hi,” Isaac smiled, having his phone ready.
“I’m actually looking for my brothers, who went missing last night. We think they might have stopped in here to buy some meat for a party they were going to. Have you seen either of these guys?”
He held the phone up, and the man opted to take it from his hands so he could see more clearly. Even though he had to hold it a couple of feet from his glasses.
“I non, non… no see this one here aye?” he pointed to Taylor in the photo, “but this a one right here, he come in last night. Just as was closing. I had to go, but my assistant Nikolai he help him.”
“Is your assistant here?” Isaac looked hopeful.
“Non,” the man shook his head, “he does not start until late. I sorry he no have phone to contact either.”
“What time will he be in?” Rick joined the conversation.
“Lunchtime,” he handed Isaac his phone back, “you come back then, si?”
“We will. Thank you,” Isaac used his phone to salute his gratitude.
He gave Rick a glance before he led the way out of the store.
“Ah… the other you were brought in with?” he gave Taylor a questioning look.
“My brother,” Taylor confirmed, annoyed to find himself shivering slightly.
“There’s a brother as well?” the woman looked interested.
The man turned a page and seemed to consider her question.
“They’re not sure yet,” he told her, “apparently there are some health issues involved. He may not make it through the medical checks.”
“If he does, I’d like to see him too,” she nodded.
“That shouldn’t be an issue.”
“I do like his accent,” she returned her attention to Taylor.
“He was picked up in… Oklahoma.”
She nodded, as if considering, before turning her back.
“I think I’ve seen enough,” she announced.
Her escort gave Taylor a glance before discarding the cloth that had been his gag and opting to show her out instead. Moments later, Taylor was alone again.
“What the hell?” he whispered to himself, burying his face in his shoulder.
*
“That’s definitely a butcher,” Rick stated the obvious as they pulled up to the sidewalk.
Isaac waited until he’d parked before opening the door to get out. As Rick got out the other side, Isaac leant over the roof.
“So this is definitely where their phones were turned off?” he made sure.
“This is it,” Rick shrugged, stepping around to join him, “have you got photos handy?”
Isaac held up his phone as they made their way to the store and inside. Their eyes fell on the portly Italian behind the counter, already serving his first customers for the day.
Grudgingly, Isaac waited in line while Rick took a subtle look around. He couldn’t see anything to suggest it being anything but an ordinary small-time butcher store.
Due to the friendly nature of the man behind the counter it was a good five minutes or so before Isaac was seen to.
“Excuse me, hi,” Isaac smiled, having his phone ready.
“I’m actually looking for my brothers, who went missing last night. We think they might have stopped in here to buy some meat for a party they were going to. Have you seen either of these guys?”
He held the phone up, and the man opted to take it from his hands so he could see more clearly. Even though he had to hold it a couple of feet from his glasses.
“I non, non… no see this one here aye?” he pointed to Taylor in the photo, “but this a one right here, he come in last night. Just as was closing. I had to go, but my assistant Nikolai he help him.”
“Is your assistant here?” Isaac looked hopeful.
“Non,” the man shook his head, “he does not start until late. I sorry he no have phone to contact either.”
“What time will he be in?” Rick joined the conversation.
“Lunchtime,” he handed Isaac his phone back, “you come back then, si?”
“We will. Thank you,” Isaac used his phone to salute his gratitude.
He gave Rick a glance before he led the way out of the store.