The New Magic - The Revelation of Jonah McAllister - Landon Wark (bill gates best books TXT) 📗

He found Clayton along with Ezra and Sandy sitting at the large kitchen island table, two plates of scrambled eggs between them. Paul siddled onto one of the stools next to Ezra and took the plate of eggs that Clay slid towards him. He poked at it noncommittally as the muted sounds of expulsion echoed down the hall outside.

"Someone is going to have to go to town." Ezra mused.

Sandy glanced over at him.

"I've been in the carnie long enough to know what withdrawal looks like."

"Maybe you can get someone to bring it here then," Sandy said.

"I wouldn't trust any of those numbnuts to deliver a pizza. She'd likely get a package of tartar sauce with 'Drugs' written across it in Sharpie."

Paul's early morning hunger overcame his nausea and he began spearing at the eggs. While he was more than a little annoyed that Clayton would ignore someone in obvious distress he was thankful for the overdone breakfast as an anchor in his stomach.

"How long do you think she can hold out?" Paul muttered.

"People do die from this sort of thing," Clay replied grimly.

He reached out and took the plate of eggs from Paul whose brow furrowed

angrily. Ezra harrumphed and pushed the second plate over to Paul. Shovelling another fork full into his mouth Paul listened quietly.

"We'll have to buy quite a bit," Sandy said with resignation. "We can't be doing this every day."

"I'll go," Clayton said, placing his fork on top of the remaining pile of eggs. "I mean... I have no idea where to go and I'll likely wind up asking some undercover cop where I can find 'the hookup'."

"I should go," Sandy wheeled the plate over to where she sat.

Clay reached out a hand to stop the movement of the plate. When Sandy glanced up at him he grabbed the second plate away from Paul and switched them.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she asked, beating Paul to it by a fraction of a second.

"Nothing."

"Anyway. I should go. I was with her the last time and I have some business I should take care of at the bank anyway."

"I'm going." A groan came from the kitchen door where an anemic, cloaked figure stood alongside Jenny.

"Eggs?" Clayton offered.

"Fuck off."

"I was talking to Jenny."

"You can't keep down breakfast, let alone drive a car," Jenny said, walking over to the table. "I'll go with her."

"You'd do even worse than I would," Clay muttered.

Ignoring him Jenny continued, "Sandy, I can take care of what you need at the bank, too. I just need a signed letter saying you're designating me as your representative."

"I don't know," Sandy hemmed. "I should really do it myself though..."

"I'll go with them," Ezra said, shifting his bulk on his own stool, but not moving. "I actually know a shady character at the carnie who might be able to get us what we need. And I can supervise the kids with the credit card."

"Yeah, come on, Ma," Clay interrupted. "Let the kids go to the carnival."

Sandy grumbled. "Well if it will get you out of here."

Paul turned to Carmen who was nestling her head under her arm like a sleeping bird. "Are you okay with that?"

"Yeah, sure," she groaned. "Let's go get some of that good carnie smack."

Clay clung tightly to the wheel as the car fishtailed onto the narrow paved road from the dirt path that ran up to the house. He sucked in air through his clenched teeth and shot a glance sideways at the passenger who was shuddering against the door even in the blistering heat of the un-air-conditioned car. Wind from the naked roadside struck Clay directly in the face and stole away his breath for a moment.

"You okay?" he asked loudly to Carmen.

"Not really," she choked. "At least the wind got rid of big man's cologne."

"You all wouldn't know class if it time travelled from the turn of the century and slapped you," Ezra said.

"Carmen, let us know if you need to stop," Jenny said from her place wedged in between Paul and Ezra in the backseat.

"Even if I tell you to, do not stop," she muttered. "And, I feel worse for you right now."

The car fell into silence and Clay drummed on the steering wheel for a few moments until Carmen flailed at his hands.

"How did you all like the eggs?" he asked.

"Okay."

"Not the worst I've had."

"Needed pepper."

Clay nodded solemnly making a few mental notes as he attempted to concentrate on the sun sprayed highway. "Both batches?"

"Could you shut up about the eggs?" Carmen coughed and spit out of the window. Clay slowed the car.

Paul chimed in. "Why exactly are you being so weird about the eggs?"

"Yeah, I think it might work," Clay mumbled.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ezra barked.

"You remember what we were talking about?" Clay asked in Carmen's direction. "You know, last night?"

"I remember you talking me out of a decision that would have made me feel a helluva lot better right now."

For one horrifying moment Clayton James channelled his father. "Oh, well you should've done it then."

Jenny made a rare step forward into the conversation. "Not that it's any of our business, but what are you talking about?"

"I was... well, we were thinking we could be making drugs the same way we were making quarters."

"You want to... sell drugs?"

Clay fumbled the conversation. "Not... Well, if we need it then... I mean it's easier... I mean, safer... Help me out here."

Carmen groaned.

"So... why didn't you do this already?" Paul asked.

"Well, making the quarters wasn't exactly perfect. Making complex proteins could... We could be making poison is what I'm trying to say."

In the midst of his trying to figure out