Out of Context

Today’s random book opened randomly and shared

Created, The Destroyer
Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir

“You have greater manipulation with the dry object. Here watch this.”

Remo took a few dry tens from his pocket. He made a fast snatch that marvelled the bartender, then quickly stuffed the bills in the bartender’s shirt pocket. “See. Dry.”

The bartender grinned with an embarrassed smile and shrugged with his palms turned upward. An Italian gesture.

Remo slapped his face. The crack echoed through the empty bar. The man stumbled back against a shelf of bottles. They jingled but didn’t fall. He clasped his left hand to his right cheek.

“Never try such a sloppy job on me again,” Remo said. The man waited a few moments, breathing hard and staring at Remo who smiled and nodded. Then the bartender checked the bills in his pocket and found they were gone. The customer’s hands had just moved too quickly. Even drunk, the speed had been blinding.

“Muscles. I’m training your muscles. Want to try again?” Remo offered the dry bills, but the bartender just backed away.

“I oughta call the cops,” the bartender whined, moving toward a part of the counter that Remo judged held the bar stick.