Barry Bowe's Blog, page 80

Uber Tales Chapter 26

At the same time.

In the bedroom of Jess’s condo.

Neil Sedaka’s “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” is playing on the radio, WMGK, while Jess is in the process of getting dressed.

Faintly, she hears the front door open and close.

“That you?” she calls out.

“Expecting someone else?” comes the reply from the living room. Pablo’s voice.

“Not really.”

He enters the bedroom moments later. Carrying a bag from Modell’s Sporting Goods store.

“Why you getting all dressed up?” he asks.

“Job interview.”

“About...

Uber Tales Chapter 25

“I’m so close to nailing this bastard, ” Steve says. “I can taste it, My Friend.”

It’s the next morning.

Steve’s driving, My Friend’s riding shotgun.

“We,” My Friend says.

“We what?”

The Envoy’s heading west on Baltimore Pike. Passing the Springfield Mall, off to the right.

“We’re so close,” My Friend says. “We’re so close you can taste it.”

“Shit,” Steve says. “Absolutely right. Sorry. I’m so in-tune with Bernie’s advice lately, you know, to save my own ass, I’m totally self-absorbed. Be in...

Uber Tales Chapter 24

Forty minutes later.

The Blacklist is playing on a big-screen TV inside Steve’s apartment. It’s an episode when breaking news interrupts the regular TV programming.

“Developing Story” flashes onto the screen. An announcement about one of the F.B.I.’s most-wanted fugitives being arrested in Hong Kong. And there’s a police officer leading Raymond Reddington by the arm. Reddington, wearing a tuxedo, is walking with his hands behind his back. Handcuffed.

The door of the apartment opens in, and Je...

Uber Tales Chapter 23

I’m leaving the Media Courthouse with My Friend on one side and Bernie on the other. Out the revolving doors and onto the courthouse steps.

“Don’t know where to start,” I say halfway down the steps. “I’d be going to jail right now if it weren’t for you two guys. Thanks.”

“That’s what friends are for,” My Friend says.

“All in a day’s work,” Bernie says.

“So what happens next?” I ask him.

We reach the bottom of the steps and stop walking.

“Right now,” Bernie says, “we just postponed the inevita...

Uber Tales Chapter 22

At the same time.

An Acura TL, matte black, pulls in and parks next to a black Escalade. The Escalade is Margo’s car, and this is where she lives. Radcliff House. On Conestoga Road in Bryn Mawr. Think of any three-story garden-complex in a tree-lined suburban community and you’ll pretty much nail Radcliff House.

The driver’s door of the Acura opens. Jess exits and heads straight to the entrance to the B Building.

In the lobby, she punches the button for three-oh-two and waits . . .

“Who is it...

Uber Tales Chapter 21

“Police! Open up!”

It’s the next morning and this time it’s different than the first time the police came banging on Steve’s door. For two reasons. One, after having his apartment searched, he expected them to show up sooner or later. Two, this time he’s not alone. Jess spent the night.

They’re both in bed with their bare shoulders visible above the sheets. He opens his eyes first. Looks at her and sees her eyes opening slowly, then blinking. He lays his right hand gently over her mouth and p...

Uber Tales Chapter 20

Ten minutes later.

My Friend gets up to leave.

“Thanks, Friend,” Steve says as he walks his friend out.

“That’s what friends are for.”

They have to wait because the carpenter’s making a final alignment on the new door he’s installing. Screwing bolts into the top hinge to secure it in position …

Once finished, the carpenter backs up.

“You can pass now,” he says. “But be careful not to bump it. Still have to tighten the middle and bottom hinges.”

“Go ahead,” Steve tells My Friend. “I’ll stay ou...

Uber Tales Chapter 19

At the same time.

I’m pulling up to the parking area in front of the Jefferson Court Apartments. Plenty of empty spots.

“Stay for a while?” I ask My Friend while pulling into one of the empty spots.

“What for?”

“Gotta figure out what to do next. Two heads are better than one … Up to you.”

“Nuthin else to do. Might as well.”

I swing open the door of the SUV and get out. My Friend does the same thing on the passenger side, and we start walking toward the entrance.

I unlock the front door. Open...

Uber Tales Chapter 18

Margo’s been holding the corpse-pose for almost five minutes. Totally relaxed. Oblivious to the outside world. Oblivious to the other four women lying on yoga mats in close proximity to her. All holding the same pose.

Also oblivious to Jess, who’s standing on the sidewalk outside the barre3 exercise studio in Rosemont. Watching through the plate-glass window and waiting for the class to end.

It takes five minutes for Margo to end the pose. Then she’s up and on her feet. From a male perspectiv...

Uber Tales Chapter 17

The next afternoon.

“So, Friend,” Steve says, “you know exactly what you’re supposed to do, right?”

Traffic’s flowing smoothly on the down-slope of the Girard Point Bridge. Four lanes on the lower level of the bi-level bridge. Northbound.

Steve’s driving and My Friend’s riding shotgun.

Entering South Philadelphia with Lincoln Financial Field coming into view. Where the Eagles play. Up ahead on the left.

My Friend starts tapping the left side of his head with his left index finger.

“I got it...