Hex stared at the ground and tapped his finger on his knee the whole time. It must’ve been five minutes before he finally looked up with a wicked grin. “Okay. There’s no way you’re going to get this one. ‘I’m sorry, mister. We can’t get you no help.’”

Hundreds of titles raced through my head. I’d seen the movie and heard the line, but which one was it? The fact that the person said mister made me think that the character who said it was young. My speculation didn’t guarantee it, but it was worth a guess. The bad use of language with can’t get no help symbolized that a decent amount of dialect was used in the movie, most likely southern dialect.

I thought about all of the southern movies I’d watched and something hit me. “You’re not saying the line correctly.”

“Yes, I am.”

“I can’t think of the line, but it sounds like another one. Those aren’t the words.”

“Then you have the wrong movie.”

“Or you don’t know the actual quote.”

Hex huffed and glanced at Alvarez.

“Don’t look at me.” Alvarez shook his head. “You’re the one who wanted to do this. Maybe you should stop playing so many games.”

“But do you know what line I’m talking about?” Hex asked.

“I have no idea.” Alvarez checked his watch. “Let’s make this quick. I have an appointment in an hour about getting your works in the Metropolitan Art Museum.”

“Then go.” Hex waved him away.

“I’m not going to let you do any major business moves, like hiring, without my being around.”

“Maybe you should stop trying to be so controlling.”

“Just finish your game.” Alvarez directed his attention to me. “And additionally, if she can prove that you’ve said the movie quote wrong and say the film’s title, then you get rid of the next round and hire her.”

I formed my lips into a huge smile. “I love that idea.”

“But that’s boring. I have a whole obstacle course behind the gallery.” Hex rose from the ground. “What am I going to do with all of that stuff?”

“Let the kids from your art class this afternoon play on it.” Alvarez checked his watch again. “Come on. She proves you wrong, she’s hired. However, I still need those official documents.”

“Of course.” I’ll just have to forge some.

“Okay, fine.” Hex shook the grass and dirt off his overalls. “Prove that I’m wrong.”

“Well. The movie is The Things We Can’t Forget.” I knew I was right when Hex sucked his teeth. “The person who said the line was a kid, played by the child actor Dale Cataway, who—”

“Just get on with it. How am I wrong?”

I giggled. “Well, when he says the line, he’s surrounded by his other friends who are also kids. They’re looking down a deep well where this man had climbed into it, to get the kids’ baseball. Earlier, all of the kids’ parents told them to not play baseball in this far off field, but they did it anyway. So their only ball falls into the well. This wandering homeless guy climbs an old ladder to get the ball. It broke under him as he tries to climb back up and he falls deep into the well. He’s trapped down there. After a while he screams and screams for them to get help, but the kids refuse because they know their parents will punish them for playing in that field. So the line is actually, ‘Sorry, mister. We ain’t gonna get you no help.’ In the end, they leave him there to die.”

“Let’s go. I would like to get a look at all of you.” Hex spun around and stomped off to the door with the Only Authorized Personnel sign. I couldn’t see his face, but I knew it wore a frown. Had he even wanted me to be his model or did he just really enjoy playing games? I hoped for the latter as I followed him into his art studio as Alvarez trailed behind me.

Chapter 2

Alvarez

Can anything ever go right when I’m gone?

I returned to my family’s castle after a two-day business trip to discover a dead girl slumped between the rows of cabbage and carrots in the back of the vegetable garden. Gray tinted her skin. Rot radiated from her dirt-smudged flesh. Those green eyes stared off in the distance. I didn’t know how long she’d been gone, but it must’ve been a day at least. All of my breakfast spilled out from my mouth and my appetite for the rest of the week left with it. Thank God I’d volunteered myself to pick a few basil leaves for the soup my grandma was making. I made Grandma sit down to take a rest while I went to grab the herbs.

If not, she would’ve found the body and God only knows what she would’ve done.

Probably strip the body for parts.

Tags: Kenya Wright Mystery
Source: readsnovelonline.net