She's All Ears

HEAT

Chapter 6 - Part 1

Fill was concerned about Jenade. As much as he tried to concentrate on his research he kept coming back to his arm and what he had seen through his camera. This part of Florida was an escape location for a countless number of folks who just wanted to drop off the radar. Fill was not tough - but he would not leave something like this one - once he thought someone was in trouble - he would go to the extreme to help them - beyond what normal common sense would allow or dictate.

Fill knew Jenade would be at Barnhills for happy hour and so he just found himself walking to Barnhills at 3 PM. Fill grabbed a bench seat by the canal at the back of the restaurant and waited.
Sure enough, at 3:30 PM, Jenade walked in and sat at the bar and just as soon as sat down, a beer appeared before him.

Fill watched for an hour or so - sipping his beer - Jenade had 6 in the same time - Fill was counting. Fill then moved to the bar and sat down about three seats to the right of Jenade.

Jenade was talking to himself - in French. Fill looked at Jenade and uttered the phrase for not understanding French. Jenade  started and looked at Fill and then smiled saying something about being an old man and rambling. Fill asked Jenade if he could join him and Jenade jokingly said if you're buying and Fill agreed.

Fill and Jenade had a few more and then Fill, knowing that Jenade was well adjusted by this time, told him that he had seen his arm the other day and it certainly didn't look like sunburn. Jenade started to laugh, but then quickly stopped and turned to look at Fill and it let Fill know it was a burn, just not from the sun. Jenade drank the pitcher dry.

Fill asked Jenade if he could help and Jenade simply told Fill to stay away - don't get involved - don't attract attention - 'his' attention.

Whose attention - Jenade simply said Lou. Who is Lou - and at that moment, the door to Barnhills opened and a woman walked in. There was nothing special about that, as many women walked through the door's of Barnhills - what was different was the fact that as soon as she made eye contact with Fill, both ears exploded in a flood of blood as she collapsed to the floor ....