“I got a better idea.”Salzy smiled, then drained his beer.“Why don’t I treat you to some of the best, most authentic Mexican food there is to be had anywhere close to here?”
“Oh, I am so in.”Jamie was about to drain his beer before Salzy took it away from him.
“You’re driving.”Salzy gave him a smarmy smile.“I buy, you fly.The only vehicle I have is that rig.”
Chapter Nine
Salzy ordered a heapof food, speaking in what Jamie knew to be Spanish.It seems that he and the owners were well acquainted.They looked sceptically at Jamie—however.Salzy had ordered himself another beer and Jamie a margarita.
“So, what ’cha want me to start on?”
“I was hoping you could start on those stairs.Some of the nails have popped up and they need painting in the worst way.I suspect that some will have to be replaced if not all of them.”Jamie took a small sip of the margarita.“Oh.Wow!This isreallygood!”
“Why do you sound so surprised?”Salzy shook his head.“I told you it was the best and it is.”He took a sip of the margarita to see for himself.“Yeah, that’s just as good as I remember.”
“So why didn’t you have one?”
“Tequila and I...well, we like each other.A lot.Too much.”
Jamie laughed.“What, you take all your clothes off and dance on the table?”
Salzy deadpanned.“Something like that.”
“Oh hell, now I need to bring you back here and get you all the tequila you can handle.”
Salzy shook his head.“That’s something that willneverhappen.Back to work, Jamie.I can get those stairs done easily enough.It will take some work but shouldn’t take all that long.I think you’re right about some of those treads needin’ to be replaced.”
“Yeah, what I thought.I’ll call over to Hanson’s hardware tomorrow and see about openin’ up an account or something.”
“I think your grandparents already have one.I picked up some new trash cans for them not too long ago.”
Jamie nodded.“I’ll call in the morning and check it out.Now, the big thing is I’m going to shut the diner down for about four weeks.”
“That’s a long time to close a business.”
“It is, but I have a plan.I just need to make a heap of phone calls tomorrow.”Jamie sipped his margarita, had some tortilla chips and salsa.“That’s the best salsa I’ve ever had.”
