The Dead Rise (Book 1): Zombies and Chainsaws Read Free Page B

realizing he better walk on eggshells if he kept tossing him in the air. He said, “What’s going on Maria? Is everything okay?”
    She pulled out a piece of paper handing it to him not wanting to disclose to the men how much of a bonus he was going to be making if he accepted this job. He opened it seeing only the numbers saying five hundred and shrugged. He said, “This is barely enough to cover all of us for a week and that's if we don't want to eat. Is this what you came out here for?”
    Maria motioned for him to follow her and he did. She knew she had possibly lied just a little to Mr. Shaw when she had mentioned how many jobs he had been racking up. He had just barely been able to make ends meet, but it was none of the greedy bastards business. She knew if he knew what kind of desperate financial trouble they were in he would have low-balled him and he would have made even less money on the contract. Jude leaned against her car pulling himself up on the white Thunderbird and dangling his legs just barely off of the ground and asked, "So what is it?"
    She did not waste her time asking him if he remembered who Mr. Shaw was. She knew he did. She said, "Your old boss called. He had a contract he wanted to offer you. It was for one week and the five hundred that you don't seem too excited about for some weird reason was just what the bonus would be. But the thing is, you have to be done with the job in one week or you don't get it. But if you do finish it, there's an extra five hundred dollars in your pocket, hell you could probably talk Shaw into doing it under the table on the bonus. Nothing better than tax-free dollars right?"
    At this news Jude whistled. He knew five hundred would go a long way toward paying off some backed up bills. He said, “So it would be a week in Missouri? You think you could handle watching Patrick for that long?”
    "I watch him every day Jude. Do you really think it would be a big deal if I watched him at night too? Hell, half the time you're out at night trying to find some way to make money. At least if you go do this you might be set up for a little bit, which as you know will help everyone."
    “So what am I supposed to do? When does this start, hell I don’t think I’ve ever known Shaw to give up any extra money before, he must be desperate.”
    “You would need to leave tomorrow. And as big of a hurry as he is in to get you down there, there's a damn good chance you could try and get a little extra money out of the job from him. Just make sure you don't say yes right away. Don't seem desperate. I told him how busy you've been, and if he doesn't know the truth there's no reason letting him in on stuff he doesn't need to know anything about. Seems like a good chance you can really come out ahead.”
    He nodded in agreement thinking that some extra money would do nothing of harm. If she could handle Patrick he could handle going out and getting work kicking some ass. He motioned to Chuck to keep working and not to quit. He yelled, “Hey guys I gotta go make a call in town I'll be back soon as I can. Let's try and wrap up this job today.”
    Chuck said, "Wrap this up today? Man, what are you talking about this is a two-day job we got going here, you said so. We ain't gonna finish this in one day man. Well, unless you plan on paying us double on this here job?"
    “Hell no I'm not going to pay you double you crazy son of a -.”
    Maria snapped and Jude was already feeling the tongue-lashing coming his way. She yelled, “You watch your mouth. Patrick is sitting right there, and you know very well he picks up on just about everything you say.”
    Jude looked at Patrick who was in the field and looked back to Maria. He said, “And how is he supposed to hear anything that I just said?”
    Maria put her hands on her hips and that was all that he needed to see. He was well aware the argument had been lost at that very moment. He held up his hands and slid off the car. He walked over to the