“That’ll be only sixteen dollars. I’m talking about a lot more than that. If we space it out better, say a hundred this week and next, he shouldn’t have no problem giving us the other hundred the last week in the month. Now when you meet with him, you let him know that we the ones in charge. Do you hear me?”

“I hear you.”

“Good night, Milton. I’m fixing to turn off the lamp.”

“Why? We usually sleep with at least one on in here.”

“I know. But I don’t like the way it’s making our shadows look tonight.” I nodded toward the wall on Milton’s side.

He looked over his shoulder and shuddered. “Damn! I see what you mean. Them shadows look like black ghosts,” he said with his voice cracking. “And they so deformed, we don’t even look human.”

A cold chill shot up my spine when I turned off the lamp. I clicked it back on a hour later when I went to the bathroom, and our shadows looked normal so I forgot all about it . . .

CHAPTER 18 - ODELL

CHAPTER 18

ODELL

I HADN’T HAD NO PEACE OF MIND SINCE I LEFT BETTY JEAN’S HOUSE this afternoon. I had no idea how I was able to be in the company of Yvonne and Milton for a couple of hours tonight and not go crazy.