Chapters (95)
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Eighty-One
- Eighty-Two
- Eighty-Three
- Eighty-Four
- Eighty-Five
- Eighty-Six
- Eighty-Seven
- Acknowledgements
- About the Author
- Also by David Swinson
- Thank you for buying this ebook, published by Hachette Digital.
I take out my wallet and remove a torn piece of paper from it, hand it to Hurley.
“Ray, and a tag number? How the hell did you get this?”
“Same way you and Millhoff would’ve, but I did it first.”
“Damn, Frank. We told you to stay the hell out of this.”
“Don’t go worrying yourself. I didn’t fuck anything up. I saw him outside the club and got a friend of mine who works security a couple buildings over to approach him. He’s an ex-cop, so he knows how to handle himself and how to play these mopes.”
“Thanks. We’ll follow up on it for sure, but I have to go.”
He opens the door, turns to me, and says, “Don’t work this anymore, all right?”
“Go or you’ll be late.”
He shakes his head and hurries to his car. I return to the counter.
Twenty-Two
Twenty-Two
Anything else I can help you with?” Stinky asks.
“Yes. Did Detective Hurley mention to you who I am?”
“No. Why would he?”
“Well, the only difference between me and him is I’m retired. But you know…”
I show him my badge.
“I spent most of my career as a detective at the Narcotics Branch. Had a pretty good reputation, actually, and still have a lot of friends on the department.”
“Okay.”
“Now I’m a private investigator, so the good thing is, for me, I can get away with a lot more than my good friend Detective Hurley can.”
“That sounds like a threat.”
“Well, dude, sort of. Maybe. I’m not sure yet.”
“I think maybe you should leave now.”
“I think maybe I’m going to ask you a few questions, and you’re going to answer them.”
“I told the detective everything I know. You got your property back. Now you’re harassing me.”
“So call the police.”
“Listen, you got your stuff back, and I lost money on the deal because I don’t get reimbursed. Not to mention all these violations I’m going to have to pay now.”
“So you’re the victim here?” I’m thinking of Jeffrey, but I don’t mention him.
“I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Tell me what you told Detective Hurley.”
“I don’t have to tell you anything.”
“Do you get a lot of return customers? ’Cause damn, you got some attitude. Or is it just the police you have a problem with?”
He doesn’t answer.