Chapters (46)
- COVER PAGE
- PRAISE
- DEDICATION
- 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
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
- SNEAK PEEK: EXIT .45
‘Then you should’ve been more careful. You should’ve made an effort to stay clear of my … what do you call it.’ He looked away and then back when he found the word. ‘Purview. Clear of my purview.’
Locke just looked at him.
Andre said, ‘I need to get me one of those Marshal badges. I sat out there ninety minutes waiting for that woman to go inside. Easier, though, with a silver star. Just show it and come on in.’
‘The longer we sit here the worse it gets for you.’
Andre didn’t answer immediately, and Locke thought maybe the point had sunk in.
Then Andre said, ‘You got to understand: this is all I’ve got. Going up against people. I take someone on, and I win or I don’t. There’s no other side to my life. So I can’t let you out of this. I thought I made it clear what would happen if I saw you again.’ He shrugged. ‘And now here we are.’
‘But you’ve won already. So why take it any further? And why make it worse for yourself?’
Andre shook his head. ‘Not yet. I haven’t won yet. You’re still sitting there.’ He looked away, seemed to think about it. ‘All these levels to life. Money, people, the power and authority they got. You have to know where you fit in it, what your score is. And I only got one side of my life and that means one way to measure it. So what am I worth if I let you out of here having said that I won’t?’
Locke could hear his own breath through his teeth. Blood thumping in his temples. He closed his eyes and opened them again, and Andre was still there.
Andre said, ‘My parents were murdered, back in Cuba. They wrote pamphlets criticising Fidel and wound up in front of a firing squad. I used to think about that a lot. All the time, for years and years. And I realised: it was just the rule. It was just one guy’s rule. Someone else has different rules, and someone else different rules again. And it made me realise there’s no ultimate good or bad in the world. Is there? All that matters is what you’re prepared to step up and do.’
‘Can I call my wife? Let me call my wife.’
Andre shook his head. ‘No, you can’t.’ Quiet for a second. Then he said, ‘This is the best I can offer.’
He picked up Locke’s wallet from the pile of belongings and slid it to him across the table. Locke opened it.
Andre said, ‘You’re a lawman. You get to have your badge with you as you check out.’