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
‘Yeah, and here I was thinking you’d be up-front with me. You signed an agreement with Bluesmoke saying you’d disclose all existing threats, or something to that effect.’
No answer.
Vincent said, ‘I never wanted to touch another gun in my life—’
‘Great career choice, then.’
‘No, there’s a difference: if it’s life-or-death, and a matter of … I don’t know, innocent defence: fine. But I almost had to shoot a guy because of some grimy little business deal that I could’ve avoided if you’d told me the truth. So I think I’m done, thanks.’
Lamar said nothing.
Vincent said, ‘Anyway, I were you, I’d call nine-one-one and tell them about it. Guy who’s prepared to come after you with thugs and guns isn’t going to forget a two-million-dollar debt. He’s going to wait a couple of weeks, and then show up in the middle of the night and ask you about it again.’
No answer.
Vincent said, ‘Does your daughter know about it?’
‘No.’
‘What about Freeman?’
‘Shall we try just minding our own business for a while?’
‘Whatever. If Erin’s not involved, I’d maybe give her the low-down. In case she’d prefer to stay at a hotel.’
‘Thanks for the advice.’
‘No problem. Anyway, my basic issue is that I just can’t trust you. And life’s too short to be bullshitted. I’m sure you’ll find a replacement.’
Lamar took a moment with that. Then he said, ‘Yeah, you know what: life’s too short for sanctimony, too. Pull over. You can find your own way back.’
Vincent checked his mirrors. A few cars behind him, but he had plenty of room. He said, ‘Yeah, all right.’
He stopped the car in the middle of the lane, and then got out and walked away—door open and the engine still running.
NINE
NINE
She’d been staying in the house for two weeks now, and in that time she’d spoken to her father exactly twice: the hello on arrival, and then again on the phone last week, when he called to say he’d seen the profile of her in Topic. Courteous, but a little strange, a little perfunctory—phoning, instead of just coming down the stairs. She’d thought spending time under the same roof would be a good opportunity to actually speak, but they just seemed to orbit each other at a careful distance.
They turned off the street into her father’s driveway and parked in the open garage. The new security guy had his car in the next spot: an old Pontiac Trans Am, scraped and rust-pitted, probably half a million miles on the clock. He had a surfboard on the roof, strapped to a rack.
Tanner, up front at the wheel, saw her looking and said, ‘Definitely the most laidback commando I’ve ever met.’
‘Yeah. I know what you mean.’