BooksBarbecue
Back The Preserve
Chapters (56)
  1. Front Cover
  2. Half-Title Page
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  6. 1.
  7. 2.
  8. 3.
  9. 4.
  10. 5.
  11. 6.
  12. 7.
  13. 8.
  14. 9.
  15. 10.
  16. 11.
  17. 12.
  18. 13.
  19. 14.
  20. 15.
  21. 16.
  22. 17.
  23. 18.
  24. 19.
  25. 20.
  26. 21.
  27. 22.
  28. 23.
  29. 24.
  30. 25.
  31. 26.
  32. 27.
  33. 28.
  34. 29.
  35. 30.
  36. 31.
  37. 32.
  38. 33.
  39. 34.
  40. 35.
  41. 36.
  42. 37.
  43. 38.
  44. 39.
  45. 40.
  46. 41.
  47. 42.
  48. 43.
  49. 44.
  50. 45.
  51. 46.
  52. 47.
  53. 48.
  54. EPILOGUE
  55. AFTERWORD
  56. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Kanani placed a hand on Selfer’s knee. “I hate to sound cruel here, but you’re not gonna end up much better.”

Selfer placed his hand over hers. It pulsed hot and small and wet, as if he were clutching his own heart. “My dear,” he said, “don’t you think I know that? Don’t you?” He then held his hand to his heart as if replacing the organ.

“So do something about it.”

He snorted. “Me, their head paper-pusher. Head lackey. There’s no one to call. That was always the deal. We are on our own. Secret operation. They tell me. Us. It’s a one-way street, a dead end.”

“So stand up to them. Here.”

“Well, I’d need to know when, wouldn’t I? And how. Problem is, I’m not in the know. Never was. The only loophole I’m seeing is a noose. If even a sense of what I or Wendell Lett suspects is true? They’re leaving me to hang. We’re all hanging. There are so few left in camp, more leaving every day. Lansdale can deny it all. And this goon Frankie, he is their new man.”

“Do you know where Wendell is?”

Selfer looked away, side-eyeing her.

“Look at me. You do!”

“You can’t—”

“Where’s the map?”

Selfer grimaced at her. “So you did find it, that time in my office. Well, I burned it.”

“You what? Shit.” She buttoned up and slid into her slippahs.

“Can’t have any evidence, dear, or they might pin it all on me.”

She grabbed her purse and slung it.

Selfer stood. “Where you going?”

“Where you think? I’m going find a way to get us all out of this trap.”

Selfer stared, his lower lip hanging. “How?”

“Tell me where they have Wendell. Stop glaring at me. Listen to me.”

“You can’t visit him. It’s not possible now.”

“Then just tell me where. Answer me, dammit.”

Selfer kept glaring. He wiped at his neck.

36.

Kanani returned to the boogie house bungalow, she had to. The baby revolver was there, in the footlocker. She cased the place first. Luckily Frankie wasn’t inside. She kicked off her slippahs and pulled on her army boots and a good broad hat, slid the revolver into her purse, and moved to leave. At the mirror, she stopped. Her eyes looked drawn, the skin of her face loose. It could’ve used makeup but she didn’t have the time.