Page 57 of A Pawn for Malice
Sy looked around to see if anyone conspicuouswas paying too much attention to them both, and was satisfiedthings appeared to be normal. He chose this old diner for a goodreason. It was way out in East bejesus, and not a likely placewhere anyone would know him. There were a few late morningstragglers sucking down coffee. They looked like local farmers anddelivery folk passing through.
“You hiding her, where you said?”
“You think I’m lying?” Sy snarled inreply.
“Don’t get your underwear all twisted,Corbat.” His associate snapped. “There better not be a mark onher.”
Sy didn’t like this prick … not one bit. Hehated that he refused to tell Sy his name. He understood whythough. Couldn’t rat out someone, if you didn’t know their name. Hecould give a flying fuck, if his was Tinkerbell. The guy was smoothas butter. He knew how to cover his ass. He probably made a livingout of fucking people over his entire life.
The bastard didn’t mind paying him twomillion to get what he wanted either. He didn’t even blink, when Syasked for it. He wanted the woman bad.
Sy still couldn’t believe his luck, when theguy first approached him outside the courtroom, after his brotherwas found guilty. Funny thing though, Sy never noticed him at theCourthouse one time, during the entire trial. He had to havesomeone sit in for him, tell him what was going on every day, andwho was there. How else would he have known?
Didn’t matter any. He was getting what heasked for. Now, that he switched the plan to suit his fancy, andcollecting another two mill from the Senator, he was gonna be setfor life.
“There you go doubting me again. I told ya,how many times now, everything went off without a hitch? She’sbeing watched. No one knows she’s there. I called Gallagher back ateleven like I said I would, and let him talk to her. If you came inyesterday, you would have had her by now and; I’d be the fuck outof here. She’s yours tonight likeyouplanned so, chill the hell out.”
The man snickered, pleased as punch, that hisplan was playing out nicely.
“For a smart man, Gallagher certainly fellfor the bullshit you fed him.”
Sy shrugged, as he looked at the guy acrossfrom him and replied nonchalantly. “I can be real convincing, whenI want too.”
This guy, was one shrewd bastard. He talkedkind of funny, but Sy knew he could afford just about anything fromthe way he dressed and the car he rented out in the parking lot. Ifthe diamond on his pinky finger was any larger, the fucker wouldn’tbe able to raise it high enough to pick the buggers from his nose.Thinking about it made him snicker.
“You want to share what’s so funny?”
“Just the fact the almighty Senator thinks Idid all this, because of my fucking brother. That prick Tallonfiring me, just made the story sweeter and more convincing.”
“And the Caverns are still on lock down?”
Sy tested his coffee to see, if it had cooledenough to take a sip. It was, and he sucked down two, long gulps,before answering.
“Renovations will be going on for another twoweeks, before they can open. Workers are all gone by five. I’llhave her up top after ten, just to make sure. She’ll be in roomtwo-eighteen, tied and spread out for ya. What you do with her,after I’m paid and gone, I could give a shit. Just make sure yougot my cash as agreed.”
His associate took a money clip from his pantpocket.
Sy nearly gasped from its thickness, as theguy thumbed through hundreds and twenties, until he pulled aten-dollar bill from the wad and threw it down on the table.
He scooted back his chair, stood, and gazeddown at him and directed with authority, before stepping away,“Don’t keep me waiting. Ten o’clock, and not a second later.”
Sy took his time finishing his coffee andexited the diner, as he called Morris on his cell.
“Ya,” the kid answered nervously.
“You feed her?”
“Just now. Boss was real pissed aboutsomething. Said not to come back in, until tomorrow. I don’t likethis. It ain’t right.”
“Don’t matter what you like, or don’t like,boy. Keep your mouth shut, and do as I say, or you die. Plain andsimple. Besides, I don’t need you, no more. She’ll be gonetonight.”
The kid hesitated a moment, before he pressedon. “Can’t leave her down there all day without checking on her.What if some’thin happens ta her?”
“Ain’t nothing gonna happen,” Sy blared,losing his patience. “She’s been fine all along, hasn’t she? She’sgot the lantern. She’s been fed. I’ll be getting her out of thereby ten.” He disconnected the line without further argument, andentered his car to leave.
---
TWENTY-THREE
