[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.“Don’t know what sort of application you have in mind.”Steve didn’t answer and Ed continued.“An auto’s fast, but you’ve got those shells ejecting.You’re gonna want to pick them up later.That might be a drag.I got a silencer for the Colt if you want.This Uzi I modified myself so it’s fully automatic.Pull the trigger, it’ll squirt enough lead to take all your troubles away.Again, you’re gonna have a ton of shells strewn about.”He threw a few revolvers on the bed.“If that’s a problem, these will solve it, but you can’t use a silencer.This Colt King Cobra’s got a nice short barrel.It’s a three-fifty-seven, six-shot.Or if you’re not worried about concealment, this Smith and Wesson forty-five with the long barrel will take care of big game.” He took out a small gun that fit in his palm.“Two-shot American Derringer twenty-two, good for close work.” He swept his hand across the bed with obvious pride.The room smelled of gun oil.“What’s your pleasure?”Steve hefted the guns and chose the Colt revolver and the derringer.He paid for them and two boxes of ammunition for each.“How do I get in touch with you if I want something else?”The dealer raised his eyebrows.“Just what are you into?” He went on, clearly not expecting an answer.“You want me, just call the front desk here and leave a number for Ed from … Mr.Grim.That’s what I’ll call you.I can get you rifles, military weapons.You need plastic explosives, I can get C-4.1 can get you detonators, dynamite, hand grenades.If it’s in the armament business, I can get it.I’ve got access to military, police, and a bunch of wacko private parties you wouldn’t believe.” He put Steve’s guns into a heavy paper bag and handed them over.“Buddy, you just made an excellent purchase.” He fanned the cash Steve had given him.“And I’m going to get to know that Chastity better.Life is good.”There was a heavy set black man sitting in the cockpit of Steve’s boat when he returned.His stomach tightened and he thought, Geoff’s got a new partner.The Colt was loaded and Steve shifted the paper bag to his left hip so he could draw the.357 with his right hand if the guy started anything.Steve said, “What are you doing on my boat?”The man stood up.“Mr.Dern?”“That’s right.”“I’m Detective Lazar.” He showed a badge.“I’ve got some questions about Geoff Mann.”Chapter 29What a long day, Geoff thought.It was just after six in the evening.He had been driving around for so long, it felt as if a drill bit were spinning between his shoulder blades.Just driving up and down the state highways, killing time.The van stunk of coffee, take-out food, and sweat.He had the van jammed way back behind a hedge.The house and driveway were visible through the brush.The place was secluded, private.Something he had noticed the first time he was there.Back then, it had been a mere detail.A bedroom for him alone would be nice, he thought.But he knew he would have to watch Carly.Make sure she didn’t hurt Lisa.Geoff knew Carly wanted him to tell her it was all right, that he didn’t care about the scar.But he did.He winced whenever he looked at her.Although he was proud of the way she had fought, the way she held on to Lisa, he found himself thinking more and more about how Lisa had fooled them.The way she had fought Carly and Jammer.Damned impressive.He looked back.Lisa was staring at him, murder in her eyes.He couldn’t blame her.Tape over her mouth, hands bound.She was back in the shit again.“Hey, a shower for both of you,” he said.“For her?” Carly asked.Geoff smiled to himself.She was such a kid.For her too, daddy?Jansten’s car turned into the driveway.The old man was alone.“For everybody.” Geoff put on a baseball cap and pulled the brim low.“Right after he turns off his alarm system.”When Jansten opened the front door, his face was already cast in an expression of impatience.“What?” he said, before recognizing Geoff.Geoff raised the gun.Jansten reacted fast for an old man.He tried to shove the door closed, but Geoff pushed his way into the foyer.“What the hell are you doing!”Geoff put the gun to Jansten’s forehead.Jansten blanched, but his voice was strong and contemptuous.“Get the hell out of my house.”“No boardroom here, Jansten.Just me and my gun.”“Get out!”Geoff punched him once just under the rib cage.The blow knocked the breath out of Jansten.Geoff waited, saying nothing, as Jansten’s face turned bright red and he gasped for breath.Geoff thought of Raul, peering at Jammer.Geoff felt something close to puzzlement.Was this what he had become?Finally the old man said, “I don’t know what you’ve done—I didn’t tell them anything.”“Tell who?”“I had nothing to tell them.”“Who?” Geoff prodded him with the gun.“The police.”“What police?”Jansten looked confused and frightened, although he was trying to hide it.He shook his head.Geoff cuffed him with an open palm.“Who? What did they want?”“Two detectives.”“A black guy and a white guy?”Jansten nodded as he covered the side of his face with his hand.“They came to the office this morning, wouldn’t tell me why.They just said it was routine.I just told them you didn’t work for us anymore.”Geoff’s mouth was dry.Those two cops.He returned to Jansten.The man was looking at him with bright, shrewd eyes.Trying to figure out just how much trouble he was in.Jansten said.“I don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into, and I don’t want to know.If you need cash, I can probably scare up a thousand or so dollars here and then you should just go.I won’t pursue this because I’ll know that you could always come back.I won’t tell a soul.”Geoff said, “Are you expecting company tonight or tomorrow? A cleaning lady?”Geoff saw the old man thinking so he shoved him hard against the wall.“Who?” he shouted.“Right now, who?”Jansten shook his head, apparently too frightened to lie.“No one.”Geoff shoved Jansten to the phone.“You’re going to leave a message with the service that your secretary is to cancel all your appointments for the next two days and to have no one disturb you with phone calls.That you’re not feeling well and you need the rest.”Jansten tapped out the number with a shaking hand.Geoff listened in, his ear next to the receiver.Jansten’s voice had a quavery sound and the woman taking the message said, comfortingly, “You sure don’t sound good, Mr.Jansten.You should go right to bed and take it easy.”“Good idea,” Geoff said, after hanging up the phone.“Let’s go upstairs.”Geoff left Jansten’s body beside the bed.In the hallway, Geoff caught sight of himself in the mirror and it pulled him up short [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]