ast gig hadn't ended. Frank had the key. Said it bel
questions.
in the centre, casting long, slow-moving reflections in our glasses. It felt like a sce
dn't spe
ever
I d
g together. Rus
laced it carefully on the coaster, like it m
dded. "At the Bil
ng some
M
a reactio
narrowed. "You're s
d that's the part
ingers once on the
know the trut
assed truth t
t smiled
r cleanup. Celeste was Bishop's leash. When they split fro
forward.
ething. Or breaking somet
hink I'm p
rt of it before you
him. "Then w
r was sof
t doesn't always
street too quiet for comfort. The kind of quie
as soon as I
tallic sound. Like it
p on the t
iv
, shaky. Her breath
e from last week, the one with the dented bumper. They followed me from the club.
etta
d to grab one more thing. Don't come looking, Viv. D
A sharp inta
you did. They're
ic
ne wen
to cal
e ti
ans
didn't get a ring a
tells you the
bee
t, receiver still in my hand
ta wa
eft behind wasn't
g that wanted t
lt like piss and old rain, but that nig
er, trash in hand, when I h
ru
t c
ned s
or. Late forties, maybe. Grey at the temples. His coat looked too warm for July.
s neck. Surgical. Precise. Like someone
ind," he said, voice
open conversa
talking to doesn't know th
ove. "Who
e said. "No
to work fo
nod
red messengers with
nger," he said. "
r. "You don't lo
topped caring what held. Tha
y n
ns", he said, "but the wrong o
ed. "You
played her part. Y
t part i
and handed me a s
was a
vor
Ask what the bait is worth
eared into the dark like
e name on the
vor
t. But it would. That m
eps. No second glance. Like he'd never existed, e
door when he spoke again, somewher
ren't t
urn
lar high, just his voice and the gl
e the
for
ruso,"
me harder tha
"He doesn't talk unless something matters. He doesn't mo
in my gut like ice cu
shop planned
e about plans," the man sai
ser. "And what re
nk Caruso will bleed befo
my mouth.
nothing le
melted into the night, lea
weight
n't s
t und
in through half-open blinds like static, and thought about
ste. Charl
an
king I was so
ass
pa
stra
al booth wit
w the whole picture
et it on the table. Drew a circle around it.
ted now. A
ching th
r the scarred man ha
he wasn't outs
the cent
e stayed
ity d
e someone knocked, it w
be for th