Gone for Good by Harlan Coben Page A

City, all set up to rescue Tanya, right? The dumbass has a twenty-two. I laugh at him. And he shoots me. This dip wad accountant from Garden City. He shoots me under the armpit with a twenty-two and barn, the bullet goes into my spine. I'm left like this. You believe that? And then, oh, this is precious, after he shoots me, Mr. Garden City sees what I did to Tanya and you know what he does, this great love of hers?"
    He waited. We figured it was rhetorical and kept still.
    "He freaks out and dumps her. Get it? He sees my handiwork on Tanya, and he just runs out on her. Her great love. Wants nothing to do with her. They never see each other again."
    Castman started laughing again. I tried to stay still and breathe.
    "So I'm in the hospital," he continued, "totally out of it. Tanya's got nothing. So she signs me out. She brings me here. And now she takes care of me. You understand what I'm saying? She's prolonging my life. I refuse to eat, she sticks a tube down my throat. Look, I'll tell you what you want to know. But you got to do something for me."
    "What? "Squares said.
    "Kill me."
    "No can do."
    "Tell the police, then. Let them arrest me. I'll confess to everything."
    Squares said, "What happened to Sheila Rogers?"
    "Promise me."
    Squares looked at me. "We got enough here. Let's go."
    "Okay, okay, I'll tell you. Just… just think about it, okay?"
    He shifted his eyes from Squares to me then back to Squares again. Squares showed him nothing. I have no idea what was on my face. "I don't know where Sheila is now. Hell, I don't really understand what happened."
    "How long did she work for you?"
    "Two years. Maybe three."
    "And how did she get free?"
    "Huh?"
    "You don't seem like the sort of guy who lets employees branch out," Squares said. "So I'm asking what happened to her."
    "She worked the streets, right. Started getting some regulars. She was good at what she did. And somewhere along the way, she hooked up with some bigger players. It happens. Not often. But it happens."
    "What do you mean, bigger players?"
    "Dealers. Big-time dealers, I think. She started muling and delivering, I think. And worse, she started getting clean. I was going to lean on her, like you said, but she had some heavy-duty friends."
    "Like who?"
    "You know Lenny Misler?"
    Squares leaned back. "The attorney?"
    "The mob attorney," Castman corrected him. "She got picked up carrying. He repped her."
    Squares frowned. "Lenny Misler took on the case of a streetwalker caught carrying?"
    "You see my point? She comes out, I start sniffing around, you know. Find out what's she up to. A couple of major-league goons pay me a visit. They tell me to stay away. I'm not stupid. Plenty more tang where that came from."
    "What happened next?"
    "Never saw her again. Last I heard she was going to college. You believe that?"
    "Do you know what college?"
    "No. I'm not even sure it's true. Could have been just a rumor."
    "Anything else?"
    "Nope."
    "No other rumors?"
    Castman's eyes started moving, and I could see the desperation. He wanted to keep us there. But he had nothing else to tell us. I looked at Squares. He nodded and turned to leave. I followed.
    "Wait!"
    We ignored him.
    "Please, man, I'm begging you. I told you everything, right? I cooperated. You can't just leave me here."
    I saw his endless days and nights in the room, and I didn't care.
    "Fucking assholes!" he shouted. "Hey, man, you. Lover boy. You enjoy my leftovers, you hear. And remember this: Everything she does to you, every time she gets you off I taught her that. You hear me? You hear what I'm saying?"
    My cheeks flushed, but I didn't turn around. Squares opened the door.
    "Shit." Castman's voice was softer now. "It doesn't leave, you know."
    I hesitated.
    "She may look all nice and clean. But where she's been, you don't ever come back. You know what I'm saying?"
    I tried to shut out his words. But they hammered their way in and bounced around my skull. I walked out and closed the door. Back in the