Mr.’s Trent with me, drive off and if you don’t follow, I’ll release her in a
half hour.’
There seemed little choice. We moved out in a group, and finally Charlie said
‘This is my ride, now if you gents would just step inside, I can go on my way and this
lovely lady can go free.’
I was raising the Sig along my left side, Merrick whispered
‘No.’
Charlie said
‘Listen to your buddy Ryan, you might get a shot off but if you miss and I’m a moving
target.’
I lowered the gun.
And he was gone.
After five minutes Merrick said
‘Fuck this, let’s go.’
We raced to his car and within ten minutes, we found her body by the side of the road.
Shot in the face.
And Charlie,
He’d disappeared, it seemed off the face of the earth.
We figured another car, or whatever.
He was in the wind.
Two days later, we were gathered in Merrick’s bar, Shona at my side, Merrick, wearing a
sweat shirt that had the logo
……………………………………Black Cat.
I didn’t ask.
I was afraid he’d tell me.
Merrick said
‘The loot has a nationwide APB on Charlie, where can he go, sooner or later they’ll get
him.’
Neither of us bought that, it was more for Shona. The guy had prepared his escape a long
time ago. He was dust, a ghost, lost in some shadows of foreboding.
Merrick looked a bit nervous, I said
‘Spit it out, what’s eating you?’
He looked at Shona, said
‘You hear this guy, speaking American?’
She said
‘Trust me, he’s all Irish.
Merrick said
‘Don’t go off on me, ok?’
I waited
He swallowed, then
‘We’ve been offered a new case, Serge. Boxer passed it along, you interested?’
I looked at Shona, she said
‘Of course, what else he’s going to do, mope around the house, getting on my nerves.’
Merrick smiled, asked
‘So, anyone up for a movie?’
‘YOU CANNOT FUCK EVERYBODY AND THE ONLY WAY IT WOULD WORK IS
IF YOU COULD FUCK EVERYBODY.
HARRY CREWS.
In the Catskill’s, in winter, it’s quiet, you can pick your choice of cabins to rent. Charlie,
a bag of groceries tucked in his arm, the Beretta in the right pocket of his heavy duty
parka, smiled. His beard had come full in, grey, giving him that distinguished look. And
his shaven head, oh Sweet Mother, to shave off all that thick hair?
But what you gonna do?
In the spring, the heat would be off, the heat would be on, weather wise and he could
move to Boca.
The deal done and sealed.
So, a few months to eat, drink some beers, down some hot Jameson, how was he hurting.
Already, in the local Tavern, the proprietress given him that come on look. No sweat,
he’d get to her, thought
‘How sweet it is.’
Managed to get his key in the lock of the cabin, without dropping the grocery bag, got in
tried to balance for the light switch when wham, like he was hit by a fucking mule.
Out.
Came to, naked, tied to the basic wooden kitchen chair, two huge guys looking at him
with almost disinterest.
One had, what?............a lightening scar on his face, the fuck was with that?
The other was juicing up a power drill.
Scar face moved up
Asked
‘How you like your hot dog?’
The End
Fuyumi Ono
Tailley (MC 6)
Robert Graysmith
Rich Restucci
Chris Fox
James Sallis
John Harris
Robin Jones Gunn
Linda Lael Miller
Nancy Springer