[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Which just leaves the easy way. I can t see what the hell you re
crying about. He left over a quarter of a million, plus the
insurance. What do you want, anyway? Give me mine, I kiss you
both for luck, and fade. Nobody else knows about it, so you settle
down, join the PTA, and spend the rest of your lives bitching about
what the younger generation s coming to. Looks simple to me.
How about it?
She was recovering faster than he was. And what guarantee do
we have you ll keep your word? she asked coldly.
None, I said. But what else can you do?
I see what you mean. We re completely at the mercy of a
conscienceless thug who d betray his own mother.
Sure, sure, I said.
And you wouldn t even return the tape
Of course I d return it. What the hell, you think I want it for a
souvenir? Look, use your head. This is a simple business
proposition. I don t give a damn what you do or what becomes of
you, or whether you kill everybody in this end of the state, as long
as I get paid for being run over out there that night. Why get hot
under the collar like a bunch of emotional types? You re a couple
of tough cookies looking out for yourselves; I m another cookie
The Big Bite 87
looking out for John Harlan. What s to blow your stack about? It s
just merchandise
Tallant leaned forward with his fingers gripping the edge of the
coffee table so tightly the knuckles were white. You dirty bastard
I walked over and dropped his car keys on the table. Why don t
you get lost? I m talking to the chairman of the board, and we can
probably work out a deal without any static from you. You re
getting a free ride, so what are you kicking about anyway?
He stared up at me. You think I m going to hold still for this?
You kidding? What the hell are you holding still for? She s
paying the freight, isn t she?
Who said she was?
She did, as I recall. But we can ask her again. I turned and
looked at her. How about it, baby?
She stared coldly for an instant, but then she nodded She was a
realist, that girL
You ll get it, she said.
It was as easy as that.
The Big Bite 88
11
That s using the old head, I told her. I sat down on the chair at
the end of the coffee table, between them. You and I are going to
get along fine, honey.
I am flattered, she said.
Now, let s work it out.
What do you mean? ,
Julia, I tell you Tallant interrupted.
I waved a hand at him. Shut up. I m talking to one of the men.
He started to rise, his face ugly. For an instant I was afraid I d
pushed him too far; after all, I still had that tape on me, even if
they didn t suspect it. If he went crazy and lost his head enough to
jump me they might find it. I had to be more careful.
But I couldn t let him know he had me worried. Why don t you
scram, Tallant? You re just getting in the way.
And leave her here alone with you?
Cut it out, will you? I m not going to hurt her. We re just talking
business, and we need you like we need a fourth for bridge.
You might as well go, Dan, she said. There s no use starting a
fight.
But, damn it, Julia
Let me handle it, please.
Don t you understand? Listen, if you give in to him, you ll never
get him off your back
Do you have any other suggestion? she asked coldly. It would
seem to me you ve bungled enough already.
Bungled! Listen, who let him plant that recorder in here?
Will you go? she asked.
Make up your minds, will you? I said. That maid will be back
here in a few minutes.
All right! All right! Tallant stood up, his face dark with rage. If
you re going to let yourself be pushed around by this thug
The Big Bite 89
You don t catch on very fast, do you? I asked. There s nothing
else you can do.
He s right, she said wearily. Can t you see it?
I d never pay blackmail
Who s asking you to? I said. Hell, you couldn t pay for a drink.
Beat it.
He stared down at me for an instant, and then turned silently
and went out. The front door slammed. I breathed a little easier.
He d been on the ragged edge of losing his head.
She picked up a cigarette from the box on the table. I held a
match across to her, and then lit one for myself. She stood up,
walked slowly across to the rear window, and then came back to
perch on the arm of the sofa, diagonally across the table from me.
She was a smooth-looking dish.
I leaned back in the chair. With your looks you could have done
better.
She raised her eyebrows and said coldly, I beg your pardon?
You re a tough number, and a smooth one. A realist, and you ve
got a head on you. But why d you go for that character? He s
acting like an overgrown kid.
She regarded me coolly. I believe you wanted to discuss
something with me. Would you mind coming to the point?
Sure, I said. Money.
Precisely. And what about it?
Just this. We ve been tossing a lot of big words around, but let s
take a closer look. A hundred thousand dollars in cash makes a
nice musical sound when you say it, but when you start to break it
down it gets complicated. First, nobody keeps anything like that in
a checking account, no matter how much he has. Second, even if
he did he d still cause a hell of a lot of talk when he started [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl wyciskamy.pev.pl
Which just leaves the easy way. I can t see what the hell you re
crying about. He left over a quarter of a million, plus the
insurance. What do you want, anyway? Give me mine, I kiss you
both for luck, and fade. Nobody else knows about it, so you settle
down, join the PTA, and spend the rest of your lives bitching about
what the younger generation s coming to. Looks simple to me.
How about it?
She was recovering faster than he was. And what guarantee do
we have you ll keep your word? she asked coldly.
None, I said. But what else can you do?
I see what you mean. We re completely at the mercy of a
conscienceless thug who d betray his own mother.
Sure, sure, I said.
And you wouldn t even return the tape
Of course I d return it. What the hell, you think I want it for a
souvenir? Look, use your head. This is a simple business
proposition. I don t give a damn what you do or what becomes of
you, or whether you kill everybody in this end of the state, as long
as I get paid for being run over out there that night. Why get hot
under the collar like a bunch of emotional types? You re a couple
of tough cookies looking out for yourselves; I m another cookie
The Big Bite 87
looking out for John Harlan. What s to blow your stack about? It s
just merchandise
Tallant leaned forward with his fingers gripping the edge of the
coffee table so tightly the knuckles were white. You dirty bastard
I walked over and dropped his car keys on the table. Why don t
you get lost? I m talking to the chairman of the board, and we can
probably work out a deal without any static from you. You re
getting a free ride, so what are you kicking about anyway?
He stared up at me. You think I m going to hold still for this?
You kidding? What the hell are you holding still for? She s
paying the freight, isn t she?
Who said she was?
She did, as I recall. But we can ask her again. I turned and
looked at her. How about it, baby?
She stared coldly for an instant, but then she nodded She was a
realist, that girL
You ll get it, she said.
It was as easy as that.
The Big Bite 88
11
That s using the old head, I told her. I sat down on the chair at
the end of the coffee table, between them. You and I are going to
get along fine, honey.
I am flattered, she said.
Now, let s work it out.
What do you mean? ,
Julia, I tell you Tallant interrupted.
I waved a hand at him. Shut up. I m talking to one of the men.
He started to rise, his face ugly. For an instant I was afraid I d
pushed him too far; after all, I still had that tape on me, even if
they didn t suspect it. If he went crazy and lost his head enough to
jump me they might find it. I had to be more careful.
But I couldn t let him know he had me worried. Why don t you
scram, Tallant? You re just getting in the way.
And leave her here alone with you?
Cut it out, will you? I m not going to hurt her. We re just talking
business, and we need you like we need a fourth for bridge.
You might as well go, Dan, she said. There s no use starting a
fight.
But, damn it, Julia
Let me handle it, please.
Don t you understand? Listen, if you give in to him, you ll never
get him off your back
Do you have any other suggestion? she asked coldly. It would
seem to me you ve bungled enough already.
Bungled! Listen, who let him plant that recorder in here?
Will you go? she asked.
Make up your minds, will you? I said. That maid will be back
here in a few minutes.
All right! All right! Tallant stood up, his face dark with rage. If
you re going to let yourself be pushed around by this thug
The Big Bite 89
You don t catch on very fast, do you? I asked. There s nothing
else you can do.
He s right, she said wearily. Can t you see it?
I d never pay blackmail
Who s asking you to? I said. Hell, you couldn t pay for a drink.
Beat it.
He stared down at me for an instant, and then turned silently
and went out. The front door slammed. I breathed a little easier.
He d been on the ragged edge of losing his head.
She picked up a cigarette from the box on the table. I held a
match across to her, and then lit one for myself. She stood up,
walked slowly across to the rear window, and then came back to
perch on the arm of the sofa, diagonally across the table from me.
She was a smooth-looking dish.
I leaned back in the chair. With your looks you could have done
better.
She raised her eyebrows and said coldly, I beg your pardon?
You re a tough number, and a smooth one. A realist, and you ve
got a head on you. But why d you go for that character? He s
acting like an overgrown kid.
She regarded me coolly. I believe you wanted to discuss
something with me. Would you mind coming to the point?
Sure, I said. Money.
Precisely. And what about it?
Just this. We ve been tossing a lot of big words around, but let s
take a closer look. A hundred thousand dollars in cash makes a
nice musical sound when you say it, but when you start to break it
down it gets complicated. First, nobody keeps anything like that in
a checking account, no matter how much he has. Second, even if
he did he d still cause a hell of a lot of talk when he started [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]