Doghouse by L. A. Kornetsky

Author:L. A. Kornetsky
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Gallery Books

The office was modern but still managed to look comfortable, the chairs ones you’d like to sit in, the surface of the oversized wooden table being used as a desk covered with a comfortable clutter of folders and files. There were three people in the room: a woman, sitting quietly in the corner; the young boxer from Sammy’s sitting in one of the comfortable chairs in front of the desk; and the man behind the desk, shirtsleeves rolled up, thinning hair mussed, and reading glasses sliding down his nose.

“No,” he was saying, leaning across the table and looking directly into the younger man’s eyes. “It’s all right. You did the right thing. You’re the working hinge in all this, and the last thing we want is someone looking at you. Better they should think you’ve given them everything you know, and leave you alone.”

The kid exhaled, resting his elbows on the table like they were all that was holding him up now. “I’m sorry, boss. I just didn’t know what to do. He was going to keep pushing and pushing, and I didn’t want to hit an old guy.”

“Yeah. First time you’ve had the spotlight on you, I get it. And those bruises look like they hurt.”

The kid grinned, touching the greenish spot visible under his cheekbone. “Nah. I get worse than this during a fight. The old man’s still got some moves on him. But I’m sorry, I—”

“Gerry. It’s all right. I’m not angry. When I hired you to keep an eye on things, it was precisely because I knew something like this might happen. Go home, get some rest. We’ll be in touch.”

The kid slipped out the back door, and Hollins sighed, shaking his head. “Kids today, I swear. They think they’re invincible. Dumb, but invincible.”

The woman who had been sitting off to the side during their conversation looked up from her phone, her head cocked to the side. “Do we need to teach him differently?”

“What? Oh, no, no,” he said, waving away her concern. “He’s loyal, and useful. You don’t screw with that, not without reason. I might have wished he kept his mouth shut, but at least he knew enough to come here and tell me, rather than hide like an idiot and hope I never found out.”

She nodded, less because she was convinced and more because he didn’t want to hear her doubts.

“Meanwhile, I’m more concerned about this new player. I want to know about him. Is he a competitor? A cop? Or just some poor schmuck trying to help out a friend?” Hollins let out another overly dramatic sigh. “I swear to you, I’d rather he was a cop. They’re easier to deal with.”

“I have already started looking into it. I should have that information to you within an hour.” She paused. “And what about Mr. Hoban?”

“Who, Deke? Oh, don’t worry about him, poor old bastard. His part in this has ended; he gets to exit off the stage like a good bit player.” Hollins tilted his head, considering something only he could see.

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