Lucky Bones by Michael Wiley

Author:Michael Wiley
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781448304325
Publisher: Severn House Publishers
Published: 2020-02-19T16:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-SIX

Kelson drove downtown toward his office. He eyed the rearview mirror and saw only a parade of drivers minding their business – bored, talking on their phones, tapping their steering wheels to radio music. He gazed up through the windshield at the May sky, where clouds scudded on a stiff spring wind. ‘Family is everything,’ he said. He eyed the mirror again, then shifted lanes, cutting close to a silver SUV, which honked at him. ‘Or is that health?’

By the time he pulled into the parking garage, his mind – and his monologue – had wandered from the Cranes to Sue Ellen and back. He walked out to the sidewalk, just missing the garage attendant, who scurried away when he saw him coming, went into Ricky’s Red Hots, and ordered a hotdog and fries, then carried his lunch into his building.

When the elevator reached his floor, the computer training company classes were in session and the corridor was empty. He put his key in his door, but the lock tumbler had already turned. ‘This happens too often,’ he said. He set his bag of food on the floor, pulled his KelTec from his belt, and eased the door open.

Stevie Phillips sat in Kelson’s chair behind the desk. Greg Cushman sat in one of the client chairs. They looked pleased with themselves.

Kelson used a foot to nudge his bag inside, stepped in after it, and closed the door. He pointed his pistol at Cushman’s chest and said, ‘Pipsqueak,’ then at Phillips’s head, ‘Stretch,’ and then back at Cushman.

Cushman smiled up at him. ‘See, we don’t need to knock down doors – in motel rooms or offices. Stevie’s good with a pick.’

Phillips said, ‘My daddy taught me.’

Cushman said, ‘In the time it takes you to order a hotdog, Stevie’s inside and reading your mail.’

‘I’m that good,’ Phillips said.

Cushman said, ‘It’s why the Cranes hired him.’

Kelson asked him, ‘Why’d they hire you?’

‘I’ve got a pleasant smile?’

‘Tell that pleasant smile to pick your ass up off my chair and carry you out of here,’ Kelson said.

Phillips also tried a smile. ‘We could work together.’

Cushman said, ‘We have a shared interest.’

‘What would that be?’ Kelson said.

‘Your continued well-being,’ Cushman said. ‘The Cranes could knock you down. They could make you go away. But you’re an ex-cop, right? You’ve been in the paper and on the news. The Cranes like to keep things quiet, but if you don’t cooperate, they’re willing to make noise.’

Phillips said, ‘We’ve got nothing against you. Why should you get hurt?’

Kelson laughed at that. ‘You guys are a kick. Breaking into my office. Talking like movie toughs. But here we are. Me with a gun. And you – well, you looking like a couple of jagoffs who don’t know better than to talk tough to a man pointing a gun at you.’

Phillips reached into his lap and drew Kelson’s Springfield pistol up so it pointed at him. ‘Yeah, here we are.’

Kelson said, ‘What good is a locked door if everyone just walks through it? Why stash a gun if everyone just grabs it?’

‘Life’s mysteries,’ Cushman said.

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