The Sound the Sun Makes by Buck Storm

Author:Buck Storm
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Published: 2021-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

“I DON’T KNOW LAMONT FROM Adam, so it wasn’t me that let him know you were coming,” Monte said around a mouthful of fries.

“I know it wasn’t you,” Early said. “It had to be Jackie. She set us up from the start. Gave us directions and knew full well it wasn’t Lamont’s compound. He must’ve pulled her in and put the whole thing in motion right after you called when he realized Calico was looking for Charlie.”

“And then when she called me back that night I told her about you too. Stupid me.”

“You couldn’t know.”

“But why do any of it?” Calico said.

Early took a sip of his soda. “Only thing I can think of is that he likes to play games with people. He likes control. He made that clear enough on the boat. And then the note: ‘Welcome to the world, welcome to the game …’ The guy’s a bad cocktail of crazy, rich, influential, and maybe bored.”

Monte considered. “So? Get in your truck and go home. Let him entertain himself. End of story.”

Calico shook her head. “It wouldn’t be the end for Charlie. I’m not leaving until he’s away from that nut. No way.”

“She’s right,” Early said. “We can’t leave him. Guy’s not safe.”

“Charlie’s a grown-up,” Monte said.

“In theory. In reality, I’m not so sure,” Calico said.

“All right, but where do you go from here? Can’t follow the Jackie trail, number doesn’t work anymore. Not surprising, I guess. She had to know you’d be looking for her.”

“It’s crazy, she seemed so honest,” Calico said.

“We’re in a city full of actors,” Early said. “And she was good. No other explanation.”

“We still have the Continuum number,” Calico said.

“Yeah, and look how much good that’s done,” Monte said. “For all we know, whoever’s answering at that number is in Topeka, Kansas. Or Budapest.”

They were sitting in a window booth at Tommy’s Burgers. A place Monte had insisted on.

Monte wiped his mouth with a napkin and gave a contented sigh. “Thing about Tommy’s is the chili. Without the chili it’s just another burger joint, right? But the chili takes it to a whole new level. Whole different plane of existence.”

Early eyed the burger on the tray in front of him where it sat proudly next to an equally chili-slathered pile of fries. “You ever had actual chili? Because I gotta say, this stuff looks like it leaked out of a rusty fifty-gallon drum out by Area 51.”

Monte took a bite and talked while he chewed. “They got a bunch of locations, but this is the original. Tommy’s is a Los Angeles institution, kid. Think of me like a tour guide you don’t have to tip. You’re welcome.”

“I’m welcome? Because I seem to remember paying for all this.”

“Yeah, but you never would’ve had the experience if it weren’t for yours truly. Besides, I thought you were supposed to be a tough-guy bulldogger. You’re whining about chili? I’m mightily disappointed.”

“Chili’s supposed to have substance. This looks like warmed-up peanut butter.”

“Well, your hat is

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