Petrie, Nick - Peter Ash 03 - Light It Up by Petrie Nick

Author:Petrie, Nick [Petrie, Nick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2018-01-16T00:00:00+00:00

26

Daniel Clay Dixon was on his way to the airport when he got a text on his incoming phone.

who dis.

The phones were laid out on the passenger seat of the rental. It was a decent enough car, although to Dixon KIA would always stand for Killed In Action.

There was a time when Dixon would always ask for an American car, but with the modern global economy, none of that seemed to matter anymore. Hondas and Toyotas were made in the U.S., and Chevrolets made in Mexico. And the money went wherever it went.

Dixon was just trying to get a tiny little piece of it. He had promises to keep.

Steering with his knee, he found the outgoing phone and called his operative.

“What took you so long?”

“That ol’ boy shot up my truck and slipped the noose.”

Dixon felt himself tighten up. “Again? That’s unacceptable.”

“You think I like it? He’s not alone, got some spook with a shotgun.”

“You sure you’re up to this, Leonard?”

“Don’t use that goddamn name on the phone. Call me Big Dog. That other man’s dead, with all his debts and troubles.”

“Well, you got what you wanted,” Dixon said. “But you’re not giving me what I need.”

“I’ll take care of business,” said Leonard. “But I’m gonna need some leverage.”

“I’ll try something on my end,” Dixon said. “Maybe there’s an easier way. Stay ready. We’ll have to go kinetic again.”

—

Dixon already had the number memorized. He plugged it into his outgoing phone, pressed Send, and listened to the ring.

He thought it was probably time to change out his burners. He liked to cycle through at least once during a given operation.

He thought about the last time he’d talked to the Marine lieutenant.

He thought about a bartender named Billy. Then he thought about the taste of good tequila as it bubbled down the neck of the upraised bottle. It was what he allowed himself, although not now, not until he was done, but it was a vivid sense memory, down to the feeling of the bubbles against his teeth, the sour heat rising in his stomach, the roar in his skull like a gong being struck.

He pushed the thought from his mind and listened to the ring.

“Hello,” said the voice on the other end. The Marine.

“Listen to me closely,” Dixon said. “You’re involved in something in Denver. You should stay out of it.”

“Who is this?”

He didn’t sound as young as he once did, Dixon thought. It would have been seven or eight years ago, that last conversation. Back when they both still wore the uniform.

“You know what I’m talking about. You should leave this alone.”

Silence from the other end. “Do I know you?”

“You aren’t listening to me. You need to leave town. People could get hurt.”

“People already got hurt,” the Marine said. “Good people. Maybe we should get together and talk about it. Where can we meet?”

Dixon shook his head, remembering why he’d liked the kid. He’d never met anyone with such a deep drive to complete the mission and take care of his people.

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