Red Wolves by Adam Hamdy

Author:Adam Hamdy [Hamdy, Adam]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 59

‘Who the hell are you?’ Otter’s eyes weren’t glazed. They were hostile and sharp and his scarred face was twisted into a scowl. Pearce kicked himself for letting the man get the drop on him.

‘My name isn’t important,’ he said.

‘Don’t you come in my house tellin’ me what’s important,’ Otter responded. ‘Name!’

‘Amr,’ Pearce said. ‘I’ve been told you’re moving product.’

Otter said nothing.

‘I’m in the market.’

‘You ain’t in the market,’ Otter sneered. ‘I seen who’s out there. You’re runnin’ with the Salamovs. No one comes in my house—’

As he said the word ‘house’, Otter made the mistake of gesturing at their surroundings and the muzzle of the revolver veered away from Pearce for a moment. It was long enough. He drew his pistol and opened fire, catching Otter in the foot. A second slug shattered Otter’s gun hand and the revolver clattered to the floor.

The man in the kitchen started shouting curses at Pearce, but stayed well back. Otter fell to the floor, crying, alternating between his foot and his hand as he tried to soothe the pain. The most disturbing reaction came from the children in the opposite room. They didn’t cry or fuss, but simply gathered in the doorway and watched the wounded man with the detached disinterest common to the victims of abuse or neglect.

‘Where is it?’ Pearce asked, bearing down on Otter. He kicked the revolver into the hole in the floor and it clattered against the aluminium shell. He pressed the barrel of his pistol against Otter’s knee. ‘The secret isn’t worth what it will cost you,’ Pearce assured him. ‘Give up the product and I leave.’

‘They’ll kill you,’ Otter cried.

‘Then you’ve got nothing to worry about.’

‘They’ll kill me,’ Otter objected.

‘They’ll never know,’ Pearce said. ‘Not unless you or your friend here tell them.’

A minute later, Pearce hurried out of the house, past the two women who were now slumped on the porch. He climbed into Rasul’s car and put his gun away as he settled.

‘Problem?’ Rasul asked.

‘You got a phone?’ Pearce responded.

Rasul hesitated, but then produced a cell phone. ‘Who are you calling?’

‘The police,’ Pearce replied, and everyone in the car suddenly tensed. ‘There are kids in there,’ he added, ‘and a man with two holes in him.’

‘We heard,’ Rasul said.

‘But you didn’t come,’ Pearce observed.

‘This was your initiation. Not ours.’ Rasul paused. ‘Did you pass it?’

Pearce fixed him with a stare. ‘Head south,’ he said at last.

Rasul nodded at the driver, before turning back to Pearce. ‘Go ahead,’ he said, as the car started moving. He indicated the phone. ‘It’s a burner. Make your call to the police.’

Pearce considered Rasul as he dialled 911. The man wasn’t completely without sentiment, and even though he masked it well, the revelation there were children inside the house had shaken him.

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