Ricky's Hand by David Quantick

Author:David Quantick
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags:  
Publisher: Titan

Ricky sat on his own couch, drumming his grubby nails on his mom’s old coffee table. He was nervous, not just because of the news about Isinglass but because of what he was about to do, which was something he really didn’t want to do.

Ricky was going to call his sister.

Ricky did not get on with his sister Katie. Maybe it was because Katie had devoted her entire childhood to making Ricky’s life miserable. From the age of four, when she’d tried to bury her toddler brother in hot sand on the beach, to the age of sixteen, when she’d falsely reported him to the police for selling dope, Katie had waged an unremitting war against him. If asked why – and Ricky, tear-stricken and bruised, had often asked her why – she would just smile and say, “I guess ’cos it’s fun.”

But her hoax call to the police had had one positive side effect: taken down to the station in a cop car for questioning, Katie had suddenly found a focus for all the hate and resentment that broiled inside her. She became a cop, found happiness, and never tortured her brother again (but then, she had no need to, because all Miami was now her bitch).

Now that their parents were dead, Ricky and Katie found it easy to avoid each other. Ricky’s frequent encounters with the police – mostly for obstruction – didn’t involve his sister, who was now doing well in Homicide. Which was why Ricky needed to call her now.

“Fuck off,” Katie greeted him.

“You don’t know why I’m calling,” said Ricky.

“Well, it’s not to say you’re dead,” Katie said. “And even a desperate whore wouldn’t marry you, so it must be ’cos you want something from me. So fuck off.”

“No,” said Ricky.

“Aw, I miss you saying no,” Katie said. “You’d look at me with your little red eyes, all wet from crying, and you’d say, ‘No, Katie, stop it, Katie.’”

“You never did,” Ricky said.

“I know,” Katie sighed. “My, but those were great times. Anyway, nice talking to you, good to know you’re still a fucking beaker of living snot, see you in hell.”

“I need to talk about a case,” said Ricky.

“A what?” Katie sounded like she might be coughing and Ricky realized she was laughing. It was a horrible sound, like a dog being strangled.

“A case.”

“Rick, you’re a fucking paparazzi. You take pictures up girls’ skirts. Did you kill someone? Oh God, if you did, can I bring you in?” Katie’s voice was a hot whisper. “I’m serious, Rick, have you killed someone?”

“No,” said Ricky. “Come on! If I killed someone, don’t you think it would be you?”

“Right,” said his sister. “OK, I’m almost interested. What case? Wait, I’m going to take a dump.”

“What?”

“It’s OK, I’m kidding, I just took one. What case?”

“It’s the reporter, Isinglass.”

“Oh, him. ‘Reporter’ is pushing it. Guy practically keeps Jim Beam going single-handed.”

“He’s missing. There was a big bust-up at his apartment.”

“You want me to find him for you?” asked Katie. “Once again, fuck off.

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