Transactional Dynamics by Gregory Ashe

Author:Gregory Ashe [Ashe, Gregory]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gregory Ashe
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

FEBRUARY 14

THURSDAY

11:24 AM

AT THE OFFICE, HAZARD made coffee, drank almost a full pot, and pretended to work cases. He had left his improvised barricade at dawn; the morning had come in like an avalanche, threatening to bury him, and he had needed to get out of the house. Somers had been asleep in the hall, curled up, his hair flat on one side and an arm over his face. He was still in his clothes from last night. Where his shirt had come untucked, the black elastic of his underwear showed. He didn’t stir when Hazard stepped over him. Hazard went to their room only long enough to grab a fresh shirt, and then he headed out of the house, taking the steps at intervals, only letting his weight rest when he knew a creak wouldn’t give him away.

The problem now was that Hazard didn’t really have anything to do at the office; he’d closed most of his ongoing investigations before Billy showed up. He tried the motel again, and Billy didn’t answer. That was probably a good thing. Hazard wasn’t even sure what he’d say. He kept thinking back, last night, the Pretty Pretty. The way Billy had sounded, imitating Hazard. The way Nico had grinned, viciously satisfied. How Somers had laughed, head back, a full-throated laugh. Hazard pitched his mug; it struck the coffee pot, and mug and pot both crashed against the wall. Ceramic and glass shards tinged against the floor.

He wanted Billy out of town. Today. Right now.

A knock at the door broke the dark drift of thoughts, and when Hazard glanced up, North and Shaw were stepping into his office.

“Sorry,” North said. “I know you’re busy. We’ll just take a minute.”

“Hi, Emery,” Shaw said. “Hey, you don’t look so good.”

“Great,” Hazard said. “Because I feel fucking terrible.”

“Where’s your tea kettle? I’ll make you some tea.”

“I don’t want tea,” Hazard said.

“I don’t think he wants tea right now,” North said, touching Shaw’s shoulder.

“It’ll just take a minute,” Shaw said. “I’ve got a lavender and sage blend with helichrysum and shankhpushpi. It’s in the car. I’ll be right back.”

“I don’t want any fucking tea,” Hazard roared after him. Then, to North, “I don’t want any fucking tea.”

“Yeah, well, join the club. But better you than me.” North pointed to a chair, and when Hazard waved a hand, he dropped into the seat. “I need to talk to you about Billy. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to play this card, but—”

“We’ve already been over this. No.” For a moment, Hazard struggled with the aftermath of rage from the night before, and then he forced himself to say, “I’m not trying to be ungrateful. I appreciate what you did, helping me get started. But I’d already agreed to take Billy on as a client before you showed up; I’m not going back on my word. I just—I wanted you to know I’m not doing this to be an asshole.”

North grinned. “Being an asshole, that’s just a bonus.”

“Yeah, well, apparently that’s my default mode.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.