Read Online Blood Of Angels by Michael Marshall - Free Book Online
Authors: Michael Marshall
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backers, in fact, who might want you and your crew to prove themselves: who might ask you to do them a favour or two first, to show good faith. Do you understand?'
'I think so,' Hudek said. 'What do you want?'
The man smiled. 'We don't need to get into that right now. Soon, but not just at this minute.'
He looked at Hudek a while longer, and nodded. 'Great to see you again, my friend. On the way out you'll be given what you came for. You can take your own bag back with you this time, as a gesture of our good will. Spread the cash around your crew. Make people happy. We'll be in touch soon regarding the other thing.'
Hudek stood up. 'Will I be working with you on it? I mean, direct?'
The man shook his head, and Hudek found himself feeling relieved. 'I'm just a day tripper. Other things I have to do. You'll work with Hernandez. Play nice. Watch and learn. He's good. You can pick up some things. For future positions you might hold.'
He winked. Hudek risked a smile.
The man indicated with his head. Hudek got the message, turned and walked away.
===OO=OOO=OO===
Mr Reynolds was waiting for Lee in the corridor. He led him back out through the building, across the middle of the large room with its dangling lights. Hudek felt lightheaded and shaky and euphoric all at once, and altogether unable to deal with the fact that he was being led out of the building by Stacy and Josh Reynolds' father. He'd blanked this particular piece of weirdness while confronted with the man in the chair. That guy had a way of focusing your attention.
Just before they got to the exit, Mr Reynolds stopped. 'Don't mention my being here,' he said. 'I offer people advice on occasion, that's all. Legal counsel is available to everyone.'
'That's fine, Mr Reynolds.'
'Make sure Bradley understands that too.'
'I will. He does what I tell him.'
Mr Reynolds nodded. 'I'm sure. I'm sure they all do. You don't get the guns back, I'm afraid.' He reached into the shadows and pulled out a small bag. It was bright red and had a white Nike logo on it. 'But this is for you.'
Hudek pulled the bag's zipper back a few inches, and saw it contained the usual mixture but in greater quantity, a real bumper crop. Just at the moment he wasn't equal to working out what precise level of income it all represented. 'Thanks,' he said.
'You're welcome, Lee. But if I ever hear you've been selling that shit to my kids, any of it, at all, you'll rue the day you were born.'
Then he turned and walked away.
Hudek walked the last couple of yards and opened the door. Stepped out into the parking lot.
It was still light, which kind of amazed him. He glanced at his watch and saw only thirty-five minutes had passed since they'd pulled up in the car. Unbelievable.
Standing in the middle of the lot were three guys. His guys.
He walked over. Brad looked kind of woozy. Pete and Steve were red around the mouth from where the duct tape had been. All appeared shell-shocked, and quiet, and all were smoking. Just for once, Hudek wished he could join in.
'They told us to wait here,' Pete said. 'Hernandez and the other two fuckheads. They… I don't know. They waited with us for a while and then… just fucking went. The whole thing was seriously fucking odd, dude.'
Brad blinked, seemed to come back into himself. He looked down, realized what was in each of Hudek's hands. He frowned at the red bag. 'You've got the drugs?'
'Yes.'
'And you've still… got the money.'
'Right. It's like, a bonus. It's all cool.'
Brad shook his head. He looked like his brain was in need of a reboot. 'So — then, what the fuck was all that about?'
'It's cool,' Hudek repeated. 'That's all I know.'
He led the others out around the side and back onto the road. Lee wasn't actually sure what had just happened. He just knew that he had come through it stronger, and that he was now dealing with a different order of professional. One thing he was absolutely not going to do was underestimate the people he had just
'I think so,' Hudek said. 'What do you want?'
The man smiled. 'We don't need to get into that right now. Soon, but not just at this minute.'
He looked at Hudek a while longer, and nodded. 'Great to see you again, my friend. On the way out you'll be given what you came for. You can take your own bag back with you this time, as a gesture of our good will. Spread the cash around your crew. Make people happy. We'll be in touch soon regarding the other thing.'
Hudek stood up. 'Will I be working with you on it? I mean, direct?'
The man shook his head, and Hudek found himself feeling relieved. 'I'm just a day tripper. Other things I have to do. You'll work with Hernandez. Play nice. Watch and learn. He's good. You can pick up some things. For future positions you might hold.'
He winked. Hudek risked a smile.
The man indicated with his head. Hudek got the message, turned and walked away.
===OO=OOO=OO===
Mr Reynolds was waiting for Lee in the corridor. He led him back out through the building, across the middle of the large room with its dangling lights. Hudek felt lightheaded and shaky and euphoric all at once, and altogether unable to deal with the fact that he was being led out of the building by Stacy and Josh Reynolds' father. He'd blanked this particular piece of weirdness while confronted with the man in the chair. That guy had a way of focusing your attention.
Just before they got to the exit, Mr Reynolds stopped. 'Don't mention my being here,' he said. 'I offer people advice on occasion, that's all. Legal counsel is available to everyone.'
'That's fine, Mr Reynolds.'
'Make sure Bradley understands that too.'
'I will. He does what I tell him.'
Mr Reynolds nodded. 'I'm sure. I'm sure they all do. You don't get the guns back, I'm afraid.' He reached into the shadows and pulled out a small bag. It was bright red and had a white Nike logo on it. 'But this is for you.'
Hudek pulled the bag's zipper back a few inches, and saw it contained the usual mixture but in greater quantity, a real bumper crop. Just at the moment he wasn't equal to working out what precise level of income it all represented. 'Thanks,' he said.
'You're welcome, Lee. But if I ever hear you've been selling that shit to my kids, any of it, at all, you'll rue the day you were born.'
Then he turned and walked away.
Hudek walked the last couple of yards and opened the door. Stepped out into the parking lot.
It was still light, which kind of amazed him. He glanced at his watch and saw only thirty-five minutes had passed since they'd pulled up in the car. Unbelievable.
Standing in the middle of the lot were three guys. His guys.
He walked over. Brad looked kind of woozy. Pete and Steve were red around the mouth from where the duct tape had been. All appeared shell-shocked, and quiet, and all were smoking. Just for once, Hudek wished he could join in.
'They told us to wait here,' Pete said. 'Hernandez and the other two fuckheads. They… I don't know. They waited with us for a while and then… just fucking went. The whole thing was seriously fucking odd, dude.'
Brad blinked, seemed to come back into himself. He looked down, realized what was in each of Hudek's hands. He frowned at the red bag. 'You've got the drugs?'
'Yes.'
'And you've still… got the money.'
'Right. It's like, a bonus. It's all cool.'
Brad shook his head. He looked like his brain was in need of a reboot. 'So — then, what the fuck was all that about?'
'It's cool,' Hudek repeated. 'That's all I know.'
He led the others out around the side and back onto the road. Lee wasn't actually sure what had just happened. He just knew that he had come through it stronger, and that he was now dealing with a different order of professional. One thing he was absolutely not going to do was underestimate the people he had just
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