Read Online Cold Service by Robert B. Parker - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Robert B. Parker
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folks."
"Ebony and Ivory," I said.
"Damn straight," Tony said. "What you want for lunch? Fried chicken's good."
"Can I get watermelon with that?" I said.
Hawk grinned. Tony gestured to the waitress.
"Tell Roy," he said. "Put together a nice-tasting plate for these gentlemen. And bring me a Jack Daniel's."
He looked at us. Hawk and I both shook our heads.
"Guess I'm drinking alone," Tony said.
The waitress went away. Ty Bop stood near the front door, simultaneously motionless and edgy. Junior loomed at the end of the bar.
"You might get a more, ah, diversified patronage," I said, "if Ty Bop weren't standing there like a scorpion on the nod."
"Ty Bop like a son to me," Tony said. "How you getting on with the Ukrainians?"
"Went up to see Boots Podolak," Hawk said.
Tony frowned and shook his head.
"Don't know the name," he said.
The waitress set his drink down near his elbow and went silently away. She had cornrows and a very successful backside.
"Tha's odd," Hawk said. "He knew yours."
"Lotta people know mine," Tony said.
He took an appreciative drink of his whisky.
"Boots say we should ask you 'bout your daughter," Hawk said.
Tony finished sipping his whisky and set the glass down carefully where it had been. Nothing appeared to change. But the air felt suddenly brittle.
"Daughter?" Tony said.
"I ask Boots was there something going on with you and him, and he say ask him 'bout his daughter."
"Why would he say that?"
"I was, ah, urgin' him strongly," Hawk said.
"Why you even talking to him?" Tony said.
"He hired the lawyers represented the Ukrainians," Hawk said.
"I got nothin' to do with them," Tony said.
" 'Cept for them trying to take away your business."
"They just nibblin' at the edges," Tony said.
The waitress with the cornrows came toward us from the kitchen with a large tray balanced at her shoulder. Tony looked up and saw her and waved her away. Without breaking stride she turned and walked back to the kitchen. I felt bad. I'd spotted ribs on the platter.
Hawk said, "I don't believe that, Tony."
Tony raised his glass and sipped some more whisky. He looked at Hawk silently for a time.
"With all due respect, Hawk," Tony said. "I don't actually give a fuck you believe me or you don't."
"You got a daughter?" Hawk said.
Tony looked at him silently.
"I ain't got nothing else to say, Hawk."
"This is silly," Hawk said. "I gonna find out, why not find it out from you."
"Known you a long time," Tony said to Hawk. "Paid you some money sometimes. Never had no problem with you."
"Now you do," Hawk said.
"You just missed dying once already in this thing," Tony said.
"What thing?" Hawk said.
Tony shook his head. By the door, Ty Bop was holding a long-barreled semiautomatic at his side. At the bar, Junior had produced a sawed-off shotgun. Two men came from the area where Tony had his office. Both had shotguns. The half a dozen or so diners in Ebony & Ivory sat frozen in their places, shoulders hunched, trying to be as small as they could be. Ready to hit the floor if the balloon went up. Hawk looked slowly around the room. Then he nodded to himself at the conclusion he reached, and stood and began to walk to the door. I followed him. In order for Hawk to open the door, Ty Bop would have to move a little. Hawk paid no attention. When he reached the door he opened it and Ty Bop took a half step out of the way. Hawk went through. I stopped for a moment and turned to Tony.
"This just isn't helping your diversity project," I said, and went out after Hawk.
Ty Bop closed the door behind me.
22
"WE'RE REALLY ON a roll," I said to Hawk. "Everybody we talk to is either dead or wants to kill us."
" 'Cept maybe Zippity Duda."
"What's your guess?" I said.
"Him, too," Hawk said.
Hawk drove as he did everything else, as if he were born to do it. And the Navigator moved through the snow-clogged traffic like a Porsche.
"Like to talk with them Ukrainians," Hawk said.
"They don't seem too welcoming," I
"Ebony and Ivory," I said.
"Damn straight," Tony said. "What you want for lunch? Fried chicken's good."
"Can I get watermelon with that?" I said.
Hawk grinned. Tony gestured to the waitress.
"Tell Roy," he said. "Put together a nice-tasting plate for these gentlemen. And bring me a Jack Daniel's."
He looked at us. Hawk and I both shook our heads.
"Guess I'm drinking alone," Tony said.
The waitress went away. Ty Bop stood near the front door, simultaneously motionless and edgy. Junior loomed at the end of the bar.
"You might get a more, ah, diversified patronage," I said, "if Ty Bop weren't standing there like a scorpion on the nod."
"Ty Bop like a son to me," Tony said. "How you getting on with the Ukrainians?"
"Went up to see Boots Podolak," Hawk said.
Tony frowned and shook his head.
"Don't know the name," he said.
The waitress set his drink down near his elbow and went silently away. She had cornrows and a very successful backside.
"Tha's odd," Hawk said. "He knew yours."
"Lotta people know mine," Tony said.
He took an appreciative drink of his whisky.
"Boots say we should ask you 'bout your daughter," Hawk said.
Tony finished sipping his whisky and set the glass down carefully where it had been. Nothing appeared to change. But the air felt suddenly brittle.
"Daughter?" Tony said.
"I ask Boots was there something going on with you and him, and he say ask him 'bout his daughter."
"Why would he say that?"
"I was, ah, urgin' him strongly," Hawk said.
"Why you even talking to him?" Tony said.
"He hired the lawyers represented the Ukrainians," Hawk said.
"I got nothin' to do with them," Tony said.
" 'Cept for them trying to take away your business."
"They just nibblin' at the edges," Tony said.
The waitress with the cornrows came toward us from the kitchen with a large tray balanced at her shoulder. Tony looked up and saw her and waved her away. Without breaking stride she turned and walked back to the kitchen. I felt bad. I'd spotted ribs on the platter.
Hawk said, "I don't believe that, Tony."
Tony raised his glass and sipped some more whisky. He looked at Hawk silently for a time.
"With all due respect, Hawk," Tony said. "I don't actually give a fuck you believe me or you don't."
"You got a daughter?" Hawk said.
Tony looked at him silently.
"I ain't got nothing else to say, Hawk."
"This is silly," Hawk said. "I gonna find out, why not find it out from you."
"Known you a long time," Tony said to Hawk. "Paid you some money sometimes. Never had no problem with you."
"Now you do," Hawk said.
"You just missed dying once already in this thing," Tony said.
"What thing?" Hawk said.
Tony shook his head. By the door, Ty Bop was holding a long-barreled semiautomatic at his side. At the bar, Junior had produced a sawed-off shotgun. Two men came from the area where Tony had his office. Both had shotguns. The half a dozen or so diners in Ebony & Ivory sat frozen in their places, shoulders hunched, trying to be as small as they could be. Ready to hit the floor if the balloon went up. Hawk looked slowly around the room. Then he nodded to himself at the conclusion he reached, and stood and began to walk to the door. I followed him. In order for Hawk to open the door, Ty Bop would have to move a little. Hawk paid no attention. When he reached the door he opened it and Ty Bop took a half step out of the way. Hawk went through. I stopped for a moment and turned to Tony.
"This just isn't helping your diversity project," I said, and went out after Hawk.
Ty Bop closed the door behind me.
22
"WE'RE REALLY ON a roll," I said to Hawk. "Everybody we talk to is either dead or wants to kill us."
" 'Cept maybe Zippity Duda."
"What's your guess?" I said.
"Him, too," Hawk said.
Hawk drove as he did everything else, as if he were born to do it. And the Navigator moved through the snow-clogged traffic like a Porsche.
"Like to talk with them Ukrainians," Hawk said.
"They don't seem too welcoming," I
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