Read Online Once a Killer by Martin Bodenham - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Martin Bodenham
Ads: Link
“You’ve offended him.”
Michael looked at Glass Eye. “How did I do that?”
“By failing to turn up today.”
Michael struggled to find a credible reason to explain his absence. “I tried to make it, but it was really difficult to get away from the office. Every time I tried, something came up.”
Bull Neck rolled his body around to face him. “Yeah, sure.” He still had sugar granules from the donuts stuck to his top lip.
“So you were planning to come?” Glass Eye had a quizzical look on his face.
“That’s right. Maybe we can arrange another time.”
Glass Eye looked down at Michael’s briefcase. “Why don’t you hand over what you have for us right now, and we’ll forget all about lunch today?”
Michael swallowed. “I don’t have anything for you yet.”
Glass Eye shook his head. “So you lied to us just now?”
“No. Even if I’d been able to make the meeting today, I was going to say I had nothing for you. I’m still working on it.”
Bull Neck laughed. “This guy’s good. I can see now why he’s a lawyer. The lying’s second nature to him.”
“Mr. Grannis won’t like that,” Glass Eye said. “He won’t like that at all.”
“Look, it’s not that easy. I don’t see deals every day. I just need more time. You can’t force the pace of these things.”
Michael’s cell phone rang in his suit pocket. It was bound to be Caroline, worrying why he hadn’t yet turned up at home with the pizzas. He moved his hand toward his jacket.
Bull Neck pointed his pistol at Michael. “Don’t even think about it.”
Michael ignored the Marimba ring tone until it stopped.
Glass Eye looked at Bull Neck. “What do you think?”
“I say we kill the fucker now.”
Glass Eye nodded then turned to Michael. “Get out of the car. I don’t want blood on my upholstery.”
Michael’s heart pummeled the inside of his chest. Was this it? Was this how he was going to die? “Listen, I know I can get you what you need. Please, all I need is a little more time.”
“You heard him. Out of the fucking car,” shouted Bull Neck.
Michael opened the door and stepped onto the sandy ground. An icy sea wind hit him in the face, biting into his skin. They had to be on the marshes at the back of the Shorehaven Golf Club. Christ! Had these people chosen this deserted spot because they’d meant to kill him all along? Why else pick a place where no one could see them? And with the gale coming off the sea, no one would hear a gunshot out here.
“You don’t have to do this.”
Glass Eye slid along the back seat toward the open door. “Get on your knees.” His weapon was now held in his right hand and pointed at Michael.
Michael dropped to the wet ground. “Please. I just need more time to get you the information you want. I know I can get it.” He closed his eyes and braced himself for the shot.
Chapter 10
“Y OU’RE A V ERY L UCKY M AN ,” said Glass Eye, returning the pistol to his holster. “We don’t have orders to kill you. Least, not today.”
Michael opened his eyes and watched Glass Eye’s every move.
“But make no mistake: Mr. Grannis wants his information.” Glass Eye threw Michael’s briefcase out of the car. “We’ll give you a week to come up with something. If we have to come back here to remind you again, one of your girls will pay the price.” He pulled the door closed and nodded to Bull Neck, who hit the gas.
Michael remained on his knees, trembling as the arctic gale off the sea conspired with the terror he felt inside. Half a mile away, the Escalade’s brake lights flashed as it stopped briefly before pulling out onto Old Saugatuck Road. They were gone.
Holding his head in his hands, Michael closed his eyes as it hit home how close he’d just come to being killed. In that moment, he knew he had no choice; no matter how risky it would be, he had to comply with Rondell’s demands. He’d been naive to think he could avoid him earlier today. And given what
Michael looked at Glass Eye. “How did I do that?”
“By failing to turn up today.”
Michael struggled to find a credible reason to explain his absence. “I tried to make it, but it was really difficult to get away from the office. Every time I tried, something came up.”
Bull Neck rolled his body around to face him. “Yeah, sure.” He still had sugar granules from the donuts stuck to his top lip.
“So you were planning to come?” Glass Eye had a quizzical look on his face.
“That’s right. Maybe we can arrange another time.”
Glass Eye looked down at Michael’s briefcase. “Why don’t you hand over what you have for us right now, and we’ll forget all about lunch today?”
Michael swallowed. “I don’t have anything for you yet.”
Glass Eye shook his head. “So you lied to us just now?”
“No. Even if I’d been able to make the meeting today, I was going to say I had nothing for you. I’m still working on it.”
Bull Neck laughed. “This guy’s good. I can see now why he’s a lawyer. The lying’s second nature to him.”
“Mr. Grannis won’t like that,” Glass Eye said. “He won’t like that at all.”
“Look, it’s not that easy. I don’t see deals every day. I just need more time. You can’t force the pace of these things.”
Michael’s cell phone rang in his suit pocket. It was bound to be Caroline, worrying why he hadn’t yet turned up at home with the pizzas. He moved his hand toward his jacket.
Bull Neck pointed his pistol at Michael. “Don’t even think about it.”
Michael ignored the Marimba ring tone until it stopped.
Glass Eye looked at Bull Neck. “What do you think?”
“I say we kill the fucker now.”
Glass Eye nodded then turned to Michael. “Get out of the car. I don’t want blood on my upholstery.”
Michael’s heart pummeled the inside of his chest. Was this it? Was this how he was going to die? “Listen, I know I can get you what you need. Please, all I need is a little more time.”
“You heard him. Out of the fucking car,” shouted Bull Neck.
Michael opened the door and stepped onto the sandy ground. An icy sea wind hit him in the face, biting into his skin. They had to be on the marshes at the back of the Shorehaven Golf Club. Christ! Had these people chosen this deserted spot because they’d meant to kill him all along? Why else pick a place where no one could see them? And with the gale coming off the sea, no one would hear a gunshot out here.
“You don’t have to do this.”
Glass Eye slid along the back seat toward the open door. “Get on your knees.” His weapon was now held in his right hand and pointed at Michael.
Michael dropped to the wet ground. “Please. I just need more time to get you the information you want. I know I can get it.” He closed his eyes and braced himself for the shot.
Chapter 10
“Y OU’RE A V ERY L UCKY M AN ,” said Glass Eye, returning the pistol to his holster. “We don’t have orders to kill you. Least, not today.”
Michael opened his eyes and watched Glass Eye’s every move.
“But make no mistake: Mr. Grannis wants his information.” Glass Eye threw Michael’s briefcase out of the car. “We’ll give you a week to come up with something. If we have to come back here to remind you again, one of your girls will pay the price.” He pulled the door closed and nodded to Bull Neck, who hit the gas.
Michael remained on his knees, trembling as the arctic gale off the sea conspired with the terror he felt inside. Half a mile away, the Escalade’s brake lights flashed as it stopped briefly before pulling out onto Old Saugatuck Road. They were gone.
Holding his head in his hands, Michael closed his eyes as it hit home how close he’d just come to being killed. In that moment, he knew he had no choice; no matter how risky it would be, he had to comply with Rondell’s demands. He’d been naive to think he could avoid him earlier today. And given what
Similar Books
