Read Online The Amateurs by Marcus Sakey - Free Book Online

nostrils and tape across the bridge. His fingers gripped and released the steering wheel.
    “Rough one, huh?” Bennett smiled. “We’re almost done.”
    The man nodded, started to reach for the bag.
    “Not so fast. Let’s get out of here.”
    “Where?”
    “Take a ride. First, though, do me a quick favor.” Bennett jerked his head. “Hike up that shirt, would you?”
    “My shirt?”
    “Yeah. I hear swimming is good exercise. Want to check out your muscle definition.”
    “Listen, I did what you wanted, but this is getting ridiculous.” The man trying to take control back.
    Bennett smiled, shrugged. “OK. Well, nice seeing you.” He reached for the door handle.
    “No! Wait.” The man grimaced, then untucked his shirt and pulled it up to show his bare skin. “I told you, I didn’t go to the police.”
    “Can’t be too careful.” Bennett gestured at the road. “Let’s go.”
    It was after seven o’clock, and traffic was just beginning to thin. Bennett directed the doctor one street at a time, having him get on and off the highway, make sudden turns. He watched the mirrors. No one.
    God, he loved predictable people.
    “OK. You know how to get to O’Hare from here?” Bennett leaned forward, turned on the radio. Scanned the dial—crap, crap, car commercial, crap, the Beatles. He put a foot on the dash, lowered his window, and reclined the seat a notch.
    As they neared the airport, the doctor said, “About those pictures. I never did anything like that before. It was . . . I don’t even know why I did. I was just . . . curious. Wasn’t thinking. I swear to God , though, I’ve never done anything like that before. I’m begging you.”
    “You do what I wanted?”
    “Yes.”
    “And didn’t fool around? Try to make something a little different, figure I won’t be able to tell?”
    “No, I swear.”
    “Long-term parking.”
    “Huh?”
    “Head for long-term parking.”
    The man nodded. “I love my wife. My daughter. More than anything.”
    Bennett cocked an eyebrow.
    “I know. I know . It was stupid. I just. It’s a weakness. A compulsion. It’s not my fault, something I would choose.”
    “Go up to the top level.”
    “If I have to pay for what I did, that’s fine. I just don’t want anyone to know.”
    “Park over there, in the empty part.”
    The doctor pulled in, killed the engine. “I’m sorry. I’m so very sorry.”
    “I believe you, Doc. And if you did what I wanted, everything will be fine. You’ve got my word. So”—Bennett jerked his thumb toward the backseat—“I’m going to ask one last time. Did you get clever with me? Admit it now, I’ll give you an opportunity to make good. But if it turns out that you messed with me . . .”
    The man was shell-shocked, eyes red and nose swollen. “I made what you asked for.”
    “Then your worries are over.”
    Even with one window down, the shot was deafening in the closed confines of the car. The bullet took him right in the temple, passed straight through, and shattered the driver’s-side glass, spattering the car door with gore. Bennett didn’t waste time looking around, just wiped the gun off, wrapped the man’s dead hand around it, then dropped both to the seat. The gun bounced and slid to the floorboards. Bennett set three photos in the doctor’s lap, then wiped off the radio dial, took the duffel from the back, and started for the terminal. Kept an easy pace, just a businessman on his way to a flight. He opened his cell phone, dialed.
    “Yello?”
    “Crooch. It’s me. We’re on. Be ready Tuesday night.”
    “Yeah, listen, about this. I don’t know, man. I’m having second thoughts.”
    “What’s not to know? It’s simple.”
    “If it’s so simple, why don’t you do it?”
    “Ahh, Croochy, you’re looking at it the wrong way.”
    “How’s that?”
    “You’re missing the opportunity. This is a painless way for you to settle up with me. Just run an errand, drop off one bag, pick up another.