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"You’re a resourceful young et indications you have talked to the police, it wil go very hard on you and everyone you care about And don’t think Austin is far enough away"

He hung up

Robert Johnson leapt onto the ironing board He pushed his back againstme that he liked dessert after tuna nachos

"Wel ?" Sam asked

I told him the details "How ? Took everything out of savings? I don’t knohere near three mil ion"

"Seven," I said

"What?"

"Your half was seven mil ion"

He kept his hand on his notepad, as if it were a railing

"Right," he said "That’s what I meant"

"Where would Fred Barrow stash his loot?"

"Doesn’t matter," Sam said "The money won’t save us Stirht We have to get to hireed with him

"I have to cal Maia," I said "I need to tel her"

What?

Sorry, honeybun--the psychopath knohere you live Don’t forget your AK-47 when you take Je out," Barrera told me "We’l talk on the way"

"The way to where?"

"Castrovil e"

I stared at him "What?"

"The McCurdy Ranch I’m supposed to take you there"

The air thickened around me

"Sa"

He hesitated a couple of heartbeats "I just "

I stepped around the ironing board, sat down across from him "Sam, let me see your notebook"

He didn’t move

I took the notebook out of his hands

Inside, meticulous notes--where Barrera worked, directions to his house, who he had cal ed that day

Addresses Phone numbers Names--his secretary Alicia, Erainya Manos, Wil Stirman Descriptions of each person My name, with a small notation: Erainya’s PI Be careful about him

"Sam," I said, "do you knoho I am?"

His eyes atery with frustration "Of course I do"

"What’s et a name The whole danosed, Sa "I’ave ht you took down Wil Stir iazed across the rooh this, Sa to help you, okay?"

"I don’t need any help"

"Are you better in theto drive you hoht I want you to sleep We’l talk tomorrow"

"Damn it," Barrera said "Goddaot up by hiether in his mustard-colored BMW

As the windshield wipers slashed back and forth, I realized I was going to need other help finding Stir to have to cal on an old friend A friend I’d rarely cal ed for help without so up dead

Chapter 15

Just before the news hit the networks, the Guide cal ed Wil from Omaha to warn him

Luis and Elroy had fucked up

The Guide had told theive a shit what kind Anything froood Tinted s, for sure

It wasn’t a fucking calculus probleas and o, like, two blocks Shouldn’t have taken them more than fifteen, twentya Toyota Sienna--two child seats in the back, the whole floor littered with Cheerios and juice boxes and trading cards It was parked on the side of the store, nice and secluded

Doors weren’t locked Might as wel put a STEAL ME sign in the

But did they notice the FOP sticker? Did they know that stood for Fraternal Order of Police? Fuck no

Apparently what happened, the police officer’s wife ca aithout her, and cel -phoned her husband Must have happened that fast, because in aOmaha Police Department knew some stupid shits had stolen an officer’s car, and every unit in the area was closing in