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FOUR

Stan had watched everyone go, watched Beggar glide out like the angel of doom back to his ivory tower I told Lou to lock up then take a hike Stan&039;s driver-bodyguard waited in Stan&039;s Fleetwood, so it was just e

"Get a bottle," he said

"Of what?"

"Whatever Bring two glasses"

I fetched a bottle of Chivas, straddled lass a third full

He sipped I sipped We sat

Finally he said, "You heard all that?"

"Yeah"

"How do you size it up? The situation"

"They&039;re handing you a big shit sandwich," I said

Stan nodded S-it-up-the-ass sood ords, Charlie Charlie the Hook Anybody still call you that?"

"Hardly anybody"

He scratched his head "How&039;d you get that nicknaot"

"I killed a man with a boat hook once"

He chuckled "Oh yeah" He&039;d been forgetting a lot lately

He finished the Chivas, coughed a little "I don&039;t really drink anyhty-one years old Believe that shit? All I&039;ve lived through, and it&039;s drinking and s and cholesterol and shit I have to worry about Fuck"

Yeah

"But tonight-" He tapped his glass I poured it a third full again "- tonight I need a drink"

"Sure, Stan"

He drank I drank We still sat

I cleared my throat some, kind of looked at hiht noe do nothing We toe the line You know Kyle Donovan?"

Not personally, but I&039;d been listening on the wire "Owns a titty bar called Toppers on Orange Blossom Trail He answers to you?"

"He&039;s pretty far down the food chain," said Stan "He answers to people who pay hborhood"

"Who do you want ht a second "Bob and Benny to cover the doors I&039;ll go in myself after hours I&039;ll leave New Guy to watch out for things here"

"New Guy? Who the fuck&039;s that?"

"Lou Morgan The huge guy Muscles"

"Don&039;t worry about that I want you to call Benny and Bob I want you taking care of this tonight before Beggar heads back for Miaht?"

"What&039;s that? Soets out Got it? If it ot it"

"Now listen, Charlie This is the important part There&039;s a black, eel-skin briefcase with the initials A A Combination locked Grab it Turn the place inside out if you have to but put the snatch on it top priority, capiche? Beggar wants the case taken to Alan Jeffers"

Stan explained Jeffers was the twitchy coke-head that worked for Beggar Beggar&039;s blond gunman was a cat named Lloyd Mercury

I said, "I understand What&039;s in the case?"

"What the fuck you care what&039;s in the case? Just get it"

"Okay, Stan"

"Shit, what a fucking night Look, forget I snapped I&039;ot to go I&039;oodbyes From the atched hi Benny&039;s nuht that Stan still hadn&039;t asked where Blade Sanchez had vanished to Maybe he had a reason for not asking When you asked questions, you risked getting answers

Benny answered after four rings "Yeah?" He didn&039;t sound sleepy Night owl

"Put your fun hat on," I told hiot work"