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"Don’t you knoe are?" Jie Bandits"
"What is that? A garage band?"
"We’re in the news We’re famous"
I suddenly felt very tired I let the barrel of the shotgun slip off of Skarda’s shoulder and sat at the kitchen table It was flis were shorter than the others I set the Glock on top of the table within easy reach and draped the shotgun over my knees
"Famous," I said "You’re happy about that? God helpfaain? Ji you want is toyou want is a nicknaer you stay out of jail, the less likely you are to go to jail City cops, county cops, they have liators You pull a heist and they’ll be on it like white on rice They’ll intervieitnesses, examine the crime scene, study the film taken by hidden cameras, develop leads, talk to their CIs, check the strip joints and casinos and bars to see who’s throwinglarge cash deposits, question the usual suspects--they’ll do all those things If after a period of ti to have other crimes to solve, aren’t they? So they’ll redline your case, they’ll rededicate their resources and retask their investigators to the cases they have a better chance of clearing, follow ives you a nicknaain,’ suddenly you’re a priority For one thing, you’retheir professional pride For another, a chief of police, a county sheriff, they have to run for reelection, right? Catching you helps their chances; letting you get away hurts theht just say screw it and ask the Minnesota Bureau of Criators and resources to burn No, sir, you do not want a nickna for you"
"What do you know about it?" Roy asked
"He’s a big-time crook," Ji-ti out in the North Woods with the frickin’ Waltons Doesn’t get arded me cautiously
"Oh, hell," I said "It’s not like I have many options Ms Skarda, I will take you up on your kind offer"
I stood and tucked the Glock back under e, removed the two shells, shut it, and handed it to the oldto take it whether I liked it or not
"Che Guevara," I said "Really?"
"He wasn’t afraid to stand up to the man"
"Get a haircut"
I handed Josie the key to the handcuffs, and she freed her brother She wrapped her ared She was shorter by about a foot, and her head slid beneath his chin He hugged her back
"I was so worried about you," she said
"Have you heard frohter "No," she said "What are you going to do?"