the bag, not so good if he was past that stage. Jacob had a temper. He shouted
‘Merrick, you very bad Jew.’
Promising.
That from anyone else, Merrick would have handed them their teeth.
Merrick plopped the bottle on the counter, said
‘ For you Rabbi.’
Jacob, immediately noticed the bottle had a few belts out if it, asked
‘You bring me seconds,
Looked to the heavens, continued
‘This guy!’
And hugged Merrick.
Merrick tried not to look at his watch, he didn’t want to leave Ryan hanging with two bad
guys. Poured a lethal wallop and handed it to Jacob who exclaimed
‘You trying to get me drunk?’
Merrick held up the palms of his hands, went
‘As if.’
Jacob raised his glass, said
‘L,chaim.’
Knocked it back.
Merrick thought
‘Fuck, he’ll fall on his ass.’
Nope.
Got loquacious.
Started
‘This job, I tell you Steve, The Mick is so far behind in his arrears, he’s going to have to
do a runner.’
The guy washing the dishes had stopped, his ears primed and Jacob picked up a skillet,
threw it at him, shouted
‘Get the fuck out of my kitchen you snooping raghead.’
Merrick prompted
‘You’re kidding?’
‘On the star of David, he is leaking money but it’s like he don’t give a fuck, you know
what I’m saying, they’re going to shut it down around his Mich head and he could care?’
Merrick had what he wanted, said
‘Got to go the rest room.’
Jacob was on the turn, the aggressive drunk emerging, shouted
‘Go go, everybody so damn busy.’
Thought he had to call Ryan but the dumb fuck, he’d no mobile.
Jesus.
He was running.
IT IS BETTER TO BE A LIVE JACKAL THAN A DEAD LION-FOR JACKALS,
NOT MEN.
I was stuck on the Queensbury Bridge.
Jesus wept. Gridlock. Time eating away.
By now, Charlie might already be on his way to the accountant and Mr.’s Trent. By the time I finally got there, I was shit out of luck and time. Could feel it in my bones. Very bad feeling.
I parked down a bit from the Accountant’s Office. Got out, The Sig in the pocket of my old combat jacket, yeah, from the old days, figuring, I never got killed it. Ok, you do what you can and pull in every superstition you got. I’d have prayed but that was an aspiration too far.
God and I parted ways when Molly got her head blown off.
No sign of Merrick’s car.
When in doubt, go in the back.
I did, hearing nothing, not a sound.
I moved through the building, gun out, ready. To the office, the door closed. Bit down, flet one bead of perspiration drip down my forehead, it was so quiet, I swore I could hear it plink on the floor. Opened the door real easy to….
The accountant, sitting having a drink, Charlie, a gun at Mr.’s Trent’s head. She was tied and bound to a chair, her eyes terrorized in her head. Charlie said
‘Ryan, the fuck kept you?’
‘Gridlock.’
He nodded
‘Ah, the bridge, it’s a bitch this time of evening.’
…………………..but here we are. Jesus, my manners, must be the high drama of this day, let me introduce Bob, you met before but now, see the real Bob.’
Bob looked way over any edge he’d ever clung to, a cleaver in his hand.
He stood up.
I said
‘The Simpson’s.’
He stopped
I explained
‘Freakshow Bob, voiced by Kelsey Grammer.’
Charlie said
‘Drop the piece Ryan or you know the tired drill, the lady get’s it, yada yada.’
I dropped it.
Bob advanced.
Charlie said
‘See, you still get to solve the case, sort of. Bob there, he carves you into pieces, Merrick arrives, shoots him and alas, Bob get’s a shot off, killing our hero Merrick. Sloppy, but you know, I’m making this shit up as I go along. Now, what movie is that from, guess it and you get…………am, let’s see, four minutes extra.’
‘I said
‘Easy, Indiana Jones but Bob, yo psycho, you getting mail?’
Bob was as close to drooling as you get, hesitated
And I asked
‘You stupid bollix, what part of your smart arse buddy’s plan didn’t you get?’
Charlie hissed
‘Don’t listen to him, he’s trying to mess with your head.’
I laughed, dragged it up from my gut, said
‘Bob, he said, you get fucked, you heard him.’
Bob was literally disintegrating, I jeered
‘Do the math.’
He swirled and a blast took his head off.
Merrick stepped into the room, the pump leveled at Charlie, who laughed, then
‘Ah, party pooper. Just when we were having fun. What now wise guy?’
Merrick glanced at me, I nodded ok and he said
‘I don’t suppose you’ll let her go?’
Charlie seemed totally unfazed, said
‘I could try to shoot you but then the other would take me out. So………………….I’m
going to take Mr.’s Trent with me, drive off and if you don’t follow, I’ll release her in a
half hour.’
There seemed little choice. We moved out in a group, and finally Charlie said
‘This is my ride, now if you gents would just step inside, I can go on my way and this
lovely lady can go free.’
I was raising the Sig along my left side, Merrick whispered
‘No.’
Charlie said
‘Listen to your buddy Ryan, you might get a shot off but if you miss and I’m a moving
target.’
I lowered the gun.
And he was gone.
After five minutes Merrick said
‘Fuck this, let’s go.’
We raced to his car and within ten minutes, we found her body by the side of the road.
Shot in the face.
And Charlie,
He’d disappeared, it seemed off the face of the earth.
We figured another car, or whatever.
He was in the wind.
Two days later, we were gathered in Merrick’s bar, Shona at my side, Merrick, wearing a
sweat shirt that had the logo
……………………………………Black Cat.
I didn’t ask.
I was afraid he’d tell me.
Merrick said
‘The loot has a nationwide APB on Charlie, where can he go, sooner or later they’ll get
him.’
Neither of us bought that, it was more for Shona. The guy had prepared his escape a long
time ago. He was dust, a ghost, lost in some shadows of foreboding.
Merrick looked a bit nervous, I said
‘Spit it out, what’s eating you?’
He looked at Shona, said
‘You hear this guy, speaking American?’
She said
‘Trust me, he’s all Irish.
Merrick said
‘Don’t go off on me, ok?’
I waited
He swallowed, then
‘We’ve been offered a new case, Serge. Boxer passed it along, you interested?’
I looked at Shona, she said
‘Of course, what else he’s going to do, mope around the house, getting on my nerves.’
Merrick smiled, asked
‘So, anyone up for a movie?’
‘YOU CANNOT FUCK EVERYBODY AND THE ONLY WAY IT WOULD WORK IS
IF YOU COULD FUCK EVERYBODY.
In the Catskill’s, in winter, it’s quiet, you can pick your choice of cabins to rent. Charlie,