Bullet Beach Read Online Free PDF Page A

fact, just let me help.’
    â€˜I can’t afford you.’
    â€˜Oh I’m in it for the satisfaction, mostly. I’d like to find the bastards who killed a couple of kids.’
    â€˜You said “mostly.”’
    â€˜Yeah, well I got to keep you out of trouble. You could become expensive and you don’t offer any fringe benefits.’
    Cross took a sip of beer, surveyed the dark, empty bar. He needed to get out of there, get someplace cheerful or at least distracting. The thought he was about to share came out of the blue and he was ashamed that it took him so long to figure it out.
    â€˜James?’ Cross said.
    â€˜Yes, dear.’
    â€˜They knew it was me.’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜The guy was there. Waiting. Ready to set me up. He had to know I was coming.’
    â€˜Maybe he just knew someone was coming.’
    â€˜I’m the only one Edelman sends on repos.’
    â€˜Why is that?’
    â€˜He doesn’t have that much work that he needs a posse. And we have a deal to keep it off the books. I don’t report it as tax income. He doesn’t have to go through all that reporting. I get some cash to pay someone like Thurman. I get a car off the lot. Works out well. So Edelman knew who was going to pick up the Town Car.’
    There were things to do, but it was too late to do them. Tomorrow Cross would pay a visit to Edelman and to the man who owned the Town Car.
    Shanahan thought there was something antiseptic about such trips – from the narrow impersonal space of the plane to the vast impersonal space of the airports. That set up the shock of the real, teeming world outside – the sudden overwhelming heat, the buzzing swarms of motor scooters, the toxic smell of exhaust. He could see the air. That couldn’t be good.
    â€˜We’re here,’ Maureen said cheerfully after a moment registering the impact of reality.
    â€˜We are,’ Shanahan said. He had arranged for a guide to meet them at the hotel and was told that he should take a taxi from the airport. ‘The tuk-tuks are fun if you are twelve,’ the man said. ‘The taxis are air conditioned.’
    A small orange Toyota with a Buddha dangling from the rearview mirror made itself available. Baggage was stuffed in the front and in the trunk and Maureen and Shanahan were stuffed in the back seat. Off they went, eventually entering an even greater density of humanity.
    In maybe half an hour, Maureen and Shanahan were checking into a pleasant, very inexpensive hotel. A slender, well but comfortably dressed, fortyish man, who had lingered about the desk, introduced himself.
    As Shanahan struggled with the name, the man smiled. ‘Use Channarong.’
    â€˜Deets,’ Maureen said, pointing to Shanahan. Then to herself, ‘Maureen.’
    â€˜Maureen and Deets, nice to meet you. I am your guide if you like.’
    â€˜Let me find someone to get the bags upstairs and then we’ll talk,’ Shanahan said.
    â€˜You going to tell the little lady to go sit by the pool,’ Maureen said, ‘while you go do guy stuff?’
    â€˜I’m sorry, I thought you might like to freshen up?’
    â€˜Do I need to?’
    â€˜Just a question. Trying to be thoughtful.’
    Maureen’s eyes half shut and she grinned just a little. She nodded.
    â€˜I’ve just been played,’ she said to Channarong.
    He nodded, face giving away nothing.
    â€˜We’re going to grab a drink . . .’ Shanahan looked at Channarong.
    â€˜Trolley’s. Outside to the right. A couple of doors down.’
    â€˜That the name of the bar or are you suggesting I go for a ride?’ Maureen asked.
    â€˜Name of the bar.’
    A young man had put the baggage on a cart and he and Maureen headed for the elevator.
    Shanahan followed Channarong back out into the heavy hot air. The noise of the city kept them from speaking until they were inside a bar – one that