Cut and Run Read Online Free PDF Page A

Today was Wednesday.
    ‘Tomorrow afternoon would be better,’ Kiko said. ‘Why wait?’
    ‘We have to move it from overseas. Tomorrow night,’ Paul said, asserting himself too little too late, and Kiko, having won
     every other point that mattered, gave a slight nod. They stood. Eve rose to go but Paul said, ‘Eve, stay a moment, please,’
     and she sat down, watching Frank, Kiko, and José leave. Bucks stayed at the table.
    Paul said, ‘Bucks, go downstairs and count boobs, okay? Tell the strippers to wait a minute outside.’
    ‘You’re in trouble, queen bee,’ Bucks said as he went out the door and Eve felt the blood leave her face.
    ‘What’s the matter, Paul?’ she said.
    ‘I want to hear your opinion,’ he said, ignoring her question.
    ‘They’re asking too much for the coke. Our profit’s too thin. And they sure as hell want to get their foot in here.Kiko’s ambitious. Houston’s a workable market for him. The Dominicans here, they’ve already got ties back to Florida gangs.
     He could negotiate a separate peace with them. And cut us out. Easy.’
    ‘You thinking everyone’s trying to tear us down …’
    ‘They are, Paul.’ She leaned forward, covered his hand with her own. ‘They are, honey. We’re vulnerable. Any time there’s
     a power shift, here come the wolves. We need to do several smaller deals, boost our revenues and our profit margins, not cut
     one big deal with a guy we’ve never worked with before.’
    ‘You think I can’t handle this?’
    ‘You may not realize how weak we are right now. No one gets a second chance with deals like these.’
    ‘This puts us back on top. Get the five million,’ he said. ‘And Bucks will handle the exchange with Kiko.’
    The air in the room felt weighted with smoke, with the world starting to take a left turn. Tommy would have had her handle
     the exchange. But she said, ‘Okay.’
    ‘Change is coming, Eve,’ he said. ‘Nothing for you or Frank to worry about. I’m gonna take good care of you both. But we’re
     gonna rethink business priorities. My dad, bless him, he wasn’t growth-minded. Bogged us down in too many small deals. You’re
     worried about Miami horning in here. They should be worried about me horning in on them,’
    ‘Paul, baby, reality check.’
    ‘How about a reality check on your part, Eve? Who works for who here?’
    ‘I’m trying to give you perspective so you make an informed decision, honey.’
    ‘The decision’s made.’ Paul Bellini cleared his throat, put on a smile. ‘You think I’m such a horse’s ass, then you can help
     Frank with running the club day-to-day.’
    To her it wasn’t far removed from a job flippingburgers. ‘You don’t need me and Frank for real work, we’ll go back to Detroit. I don’t care much for Texas, to be honest.’
    ‘Eve, of course I need you.’ He eased back in his chair a little bit. Wriggling his butt into the throne. He was twenty-four
     and he didn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground. Worse, he didn’t know what he didn’t know. ‘As long as you support our
     new directions.’
    She saw she couldn’t win. Being put out to pasture, her and Frank both. She had known Paul his entire life and he looked at
     her with all the interest he’d give yesterday’s paper. ‘How does Kiko want the cash?’
    ‘Nothing bigger than a fifty,’ he said. ‘Who you gonna work with?’
    ‘Richard Doyle at Coastal United,’ she said. ‘He’s safe.’
    ‘Yeah, if the doggies ain’t running,’ Paul said with a laugh. ‘Go find Frank, rescue him from Miami Vice. Tell Bucks to take
     ’em back to their place. And send the girls in, would you? Kiko’s shy but I’m sure not.’
    What a nice guy he’d turned into since his dad’s accident. She stood.
    ‘And Eve. I noticed your body language while I was cutting the deal. Bucks saw it, too. I want your opinion, I’ll ask for
     it. Otherwise, smile and sit still like you’re happy.’
    If Big Tommy was here