Leonard, Elmore - Raylan Givens 03 Read Online Free PDF Page A

didn't get out all the scent glands? He'd have a fit, throw his supper at me, the plate, the whole mess."
    Raylan listened, sipping his drink, wanting to get back to Boyd.
    "I wish I could move, go someplace and open my own hair salon. Where do you live?"
    "West Palm Beach."
    "Is it nice?"
    "Palm trees and traffic, if you're going anywhere."
    Ava drew on her cigarette and started to grin. She turned it off exhaling the smoke and said, "I think Bowman's problem, besides being stupid, he wasn't raised properly. He had the worst table manners. Like he'd be sitting here, he'd lean over to one side and get a look like he was concentrating on some deep thought? Furrow his brow and let a fart. It didn't matter he was having his supper. But the worst, oh my Lord, were the beer farts, the next morning when he was hungover? I'd have to leave the house."
    Raylan managed to smile, nodding his head.
    "That's the way he always was, either drunk or hungover, or gone. Off playing soldier with his brother."
    "You have any idea where he is?"
    Ava looked at him funny. "I imagine he's in Hell. Where else would he be?"
    "I mean Boyd."
    "Boyd's on his way there. You gonna arrest him?"
    "We have to catch him in the act first. Robbing a bank, blowing up a church... making an attempt on your life... "
    "Mine?"
    "You said yourself he'll be coming after you."
    " 'Cause he likes me. Boyd don't want to shoot me, Raylan, he wants to"—she shrugged in a cute way—"go to bed with me." Ava stubbed out her cigarette, her eyes warm as she looked at him and put her hand on his. "You want me to help you catch him?"
    Raylan sipped his drink. "How about if you get him to talk to me?"
    "I could do that."
    Ava got up and Raylan's gaze followed her into the kitchen. He said, "I hear he has a place up by Sukey Ridge." Then had to wait for Ava to come back to the table with the Jim Beam and a bowl of ice.
    "It's his church," Ava said, freshening their drinks. "He's only there when he gets his skinheads together. There's a fun bunch. They sit around drinking beer and listening to black-hater bands, different ones like the Midtown Boot Boys, Dying Breed, all bopping their bald heads. They are so creepy."
    "Boyd doesn't stay there?"
    "Bowman said he has places around nobody knows about, not even all the skins." Ava took a drink and said, " 'Cept I know of one," giving Raylan a sly look with those brown eyes he remembered. "Was Boyd, not Bowman, told me where he stays most of the time."
    Raylan took a drink. "You want to tell me where it is?" Ava said, "What do I get if I do?"

    VII.

    It was Devil Ellis saw the car headlights out the window, moving up the grade, and told Boyd somebody was coming. Boyd folded the map full of arrows and circles they were looking at and shoved it into the table drawer.
    Devil, at the window now, peering out from under his black hat, said, "Who do you know drives a Town Car?"
    Walking to the door Boyd said, "Why don't we find out," each being cool in front of the other.
    Devil said, "Ain't anyone I've seen before."
    Boyd opened the door and watched the man in the cocked Stetson approach out of the dark. Boyd, grinning now because he was glad to see him, said, "It's my old buddy, Raylan Givens."
     
    Raylan had to smile seeing the way Boyd was waiting for him, holding out his arms now, Boyd saying, "God damn, look at you, a suit and necktie, all dressed up to look like a lawman." He gave Raylan a hug, patting his back, Raylan letting him for old times' sake. As they stepped apart Boyd looked over at Devil. "Here's how you wear a hat, casual, not down on your goddamn ears."
    Raylan looked him over, recalling a Devil Ellis on Art Mullen's skinhead list. This one was giving Raylan a dead-eyed look, showing he wasn't impressed, as Boyd was saying,
    "I hear you called on Ava. Boy name Dewey Crowe said he ran you off."
    "You believe that?"
    "Not if you say it ain't so. Ava's the one told you I was here?"
    "I talked her into it. Told her I wouldn't