The Devil Is a Gentleman Read Online Free PDF Page A

heroin in the sixties, named after the urban legend. No one thinks it’s real.”
    “But we know it is,” I said.
    “If there’s nothing in the books about it, is there someone we can ask? Someone who knows?”
    “Well,” said Gage, “you know the first person that comes to mind.”
    “Sam,” I said. “But the bar’s gone again. Sasha might know, but he’s busy traipsing around Hell.”
    “What about the other guy?” he said. “Your uncle.”
    “Naz isn’t really my uncle,” I said. “Sasha just told me to call him that when I was little.”
    “Naz might know something,” said Gage.
    “Maybe we should start simple,” I said. “Instead of focusing on the angelwine, let’s focus on Bradley.”
    “The cops lost him. I saw the trail of blood down the hall and all the way out to the sidewalk, but it stops at the curb. Maybe he got into a car.”
    “He has a wife, right?”
    “Pretty little thing with black hair,” he said. “I saw her on the news, standing behind her man. Think she’d help us?”
    “Maybe not, but it’s worth a shot,” I said. “If nothing else, she might give something away when she’s yelling at us.”
    “But how do we find out where Bradley lives?” said Gage. “It’s not exactly my scene, and I’m pretty sure it ain’t yours either.”
    I shrugged. “Public record, right?”
    “Yeah, but I don’t think either one of us feel all warm and fuzzy at the thought of walking into a New Government office building.”
    “City Hall,” I corrected. “Besides, all I gotta do is make a phone call.”
    “You and your cop friends,” said Gage.
    “He’s a police chief,” I said. “He’s a nice guy, you should give him a chance.”
    “Ron Smithy is the strong arm for New Government,” said Gage. “I’ll give him a chance when he stop arresting people for no good reason.”
    “Eli was a cop too,” I said. “And you seem to like him just fine.”
    “That’s different. He’s a Halfer. And there ain’t no way he’s gonna be a cop now. Those horns are just gonna get bigger and bigger.”
    I frowned. I didn’t want to think about Eli right now. I took my phone out of my pocket and dialed Ron’s number.
    “Ron, I need a favor,” I said when he answered.
    “Niki?” he said.
    “I need an address. It’s kind of important. Life and death.”
    “I’d love to help you, Nik,” he said, “but something’s come up here.” I could hear phones ringing, people shouting, and a television blaring in the background.
    “It’s important. About a politician.” He was silent and I thought he’d hung up. “Ron? Are you there?”
    “I’m here,” he said. The line got quieter, like he’d moved to a different room. His voice echoed. “This wouldn’t be about Frank Bradley again, would it?”
    “Yes,” I said. “It would.”
    “You shouldn’t be involved in this, Niki. It’s getting deep.”
    “What’s getting deep?” I said.
    “You already shot the guy. Best you stay away from it, kid.”
    “What the hell are you talking about, Ron?”
    “You don’t know? Jesus. Just turn on the news, Niki.”
    I walked to the living room and switched on the television. A man was standing at a podium in front of an American flag. He had shocking white hair and a face that was pasty-gray it was so pale. His eyes were vaguely reptilian. He seemed familiar, but I couldn’t immediately place him.
    “I know that there has been talk about Congressman Bradley lately,” the man was saying in a clipped British accent, “and I will address those rumors when we know more about this. All I can say is that the congressman is missing. His companion, a Miss Gina Halsted, has been found brutally murdered.” There were shocked gasps and whispers from the press and a series of flashes from photographers. The man held up his hands for silence. Gage came to stand beside me. “We cannot speculate at this time on what exactly happened to Congressman Bradley. What I can tell you is that