Bring Back Her Body by Stuart Brock Read Free Book Online Page A

gasping.
    “We don’t do that either,” Munger said. “Sit down.”
    Rhumba sat. Cain returned to the telephone. He waited, looking at Munger and then at his watch. Munger relit his pipe. “I came to suggest you forget about Paula Ryerson, Cain.”
    “Maybe I don’t want to.”
    “Is the job worth that much?”
    “How much is that?” Cain asked. “Maybe I just want her to do what she tried two years ago. Maybe my bed is cold.”
    “I can give you a better hot water bottle,” Munger said. “Free, as long as you want to use it. Now give me an answer.”
    Cain bowed mockingly. “I like the job. I’ll keep it.”
    “How much?”
    “Expenses.”
    “Cain and his ethics.”
    “And a chance to annoy you,” Cain added.
    Munger smiled. “A compliment, that. Someday you’ll push me too far, Cain.”
    “I like to push certain people,” Cain said. “Like your friend Toby Patton. I beat Toby up twice tonight. The second time I got in a few licks at some of his friends. I enjoyed it.”
    “Where is Toby now, Cain?”
    “In his coffin,” Cain said.
    Munger shifted his position. “Let’s talk about Paula Ryerson, Cain. How much do you want to lay off?”
    Cain looked as if he were considering it. He said, “Your viscera on a silver tray, Munger. Pickled.”
    Munger got to his feet, his amiability gone. He took a deep breath and jerked his head toward the door. Smoky and Rhumba stood up and walked toward it. Rhumba hobbled a little. His face was pale and nasty looking. Munger followed slowly, herding them. Cain thought he heard a noise on the other side of the door and shifted his weight, wondering if Munger had more like this pair.
    “Someday,” Munger said, “I’ll turn my friends loose on you, Cain.”
    “Your privilege,” Cain said.
    “I’ll see you again,” Munger told him. “You know what I want. I don’t intend to say it over again.”
    “Yes, God,” Cain said. He held the telephone until the door shut behind them. He heard their footsteps go down the hall, down the stairs. He crossed to the window, saw them leave the building, enter a big car, and drive off. He turned from the window and discovered he was drenched with sweat and shaking all over.
    A noise at the door swung him around. It was Lisa. She carried the handle to his car jack in her hand. He sat on the sofa. His legs were shaking too hard to hold him up.
    “That looked like Munger.”
    “It was Munger.”
    “Are you so afraid of him?”
    “Yes,” he said. “Don’t you know Munger?”
    “I’ve seen him. I don’t know him.” She said it so quickly that Cain thought she was lying. He didn’t know why nor did he care at the moment.
    “Did he see you?”
    “I ducked to the dark end of the hall,” she said.
    Cain rose wearily, got the coffee, and went out with her. He turned out the light but left the door ajar. There would be time to fix it later. He got in the car and then slid over, away from the wheel.
    “You drive,” he said. He put his head out the window and fought being sick to his stomach.
    • • •
    Lisa parked at the rear of a two-story building just off Pike and nearly downtown. The downstairs, Cain saw, when they had gone around to the front, consisted of two stores. One window said: LISA SIMMS, COSTUMERY; the other, PATTON GALLERIES, OBJETS D’ART. Upstairs, Lisa had three rooms for an apartment. The rest, she explained, belonged to Toby. He had a very fancy apartment, she added.
    “Handy,” Cain commented. He sat wearily on her divan and let himself slump.
    She swore at him. “Our service porches connect,” she said. “And that door …” She pointed to one in the living room wall. “It’s locked and bolted on
my
side.”
    “Would Toby go for a woman anyway?” Cain asked.
    What he thought was almost an expression of pain, crossed her fine features. “I don’t know. I’m not really sure.” Then she glared at him. “Damn it, why should I defend myself to you? It’s none of your business if