Cut and Run

Cut and Run by Jeff Abbott Read Free Book Online Page B

Book: Cut and Run by Jeff Abbott Read Free Book Online
Authors: Jeff Abbott
the gun up,’ Bucks said. Suddenly he was watching the highway
     for ruts that could jar the car, blast his brains across the windshield. ‘You don’t want to sour your deal with Paul.’
    ‘No, we don’t,’ Kiko said. ‘But we want to have a private chat with you. Because we like you.’
    ‘I like your name,’ José said. His voice was low, hard, like it was won in a fight. In the mirror Bucks saw José’s peasant
     face break into a grin. ‘Bucks. You’re what makes the world go round.’
    ‘Take the next exit,’ Kiko ordered.
    ‘This is a bad idea, guys …’ Bucks started.
    ‘ “Delays have dangerous ends,” ’ José said. ‘Willie Shakespeare was right, man. Do what you’re told.’
    Take the next exit,’ Kiko repeated. Bucks took the Shepherd exit. He had a little .25 caliber gun strapped above his ankle;
     not a cannon but put it up to Kiko’s eye, it’d get the job done. Of course José would blow his head open. While pretending
     to quote Shakespeare to act like he was smart.
    Bucks turned onto Shepherd as Kiko directed. ‘Go to that Waffle House,’ Kiko said. ‘I like ’em better than IHOP, they don’t
     have that fresh ’n’ fruity crap.’
    ‘My grandma likes that plate,’ José said. ‘It’s also rooty-tooty.’
    ‘She’s their target market,’ Kiko agreed.
    Bucks turned the Jag into the Waffle House lot. They wouldn’t kill him at a busy restaurant, he decided. José moved the pistol
     away from the back of his head but Kiko pressed Bucks’ gun against the flat of Bucks’ belly, where it would deliver a nice,
     crippling gut shot.
    He parked at the back of the lot, still calm, weighing how he could get to his ankle gun. Wondering what they wanted. If he
     would be alive in five minutes.
    ‘Paul’s going to be calling for me soon.’ Bucks clicked off the engine.
    ‘Not with his eyes full of big boobs,’ José said.
    ‘You’re new to this line of work, aren’t you?’ Kiko asked.
    ‘Yes, but I went to business school with Paul,’ Bucks said.
    ‘I heard he flunked out,’ Kiko said.
    ‘Yeah.’ Bucks tried not to look at the gun pressed against his abs. ‘But we stayed in touch. I called him when he moved down
     to Houston with his family.’
    ‘Because a friend whose family is mob might be handy?’ José said.
    ‘I like Paul, he’s cool,’ Bucks said.
    Kiko cocked his head. ‘You were at Energis.’
    Bucks’ tongue turned to sandpaper. ‘Yeah, I worked there. For a while.’
    ‘As an energy trading exec, right?’ Kiko said.
    ‘Man, and people say we’re crooks,’ José said. ‘That company robbed the whole country.’
    ‘You left Energis,’ Kiko said. ‘Right before the financial meltdown.’
    ‘You sound like a lawyer,’ Bucks said. ‘Asking questions you already know the answers to.’
    ‘Why’d you leave the company?’ Kiko said.
    Now Bucks said nothing.
    ‘See, being a businessman,’ Kiko said, ‘I follow the news. Three Energis energy traders went missing after a night out drinking.
     Murdered. Bodies and car dumped into Galveston Bay. Looked like a robbery went wrong.’
    ‘That’s what it was,’ Bucks said. ‘I knew those guys.’
    ‘Sure you did. They all worked in your group. Then, six weeks later, your division’s at the heart of the Energis multibillion-dollar
     collapse.’
    ‘Tragedy surrounded me,’ Bucks said, ‘at that time in my life.’
    ‘Outrageous fortune,’ José said. ‘Life sucks.’
    ‘There were allegations about you, Mr Buckman. And your friends’ deaths. Like they knew about those only-on-paper deals that
     had boosted Energis stock. And your own wealth,’ Kiko said.
    ‘Allegations don’t mean much,’ Bucks said. ‘Proof matters.’
    ‘And now with your business career gone …’ José said.
    ‘My career’s fine.’
    ‘A disgraced energy trader. Mailing out résumés must’ve been an exercise in humiliation.’ Kiko laughed. ‘Did you get a single
     interview?’
    ‘I’ve never

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