Mad Dog Justice by Mark Rubinstein Read Free Book Online

jewelry. So, believe me, Doc, it was no burglary. And besides, who’d wanna break into an accountant’s office at night? It’s not a rich target like a high-class home with jewelry, art, and other valuables. Unless they wanted some financial files, it was a hit, pure and simple.”
    Roddy wonders if his eyes are bulging because they feel like they’ll burst from pressure building in his head. Heat creeps into his face. A droplet of sweat slides from his underarm down his side. Soon he’ll be marinating in his own sweat.
    There’s no doubt about it; this is the worst-case scenario: Danny’s been targeted; Walt’s been shot right near my car; and a hound dogof a Yonkers detective is sniffing around like he smells red meat. It’s a nightmare come true
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    Roddy knows he’s next in line.
    He wishes his heart would downshift to a slower pace.
    “There’re a couple of questions I’d like to ask you, Doc,” Morgan says, crossing one leg over the other, leaning back in the chair. “I spoke to Burns, and Mrs. Burns, too. And I did some online research.” Morgan pauses and peers at Roddy. The detective squints, as though he’s digging for some line of questioning Roddy won’t expect, something to throw him off balance, something to rattle him.
    “Tell me about the restaurant business … about McLaughlin’s.” Morgan’s face looks neutral, expressionless.
    An electric pang shoots through Roddy. It’s an open-ended question. It opens the door for Roddy to say anything—some tidbit that could lead to a squall of other questions.
    “What’s that got to do with Danny getting shot?”
    “There could be a connection,” Morgan says, half closing one eye.
    “What kind of connection?”
    “I dunno. But I get to ask the questions, here, Doc. Tell me about McLaughlin’s.”
    “It’s way off topic, Detective.”
    “Indulge me, Doc. How’d you get involved?”
    Involved? I don’t like that word. He’s angling for something. And it could be because he’s talked with Danny. Dan’s been awake and fully alert for an entire day now. No doubt Morgan’s spent some time with him and asked plenty of questions. What the fuck did he say that has Morgan sniffing up this tree?

Chapter 6
    “I don’t know where to begin, Detective.”
    “Begin at the beginning.” Morgan stretches his long frame and again laces his fingers behind his head, leaning back in his chair.
    Jesus, he’s got all the time in the world. He’s gonna pump me as much as he can
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    Roddy gives Morgan the CliffsNotes version of how they got into the restaurant business. Avoiding too many details, he describes how he and Danny became Kenny’s silent partners in McLaughlin’s. And he tells Morgan how after Kenny disappeared, the previous owner, McLaughlin Jr.—who they hadn’t paid off fully—repossessed the place.
    As he’s describing it all, Roddy sees the restaurant in his mind: the tables, the masculine décor, the clamoring crowds, the open grill pit with two chefs, people bellied up to the bar three deep, and Kenny charging from table to table like a madman, hyped up and maxed out on drugs.
    Morgan sits with his head tilted. His eyes look like they’re nearly closed with lids at half-mast.
    And even as he’s talking, Roddy thinks,
Kenny Egan? Getting into bed with that weasel? Why am I telling this detective about that fiasco? It’s the old story—let a guy talk on, and he’ll vomit the whole enchilada. Give him enough rope and he ends up twisting inthe wind
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    Roddy knows he’d hoped Morgan would be more interested in Danny than in McLaughlin’s. That maybe he’d want to dig a little deeper into Dan’s personal and professional life than when they met two nights ago at St. Joe’s.
    “So lemme get this straight, Doc,” Morgan says, again leaning forward. He shakes his head and blinks a few times.
    Roddy thinks Morgan isn’t trying to mask his skepticism.
    “This guy, Kenny Egan, formerly known as Kenny McGuirk, comes to your