Raylan: A Novel by Elmore Leonard Read Free Book Online

warm. She said, “I think I’m falling in love with you.”
    “Try me out,” Cuba said, “it won’t hurt none.”
    He watched her take a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from the pocket of her raincoat—expensive-looking, a shiny black one—waited till she was smoking it before he said, “You know it ain’t allowed in here.”
    “If they catch you,” Layla said.
    “You like to cause a scene?”
    “They say anything I take one more drag,” Layla said, “and put it out.” She moved closer. “Something I’ve wanted to tell you about Harry’s kidneys—”
    “The time I brought him in?”
    “He comes in once or twice a year.”
    “The man takes a leak every twenty, thirty minutes. Set your watch by it.”
    “That’s his prostate. His kidneys aren’t too bad. He has a pinched nerve in his lower back.”
    “His sacroiliac fuckin with him,” Cuba said. “I had that. Kept me in bed till a chiropractor fixed me up.”
    “Harry tells us to get donors with his blood type ready.”
    “You need a kidney,” Cuba said, “I thought you had to wait in line.”
    “Harry gives a million a year to the hospital fund. The donor gets a hundred grand the moment he shows up.”
    “He wants a kidney so bad,” Cuba said, “give him one.”
    “Or take the old one out,” Layla said, “and put it back in?”
    Cuba grinned. “Come out the hospital a new man.”
    He saw Mr. Harry getting up from the table as Layla said, “That’s kind of what I’m thinking.”
    Cuba heard her but kept watching his boss shaking hands with people at the table. He said to Layla, “I expect to see you pretty soon now we lovers.”
    She said, “How about tonight?”
    Didn’t hesitate.
    “Could be late, I get done haulin his ass around.”
    “Come anytime. I’m in bed I’ll leave a light on.”
    “Tell me where I’m going.”
    She laid her hand on a cocktail napkin, folded, and brought it along the bar to Cuba. “It’s all here,” Layla said, “with a key to let you in.”
    Cuba liked how her eyes turned soft looking at him. This was a cool woman with evil ways. The best kind. He said, “Why don’t you lift the kidneys offa Dr. Blow Job?” He said, “No, he’s too close. I think so’s Mr. Harry.”
    “I have an idea how we’d do Harry.”
    “You’re exposin your intentions,” Cuba said, “to a lover?”
    “As soon as I heard you’re Ah-frican,” Layla said, “I knew you were my guy.”

Chapter Seven
    Y ou run out of gas,” Art Mullen said. “You’re on your way to Lexington and you run out of gas. This is after you stirred up the state cops, got ’em looking for the Crowes.”
    They were in the Harlan marshal’s office, Art standing over Raylan sitting down, trapped in his seat.
    “What told you they were taking off for Lexington?” Raylan’s boss said.
    “It had to be where the doctor was.”
    “How you know that?”
    “It’s where they do transplants.”
    “But why do they take off to see the doctor?”
    “He runs the show, he’ll tell ’em what to do.”
    “You thought about all that,” Art said, “and decided not to get warrants. But you didn’t look to see if you needed gas.”
    “I thought I had at least one more gallon.”
    “You know Rachel was against going to Lexington?”
    “I don’t recall her telling me why.”
    “Because you’re relying on St. Christopher to find the doctor for you, and there isn’t or ever was a St. Christopher. Somebody made him up.”
    Raylan said, “Did you know that?”
    “I think so,” Art said. “But I’ve never asked him to find anybody for me. You’re saying St. Christopher told you to go to Lexington?”
    “I worked it out,” Raylan said, “before I heard anything definite. You know there’s a world-famous organ transplant hospital there? UK Medical. They transplant kidneys all day long, seventy miles away from where Angel’s were taken.”
    “That’s what you’re goin on?”
    “I had a hunch. You have ’em, don’t