Remember the Future by Bryant Delafosse Read Free Book Online Page A

need to talk about what just happened.”  Without removing his hand from his pocket, he nudged him roughly with his elbow toward the Mercedes parked at another set of pumps just in front of the Toyota.
    “Where’s the gun?”
    “What gun?”
    “Don’t play games, Frederickson,” Rudy snapped, prodding him with his elbow.
    “She was the one with the gun and she took it with her.”
    “You want to tell me what sort of fun she’s into that she needs one?”
    Grant stopped and turned to Rudy, giving him a matter-of-fact look.  “You mean, you don’t know who she is?”
    Rudy studied him for a moment before removing his hand from his pocket and shoving him against the side of the Mercedes.  “Get in,” he ordered, throwing the back passenger-side door open.
    “I’ve got a better idea,” a voice said from inside the car.
    Squinting into the darkness, Rudy found Maddy huddled low in the backseat with the gun trained on him.
    “Throw your gun inside,” she prompted.
    Rudy dutifully started to reach inside his jacket.
    “Stop!” Maddy snapped.  “On second thought, take your jacket off and lay it down.  Slowly.”
    Rudy glared at her.  “Now why would I want to remove my favorite Argentinean leather jacket?”
    “Because you’re starting to think that maybe you don’t have the full story and maybe we’re capable of much more than you thought.”
    Rudy scoffed and glanced at Grant resting against the side of the car.
    “You better just do what she says,” Grant murmured.  “I’m not sure what this woman is capable of.”
    “Fuck this,” Rudy snarled, reaching for his weapon.
    Maddy cocked her gun.
    Instantly, Rudy showed her his open palms.
    “Jacket,” Maddy prompted.
    Rudy slowly removed his leather jacket, his face a mask of frustration and tossed it in a bundle on the floor of the car.  “Now what?”
    “Now you’re the proud new owner of a slightly used Toyota.  Fully-fueled and everything,” Maddy said, waving Rudy backwards as she stepped out of the car.  “Grant step around to the driver’s side, please.”
    Grant rushed around the car without hesitation and climbed inside.
    “Keys inside?” she asked him.
    “Yeah!”
    He cranked the engine.
    “Can you please hand me the keys to the Toyota?”
    Grant hesitated briefly before removing the keys from his pocket and pushing the passenger door open for Maddy.
    “Really, Frederickson?  Grand Theft Auto?  You sure you want to do this?” Rudy called out to Grant, raising his arms dramatically as he stepped back to the pumps.  “Up until now, this was just business.  You really want to make this personal?”
    “What part of murder is impersonal?” Maddy asked, standing in the open doorway of the passenger side.  “Put your arms down, you knucklehead!  The cameras can’t see around that monster truck.”
    Rudy glowered at Maddy and slowly lowered his arms, attempting to find the pockets of his jacket out of instinct and missing.  “Y’know, the boss is going to get real sore when he can’t reach me on the cell phone that’s in the pocket of that jacket.”
    “That would be something to discuss with the boss,” she replied, lowering the window and sliding inside.  “While you’re at it, you might want to ask him what secrets he’s been keeping from you, Rudy Pedroza.”
    Maddy dropped the keys to the ground between them.
    The Mercedes pulled away from the pumps, leaving Rudy standing alone and staring down at the keys to the Toyota.  He spared a look at his retreating Mercedes in utter confusion.

15
    Continuing down the feeder road, Grant glanced over at Maddy.  “Are you going to level with me now?”
    “I’ve been completely honest with you from the first minute.”
    “You said you’re not a felon,” Grant said with a nod.  “Why did you ask those two men if they’ve read your file?  What file?”
    Maddy studied Grant then turned away from him to look out her window.
    “See, I knew it,” Grant