Road to Darkness by Tim Miller Read Free Book Online Page B

shot his partner. They may be angry, but I’m betting I earned their respect.”
         Slade looked at him and began laughing.
         “Holy shit. Dude, you are fucking insane!”
         Tony watched him laugh, not sure if he was about to kill him or what.
         “Ok,” Slade said. “Here is your money. I’ll tell Benito tough shit. He likes to fuck with new drivers. I guess he pushed you too far. I like that. We’ve had too many spineless pussies come through here. Domingo said he had a good feeling about you.”
         “So we’re good then?”
         “Yeah. We’re good,” Slade said as he handed Tony the bag. “One hundred thousand cash is in the bag, just like I promised. Come back tomorrow morning. I might have more work for you. Something besides just driving.”
         “Really? Like what?”
         “I’ve got some things to work out. Just get back here.”
         Tony took the bag and walked back to his car. When he arrived home, Kim’s car was still in the driveway. She was sitting in the living room drinking a cup of coffee glaring at him when he came inside.
         “Why aren’t you at work?” He asked.
         “What? Are you fucking kidding me?” She stood and walked toward him. “Where have you been? I tried calling you all night but your phone was off.”
         “I had something come up at work. I got called in. Some wildfire in California. They were short one people taking claims calls so they asked me to come in. You know I keep my phone off at work.”
         “Wildfire in California huh?” She was wearing a bath robe, standing with her arms crossed.
         “Yes! They get them every year and we get thousands of claims.”
         “So what is in the bag?”
         “Nothing.”
         “Nothing? Let me see.”
         “It’s just stuff I had in the car, it’s nothing important.”
         He tried to walk past her, but she grabbed at the bag.
         “I said let me see. I want to see what is in there. You seeing someone? Did you take a change of clothes with you?”
         “No! I told you, it’s nothing. You’re being ridiculous.”
         He had expected her to be at work when he got home, or still asleep at least. The last thing he’d expected was this crazy confrontation. He tried to pull away as she grabbed the bag.
         “Let me see it! What are you hiding?” She screamed as she tugged on it. He pulled back, but not with any real force. Finally he just let go.
         “Fine. Take it ,” he said.
         She sat it on the ground and unzipped it, stepping back as she looked at the contents.
         “Jesus Christ Tony.” She looked up at him, her mouth hanging wide open. “How much is this? Is it real?”
         “Yes, it’s very real.”
         “Are you sure? How much is it?”
         “This is a hundred thousand. And I earned it.”
         “Earned it? How? Not as an insurance adjuster!”
         “Look, it’s complicated. Ok?”
         “You didn’t really get a promotion did you?”
         “Can you just trust me?”
         “Do you even still work at United? Did they fire you? What is going on?”
         “It’s hard to explain. I have it all worked out.”
         “Are you doing something illegal?”
         “No! Look. I make deliveries. A few times a week, I drop these trucks off in Mexico and drive back. That’s it.”
         “Deliveries? What is in the trucks?” She asked.
         This was getting frustrating. She was not going to let this go.
         “I don’t know. They don’t tell me and I don’t ask.”
         “So it could be what? Drugs? Weapons? What if you get stopped and searched? You’ll go to prison. Will they take care of you then?”
         “No one is getting arrested. God! Just let me take care of us. There’s enough money there to pay for all our bills and then some. Just try to