The Spider Thief by Laurence MacNaughton Read Free Book Online Page B

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Chapter Eight
    DMT
     
    First thing that morning, before everything went haywire, Mauricio had driven Ash and Moolah to breakfast. The restaurant was a 24-hour diner well past its prime, if it had ever had a prime. The broken neon sign and painted-over graffiti told Mauricio everything he really wanted to know about the place.
    “Can’t we just go to Village Inn or something?” Mauricio said, backing into a space on the outskirts of the lot, next to a black SUV with gold trim. In front of the restaurant, there was a rusted green pickup and a black Trans Am with gold pin striping that glittered in the morning sun.
    “Good news is, you don’t have to eat here.” Ash placed a stained white paper bag on the dashboard.
    “Where’d that come from?”
    “While you were in the shower, I went to that frou-frou bakery across from the hotel and got you some breakfast. You’ll like it. It’s French.”
    “You planned this?”
    “I go out early and get you a brioche, and you’re complaining?” Ash got out of the car and let Moolah out beside him. “Look, I’ve got a meeting with that guy I told you about. Should take ten minutes, tops.”
    “Wait. Stop. Meeting? ”
    “Yeah. As in, I meet this guy in a public place, tell him where to find this thing he’s been looking for, and he gives me a whole lot of cash.”
    “And you were planning on telling me about this when , exactly?”
    Ash looked wounded. “Aren’t you going to ask me how much we’re going to make on this deal?”
    “No.”
    “I’ll give you a hint. It’s the biggest score. Ever.” When Mauricio didn’t answer, Ash leaned on the open door and sighed. “Okay, look, I didn’t want to worry you.”
    “Well, sure, this is better,” Mauricio said, letting the sarcasm drip. “I’m much calmer now.”
    “Good.” Ash was either ignoring him or being incredibly dense. Maybe both. “Because you should be happy. In about ten minutes, I’m walking out that door with a cold million in cash.”
    Mauricio waited for the punchline. It didn’t come.
    “We’re going to be rich,” Ash explained, his whole body brimming with energy.
    Mauricio raised one eyebrow. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
    Ash sighed. “Whatever. Look, see if you can sell this car, huh?”
    “No. I like this car. This is my favorite.”
    “Too many people have seen us in it.” Ash shut the door and headed toward the restaurant patio, Moolah trotting at his heels. “Be back in a minute. Rich.”
    Mauricio leaned out the window. “Fine. But from now on, I pick what we drive.”
    Ash waved without looking back. He opened the patio gate and disappeared around the corner of the restaurant.
    Mauricio sat there and pulled out the soft brioche from the bag. He ate, trying not to enjoy its delicate custardy taste while he cursed Ash under his breath. When he was done, he dug through the junk on the back seat looking for something to write on. He found a yellow legal pad. With a fat marker, he wrote FOR SALE in giant letters.
    “For real?” a scratchy tenor voice said through the open window, making him jump. “You sellin’ that thing?”
    The black SUV parked next to him had its windows down. The door swung open and out climbed the biggest black guy Mauricio had ever seen. He was built like a water tower, huge on top with skinny legs. He wore a designer suit with the shirt collar spread. His voice went up another notch, into Mike Tyson range. “How much you want for it?”
    Caught off guard with the thick marker still in his hand, Mauricio named the first number that popped into his head. “Five thousand. Cash.”
    “Huh. It hot?” The guy narrowed his dark eyes. “Or you got the title?”
    “Oh, sure, I have the title. It’s all legitimate. W-would you like to take a drive? I’m Mauricio, by the way.”
    The guy drew in a long breath through his nose, puffing up even bigger. He let it out with a smile that showed the gap between his front teeth.