Rain Gods (Hackberry Holland 2)

?Who ordered the pizza??

?The skinny broad.?

?What?d she say??

??I want two sausage-and-mushroom pizzas.??

?Pick up the receiver and hit redial.?

?I think you?re losing it, man.?

?Just do it.?

?This phone doesn?t have a redial.?

?Then get the number off the pizza menu on the desk and call it.?

?Okay, Tim. How about a little serenity here??

Someone knocked on the door. The biker who had picked up the phone replaced the receiver in the cradle. He started toward the door.

?No!? Tim said, holding up his hand. He got up from his chair in his sock feet and clicked off the light. He pulled back the window curtain just far enough to see the walkway.

?Who is it?? the other biker asked him.

?I can?t tell,? Tim said. He removed the Glock from his overnight bag. ?What do you want?? he said through the door.

?Pizza delivery,? a voice said.

?What took you so long??

?There was an accident on the highway.?

?Set it on the walkway.?

?It?s in the warmer.?

?If you set it down, it won?t be in the warmer any longer, will it??

?It?s thirty-two dollars.?

Tim put on the night chain and took out his wallet. He eased the door open, the chain links tightening against the brass slot. The delivery man was older than he expected, blade-faced, his nose sunburned, an orange-and-black cloth cap pulled low on his brow.

?How much did you say??

?Thirty-two dollars even.?

?I?ve only got a hundred.?

?I have to go back to the car for change.?

Tim held on to the hundred and closed the door and waited. A moment later, the delivery man returned and knocked again. Tim cracked the door and handed the hundred-dollar bill to him. ?Count the change out on the top of the box. Keep five for yourself.?

?Thank you, sir.?

?What?s your name??

?Doug.?