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“Sometimes.”

“You stared at her legs, ogled her breasts, said and did things that diminish a woman’s dignity.”

“Yeah, I did that. Sure did. I’m sorry as hell about it too.”

“Really?” Gray said dryly.

“Really. Yes, sir. If I don’t regret it, may I be struck blind for lying.”

Bondurant thoughtfully tapped the barrel of the pistol against the back of the chair. “If I ever hear of you insulting or mistreating her again, I’m going to be pissed, Howie. You’ll pray to be struck blind rather than have me after you.”

“I… I understand.”

“What about tomorrow?”

“I’ll try to find out what you want.”

“I hope you come through for us.”

Relaxing, Howie smiled. “ ’Cause you’d hate to kill me, right?”

“No. Because I’d hate to waste a perfectly good bullet making mush of your brain.”

Abruptly Bondurant rose, stuffing the pistol back into his waistband. He then disappeared into the bedroom. Without a word, Barrie followed.

“Where are you going?” Howie called after them. “Hey! What time tomorrow? Where?”

He was answered only by a malevolent silence. When he finally worked up enough courage to leave the kitchen and venture into his bedroom, it was empty. His guests seemed to have vaporized. If not for the wet stain on the front of his trousers, he might have imagined the whole terrifying episode.

Chapter Thirty-Two

“I felt sorry for him.”

“Don’t. When you compared him to a maggot, you insulted maggots everywhere.”

They had left Howie’s apartment via the fire escape and bedroom window through which they’d entered, and were on their way back to Daily’s house. Barrie was staring pensively through the windshield of the car that Gray had stolen without a qualm. “You’re a scary guy, Bondurant. You really frightened him.”

“Fear’s a good motivator.”

“I wonder if it’s the most effective one, though.”

“We’ll know tomorrow night.”

“He was trying to be helpful.” She fished the note Howie had given her from her pocket. “Good ol’ Charlene,” she said with a light laugh. “Apparently she hasn’t learned that I’m no longer employed at WVUE. I never actually spoke to her, but she was a faithful caller.” On impulse, Barrie asked Gray to pull over to the curb and park in front of a pharmacy.

He did as she asked and got out of the car with her. “Drugstore’s closed,” he remarked.

“I don’t need the drugstore. I want to use the pay phone.”

He glanced around. “Not a great neighborhood to be loitering on a street corner.”

“I feel reasonably safe, what with the security lights inside the store and you with that portable cannon inside your pants.” He gave her an arch look. “You flatter yourself, Bondurant. Got any change?”

The number Howie had written was in an area code unfamiliar to her. To avoid phone records, she didn’t use her calling card, but fed coins into the slots. After much pinging and panging, the call went through. It rang several times. She was about to hang up when someone finally answered.

“Yo!”

“Excuse me?” She raised her hand, indicating to Gray that her call had been answered.