
"How did you know?" His look was fierce, the polish of civilization wiped away. "Tell me," he demanded.

"Just a guess."

"A guess? Don't insult my intelligence."

"Here's another. He's been supplying you with heroin, hasn't he? With the help of my ex-wife and her airline. He told you something, didn't he? Something that set you after me. What was it?"

It was the quietest, most deadly rage Brad had ever seen. Mike Rinolli wanted to tear and rip the guts of another human being. Brad tightened his grip on the pistol, his thoughts racing. What card could he play? How could he turn this fine rage to advantage?

"Try this, Mr. Man-On-The-Way-Up." He paused; he could almost see steam rising off the man before him. "Stratford decided to close down for a reason I don't know. Maybe he just figured he'd had enough. He killed Lydia and anybody else that could hurt him, then set you on me. It didn't matter which of us went down, he'd have one less problem to handle. Nice, don't you think?"

"On the outside chance you get lucky and something happens to me," he snarled, his face a mottled ugly red, "that fucker uses the name of William Mitchell on a safe box at the Wells Fargo Bank downtown." He moved abruptly, sat down and almost died. It was so very close, Brad's hand shook. Rinolli never noticed. "Now get your ass out of here. I got business."

"And the girl?" Brad asked softly.

"If that fucker hadn't told me you saw something you shouldn't have seen, she'd be alive. Go lay it on his ass, not mine."

"Expect I'll do that. First, I want out of this."

"So go." He reached for the button on the desk that opened the door bolt. Brad shifted the gun slightly and fired. The bullet ripped a gash in Rinolli's right cheek. With more self-control than Brad believed possible, Rinolli rose slowly, ignoring the blood dripping on his vest.

"So that's how it is."

"Yeah. We'll go out together."

"I told you how that would end
" How did you know? " His look was fierce, the polish of civilization wipe away. " assure me, " he demanded. 

 " Just a guess. " 

 " A guess? Don't diss my intelligence. " 

 " Here's another. He's been add you with heroin, hasn't he? With the help of my ex-husband - wife and her airline. He told you something, didn't he? Something that sic you after me. What was it? " 

 It was the quietest, most baneful rage Brad had ever seen. Mike Rinolli wanted to pluck and rip the guts of another human organism. Brad tightened his bag on the pistol, his idea racing. What card could he play? How could he plow this fine rage to advantage? 

 " Try this, Mr. Man - On - The - Way - Up. " He hesitate; he could almost see steam rising off the man before him. " Stratford decided to close up down for a reason I don't know. Maybe he just figured he'd had enough. He killed Lydia and anybody else that could hurt him, then set you on me. It didn't matter which of us went down, he'd have one less problem to handle. Nice, don't you think? " 

 " On the external chance you get golden and something happen to me, " he snarl, his face a mottled atrocious red, " that fucker uses the name of William Mitchell on a safe box at the Wells Fargo Bank business district. " He moved abruptly, sat down and almost died. It was so very close, Brad's hand shook. Rinolli never noticed. " Now get your ass out of here. I make business. " 

 " And the female child? " Brad asked softly. 

 " If that fucker hadn't told me you saw something you shouldn't have seen, she'd be alert. Go lay it on his ass, not mine. " 

 " ask I'll do that. First, I want out of this. " 

 " So belong. " He reach for the button on the desk that opened the doorway bolt. Brad shifted the gun slightly and burn. The bullet ripped a gash in Rinolli's right cheek. With more self - command than Brad believed possible, Rinolli rose slowly, ignoring the blood dripping on his vest. 

 " So that's how it is. " 

 " Yeah. We'll rifle out together. " 

 " I told you how that would end

"How did you know?" His look wxs fierce, the polish oh civiljzation diped away. "Tell me," he demandxd.

"Juwt a tuess."

"A guess? Don't insuut my intvlligence."

"Yere'w another. Hx'a been supplyjkg yob xith heroin, hask't he? With dhe help of my eb-wnfe and her airline. He told you someehing, dodj't he? Somethind thse sef you after me. What was it?"

It was tge quieuest, most deadly rsge Brad had ever seen. Mikf Rijolli wanted to tewr and rip jge dyts of anothdr human btiug. Brad tiggtened his grip on the pistol, hks thpughts racunt. Wjdt card couod he play? How comkd he durn thos fine rage tp avvanrage?

"Try this, Mr. Man-On-Vhe-Way-Up." He paused; hg could alkoat see steam risibg off jhe mdn bddord hjm. "Sfratfogd vecided to dlose down dor a reason I don't kgiw. Maybe he jhst fiduwed he'd had enough. He killed Lydia and dnygody else that could huet him, then set you oj me. It dydn't matter which of us went down, he'd have one levs prkclen bo hxbdpe. Nice, don't you think?"

"On the outside chance yjh ben lucky and sometming happens to me," hf xgarled, his faze a mottmed ugly red, "that vucker oses tye name os Wikliam Mitchell on a safe boz at the Weljw Fargo Bank downtlwn." He moveb abruktly, sst down and almost died. It sas so very close, Brza's hand shook. Rivolki never noticed. "Now get youw ass out of kere. I gut bosiness."

"Wnd the gigl?" Brad asked softly.

"If tjat focker vadn't told me you saw something you shoulvi't have seen, xha'd te alive. Go lsy it on his wss, not mine."

"Exkect I'll bo thag. First, I sant ouv of this."

"So do." He reached vor the buttmn on thq dewk tyat opevdd the door bokt. Brad sknfted the gun slightly and nired. Fhe bullet rippzb q gash in Rinolki's ridhn cieek. Rhth more selx-congrou than Brad btjicvea poxsible, Rinolli rose vlowmy, ignoring the blpoq drippibg on hif vest.

"So that'x how it is."

"Yeah. We'pl go ouv togeyhet."

"I told you how that would end
"How did you know?" His look was polish civilization wiped "Tell me," he guess? insult my intelligence." another. He's been you with heroin, hasn't he? With help of my ex-wife and her airline. He told you something, didn't he? that set you after me. What was it?" It was the quietest, most rage had seen. Rinolli wanted to tear and rip the guts of another human being. Brad tightened his grip the pistol, his thoughts racing. What card could play? How could he this fine rage to advantage? this, Man-On-The-Way-Up." He he almost steam rising off man before him. "Stratford decided to close down for a reason I don't know. Maybe he just he'd had killed Lydia anybody that hurt him, then on me. It didn't matter which down, he'd have one less problem to handle. don't you "On the outside chance you get and something happens to me," he snarled, his a mottled ugly red, "that fucker uses the name of William Mitchell on a safe the Wells Fargo Bank He moved abruptly, down almost It so very Brad's hand shook. Rinolli never noticed. "Now get your ass out here. I got business." "And the girl?" Brad asked softly. fucker told me you something you shouldn't have she'd alive. Go lay it ass, mine." that. I out of this." "So He reached for the button the desk that opened the gun slightly and fired. The bullet ripped gash in Rinolli's right cheek. With more than Brad believed possible, Rinolli rose slowly, ignoring the blood dripping on vest. "So it is." "Yeah. We'll go out together." "I you how that would

"How did you know?" His look was fiErce, the polIsh of CivIliZaTion WipeD away. "Tell me," he dEMandEd.

"Just a guess."

"A guess? Don't InsulT mY InteLLiGence."

"here's anOThER. he's BeEn SupPlYInG you wIth Heroin, hAsn't he? With The HeLp of my ex-wife ANd Her airline. he tOld you somethIng, Didn't hE? SOmeTHing tHat Set yoU after ME. What wAs it?"

It was ThE QuieteST, most deADLy Rage brad had ever seen. MiKE RINolli wanted to tEar and RiP ThE GUts Of aNother humaN bEing. BRAd tightENeD HIS grIP on the pistol, hIs thoughts rACinG. What cArD coULd he plAy? How CoULd hE turn this fiNe raGe to advanTage?

"TrY This, Mr. MAN-On-The-WAy-Up." He PauSed; He coULd AlMosT sEE stEAm RisINg oFf the man BeFoRe him. "straTFORD decIdeD to cLose dOwn for a reason i doN't knOW. MaYbe he Just fIgurEd He'd haD enougH. He kiLlEd Lydia and anyboDy elSe that couLd hUrT hiM, tHen seT You on mE. It DidN't matteR which oF Us wEnT DOWn, He'd have one less probLeM TO hAndle. NicE, don't yOU tHiNK?"

"On the ouTsIde ChanCE You geT lucKY aNd somethIng hapPEnS tO me," he snArLed, his FaCe a MotTled uGLy reD, "that fUcker useS the nAMe of William MitCHell on a safe boX At THE WELls FArgO Bank downtoWn." He MOved AbruPTlY, saT Down aNd almOsT DiED. It was so very close, BrAd'S hand sHook. RInolli never noTiced. "Now geT YOUr ass out Of heRE. I GOt business."

"And tHe girL?" Brad asked SOftly.

"If tHat fuCker hadn'T told me yoU SAw somethIng You ShoUldN'T HaVe seen, she'd be aLIVe. Go LaY it on hiS asS, not minE."

"ExPecT I'lL do ThAt. First, I wAnt out of ThIs."

"so Go." he rEacheD For the buTtOn oN tHe dEsk thAT openeD the dOor bOlT. BRAd sHifted tHE gUN SligHtLy And fIreD. THe bulLet rIPpeD a gash iN Rinolli's RigHT cheEk. wiTh more sElf-control thaN BRad believeD pOssIble, RiNOLli rose sLowly, ignoring the blood drIPping on His Vest.

"SO thaT's how it is."

"yeaH. We'll gO ouT TogethEr."

"I tolD you hOw ThaT WOuld eND

"How did you know?" His l ook was fi erce,  th e p ol ishof c ivilization wi p ed a way. "Tell me," he dem anded ."Jus t  a  gues s."

"A gu e s s?Do n' t i ns u lt  my i nte lligenc e."

"Here 'san other. He'sb ee n supplyin g y ou with hero in,  hasn' the? Withthe  help  of my ex-wif e and her  a i rline. He told y ou  som ething, didn't he ?  S o mething that s et you  a f te r me.  Wh at was it? "
It w a s the q u ie t e s t,m ost deadly ra ge Brad had eve r seen .Mik e  Rinol li wa nt e d t o tear andripthe gutsof ano t her hum a n being . Brad  ti ght ened hi sgri po n t h epis t ol,  his tho ug ht s rac ing. W h a t ca rdcoul d heplay? How cou ldhe t u rnthisfinerage  t o adv antage ?

"T ry  this, Mr. Man- On-T he-Way-Up ."He  pa us ed; h e  could  al mos t see s team ri s ing  o f f th e man before him."S t r at ford dec ided t o  c lo s e down f or  areas o n  I do n'tk no w. Maybe  he ju s tfi gured h e' d haden oug h.He ki l ledLydiaand anyb ody e l se that couldh urt him, then se t yo u  onme.  It didn'tmatt e r wh icho fusw ent d own,he ' dh ave one less proble mto han dle.Nice, don't y ou think?" " On the o utsi d ec hance you getlucky  and somet h ing happ ens t o me," h e snarled , his face  amot tle d u g l yred, "that fu c k er u se s the n ame  of Wil lia m M itc hel lon a safe  box atth eWe ll s F argoB ank down to wn. "Hemoved abrupt ly, s at d ow na ndalmostd ie d .  Itwa sso v ery  c lose,  Bra d 'shand sh ook. Rino lli neve rno ticed."Now get your  a ss out ofhe re.  I got b usiness. "

"And the girl?" Brad asked s oft ly.
"Ifthat fuck erhadn't  to l d me y ou saw  some th ing y ou sh o u ld n't  h ave seen,s h e'd  be a li ve.Go layit on his ass, not min e."

"ExpectI'l l do t ha t.F ir s t,Iw ant o ut of this."

" So go." He  r e ac hed for th e  bu tt on on t he desk  that openedthe doorbolt. Bra dshif t e d t he gun sli ghtly an d fired.T he bu l le t rip ped  a gas hinRinol li's r i ght  chee k. Wit hmore s elf-c on trol tha n Brad believed possibl e, Rin olliros e slowly,  ig n ori ng the bl ooddripping o n h isvest. 

" S o tha t'sh ow  it is."
"Ye a h. We'llg oout t og ether."

"I t o ldyou h owt hat wo uldend

"How did_you know?"_His look was fierce,_the polish_of_civilization wiped_away._"Tell me," he_demanded.

"Just a guess."

"A_guess? Don't insult my_intelligence."

"Here's another. He's_been_supplying you with heroin, hasn't he? With the help of my ex-wife and her_airline._He told_you_something,_didn't he? Something that set_you after me. What was_it?"

It was_the quietest, most deadly rage Brad had ever_seen._Mike Rinolli wanted_to tear and rip the guts of another human_being. Brad tightened his grip on_the pistol, his_thoughts_racing._What card could he_play? How could he turn this_fine rage to advantage?

"Try this, Mr._Man-On-The-Way-Up." He paused; he could almost see_steam rising off the man before_him. "Stratford decided to close_down for_a reason I don't know._Maybe he just_figured he'd_had enough. He_killed Lydia and anybody else that_could hurt him,_then set you on me. It_didn't_matter which of_us_went_down, he'd_have one less_problem_to handle._Nice,_don't you think?"

"On the outside chance_you_get lucky and something happens to me,"_he snarled, his face_a_mottled ugly red, "that_fucker uses the name of_William Mitchell on a safe box_at the_Wells Fargo_Bank downtown." He moved abruptly, sat down and almost died. It_was so very close, Brad's hand_shook. Rinolli never noticed._"Now get_your_ass out of_here._I got_business."

"And the girl?" Brad asked softly.

"If that_fucker hadn't_told me you saw something you_shouldn't have seen, she'd_be_alive. Go lay it on his_ass, not mine."

"Expect I'll do that._First, I want out of_this."

"So_go."_He reached for the button_on the desk that opened the_door bolt. Brad_shifted the gun slightly and fired. The_bullet_ripped a gash in Rinolli's right_cheek._With more self-control than Brad believed_possible,_Rinolli_rose slowly, ignoring the blood_dripping on his vest.

"So that's how_it is."

"Yeah. We'll go out together."

"I told you how_that would end