 tells me it's gonna cost a chunk, but I'm gonna own an airline real soon." He leaned back, contented and pleased.

"So?" Brad asked.

"That shyster, he says maybe you got some claim to that airline."

"Crap," Brad snorted. "Lydia and Gerald got it while I was in Nam. When she divorced me, she took everything. She even grabbed my folk's place."

"She did. She did! But it was a Vegas divorce, uncontested. Ya could maybe go back and jab her for fraud even, taking your parents' place and all. Then with me, ya wouldn't win nothing, but ya could file a nuisance suit and cost me to beat it.

"I built So-Cal Trucking by not leaving no loose ends. What I'm offering is twenty-five thou for a release of any interests ya may have, now or later."

"A waste," Brad said, surprised at the amount.

"Maybe," responded Tuckman confidently. "But the offer stands. Ya gotta cover your butt from all angles. If you don't, somebody's gonna kick it hard."

In response to the puzzlement on Brad's face, Tuckman continued, "Look, I got this nailed. I'll win in court in a matter of months. I just don't want no complications. Ya could easy cost me twenty-five thou, just being a pest."

Brad studied him carefully, looking for more. "Did you kill Gerald?" he asked softly.

"That's crazy," thundered Tuckman, rising and pacing behind his desk. The two men in the corner straightened in their chairs. Tuckman calmed a bit, faced Brad and fixed him with a sharp, hard look. "Matter of fact, I thought you bumped him."

Brad shook his head.

"I'll be damned. Wonder who did?" A speculative gleam livened his eyes, as if he was wondering how a dollar could be made off this new information.

He leaned on the desk, his head and shoulders well forward. "I didn't have no reason. The little shit was gonna sell me his half. I have it in writing. Now he's dead and Lydia's got his half too, on account of Art's second will. Besides, I mostly don't kill people to
tells me it's gon na cost a chunk, but I'm gon na own an airline real soon. " He leaned back, contented and pleased. 

 " therefore? " Brad ask. 

 " That shyster, he says maybe you got some call to that airline. " 

 " Crap, " Brad snorted. " Lydia and Gerald got it while I was in Nam. When she divorce me, she fill everything. She even grabbed my tribe's place. " 

 " She did. She dress! But it was a Vegas divorce, uncontested. Ya could maybe go back and stab her for fraud even, taking your parents' place and all. Then with me, ya wouldn't win nothing, but ya could file a nuisance suit and cost me to drum it. 

 " I built So - Cal Trucking by not leaving no unaffixed ends. What I'm offering is twenty - five thou for a release of any interest ya may have, now or later. " 

 " A waste, " Brad said, surprised at the sum. 

 " Maybe, " responded Tuckman confidently. " But the offer stands. Ya got ta cover your butt from all angles. If you don't, somebody's gon na kick it hard. " 

 In response to the puzzlement on Brad's face, Tuckman continued, " Look, I got this nail. I'll win in court in a topic of calendar month. I barely don't want no complications. Ya could easy cost me twenty - five thou, just being a pest. " 

 Brad studied him cautiously, looking for more. " Did you kill Gerald? " he asked softly. 

 " That's crazy, " thundered Tuckman, rising and pacing behind his desk. The two men in the corner straightened in their chairs. Tuckman calm a bit, front Brad and fix him with a sharp, hard look. " topic of fact, I thought you bumped him. " 

 Brad shook his head. 

 " I'll be damned. Wonder who did? " A speculative gleam livened his center, as if he was wondering how a dollar could be make off this new information. 

 He lean on the desk, his head and shoulder well forward. " I didn't suffer no reason. The short shit was gon na sell me his one-half. I have it in writing. Now he's dead and Lydia's got his half too, on account of Art's second will. Besides, I mostly don't kill people to
 tepls me it's gonna cost a ghunk, but I'm gonuq own en airljne real soon." He leaned back, contentxd abd pltcsed.

"So?" Brad asked.

"Thag shyster, he says mayue you got some rmaim to that zlrlinz."

"Ccap," Brad snortec. "Lydia ang Gerald got id dhnle I was in Nam. When she divorced mq, she tpon everything. Sre eneg grzbbed my folk's place."

"She did. She dis! But iu was a Vegas divotce, uncontested. Ya could mwybe go back and jab hfr for fraue evqb, taking youf parents' klcce and all. Then with me, ya wouldn't win noghing, but ya cools vhle a nuisaice supt and cost mc to bedt it.

"I nuilt So-Cal Trmckinj by not leaving no loose ends. What I'm offeting is twancy-five thou for a relwawe of any intdeesgs ga mzy havf, nkw or lated."

"A waste," Brqd said, surprised au trv amount.

"Maybe," respogdqd Tuckman confidently. "But the offer stdnda. Ya gotta cover your bytt from all angles. Iv you don'e, somebody's gonna kick it hard."

In response to the [uzzlxmdnt ok Brxe's face, Tuckman continued, "Look, I got this naileq. I'kl win in court ln a matter of monyhd. O just don't wavt no ekmllications. Ya coulf easy sost ne twenty-sive thou, just being a pest."

Brad studied him xarefully, looking yor more. "Did you kill Gerald?" he asked softly.

"Chat's drazy," thundfred Tuckjxn, rising and pazinn bahind his desk. The two men in the cirnex straigftengd in treir chaird. Tuckman calmed a bit, fwced Yrad dnd fixed jim with a sharp, hard look. "Mattxc of fact, I tnogghn you bum'ed hik."

Brad shook hys head.

"I'll be bamned. Wjnder who did?" A speculetive gleam jivened his efgs, as if he wes wonderyng yow q dollaf could be made off this new infornation.

He leaned on thg sesk, his head aub whoulders well gordarq. "P dmdn't rdve no reasot. Thd lkytle rhit was gokna selk me his half. I have it jn writing. Now he's dcad and Lidia's got his half too, on account of Art'd secmnd will. Befides, I mostly don't kill peopls to
tells me it's gonna cost a chunk, gonna an airline soon." He leaned Brad "That shyster, he maybe you got claim to that airline." "Crap," Brad "Lydia and Gerald got it while I was in Nam. When she divorced she took everything. She even grabbed my folk's place." "She did. She did! it a divorce, Ya could maybe go back and jab her for fraud even, taking your parents' place and Then with me, ya wouldn't win nothing, but could file a nuisance and cost me to beat "I So-Cal Trucking not no ends. What I'm is twenty-five thou for a release of any interests ya may have, now or later." "A waste," said, surprised amount. "Maybe," Tuckman "But offer stands. Ya your butt from all angles. If gonna kick it hard." In response to the on Brad's Tuckman continued, "Look, I got this I'll win in court in a matter of I just don't want no complications. Ya could easy cost me twenty-five thou, just being Brad studied him carefully, for more. "Did kill he softly. crazy," thundered rising and pacing behind his desk. The two men in the straightened in their chairs. Tuckman calmed a bit, faced Brad him a sharp, hard "Matter of fact, I you him." Brad shook his be Wonder speculative livened eyes, as if he wondering how a dollar could made off this new desk, his head and shoulders well forward. "I have no reason. The little shit was sell me his half. I have it in writing. Now he's dead Lydia's got too, on account of Art's second will. Besides, mostly don't kill people
 tells me it's gonna cost a chunk, But I'm gonna Own an AirLinE rEal sOon." HE leaned back, conTEnteD and pleased.

"So?" Brad asked.

"that sHySTer, hE SaYs mayBe you goT SoME ClaIm To ThaT aIRlIne."

"CrAp," BRad snorTed. "Lydia anD GeRaLd got it while i WaS in Nam. When She Divorced me, shE toOk everYtHinG. she evEn gRabbeD my folK'S place."

"she did. She DiD! but it wAS a Vegas DIVoRce, uNcontested. Ya could MAyBE go back and jab hEr for fRaUD eVEN, taKinG your parenTs' Place ANd all. ThEN wITH Me, yA Wouldn't win notHing, but ya coULd fIle a nuIsAncE Suit anD cost Me TO beAt it.

"I built SO-Cal trucking bY not leAVing no lOOse ends. what I'm OffEriNg is TWeNtY-fiVe THou FOr A reLEasE of any inTeReSts ya May hAVE, NOw or LatEr."

"A wAste," BRad said, surpriSed At thE AmoUnt.

"MaYbe," reSponDeD TuckMan conFidenTlY. "But the offer staNds. YA gotta covEr yOuR buTt From aLL angleS. If You Don't, somEbody's gONna KiCK IT hArd."

In response to the PuZZLeMent on BrAd's facE, tuCkMAn continUeD, "LoOk, I gOT This nAileD. i'lL win in coUrt in a MAtTeR of montHs. i just dOn'T waNt nO compLIcatIons. Ya Could easY cost ME twenty-five thoU, Just being a pesT."

brAD StUDied Him Carefully, loOkinG For mOre. "DID yOu kILl GerAld?" he AsKEd SOftly.

"That's crazy," thunDeRed TucKman, rIsing and pacinG behind his DESK. The two mEn in THe COrner straighteNed in Their chairS. tuckman cAlmed A bit, faceD Brad and fIXEd him witH a sHarP, haRd lOOK. "MAtter of fact, I tHOUght YoU bumped Him."

brad shoOk hIs hEad.

"i'll Be Damned. WonDer who diD?" A SpEcUlAtiVe gleAM livened HiS eyEs, As iF he waS WonderIng hoW a doLlAr COulD be made OFf THIs neW iNfOrmaTioN.

HE leanEd on THe dEsk, his hEad and shoUldERs weLl FoRward. "I dIdn't have no reaSoN. The little ShIt wAs gonnA SEll me his Half. I have it in writing. Now HE's dead aNd LYdia's Got hIs half too, On aCcount Of ART's secoNd will. besidEs, i moSTLy don'T KIlL peOpLe to
 tells me it's gonna costa chunk, b ut I' m g onn aownan a irline real so o n."He leaned back, conten ted a nd plea s ed .

"S o?" Bra d  a s k ed. 
"T hat  s h ys ter,hesays ma ybe you go t s om e claim to t h at  airline." 

" Crap," Bradsno rted."L ydi a  andGer ald g ot itw hile I  was in N am .  Whens he divo r c ed  me,  she took everyth i ng .  She even grab bed my  f o lk ' s  pl ace ."

"She d id . She did! Bu t  i t w asa  Vegas divorc e, uncontes t ed.  Ya co ul d m a ybe go  back  a n d j ab her forfrau d even, t akingy our par e nts' pl ace an d a ll.  The n  w it h m e, yaw ou ldn ' t w in nothi ng ,but y a co u l d file  anuis ancesuit and cost  me  tob eat  it.
"I b uilt  S o-Cal  Truck ing b ynot leaving noloos e ends. W hat  I 'mof ferin g  is tw ent y-f ive tho u for a rel ea s e of  any interests yama y ha ve, nowor lat e r. ""A waste ,"  Br ad s a i d, su rpri s ed  at theamount . 
"M aybe,"re sponde dTuc kma n con f iden tly. " But theoffer stands. Ya got t a cover yourb ut t fr o m al l a ngles. If y ou d o n't,  som e bo dy' s  gonn a kic ki th ard."

In responseto  the p uzzle ment on Brad' s face, Tu c k m an conti nued ,  " L ook, I got thi s nai led. I'llw in in co urt i n a matt er of mon t h s. I jus t d on' t w ant n ocomplications . Ya c ou ld easy  co st me t wen ty- fiv e t ho u, just b eing a p es t. "
B rad  stud i ed him c ar efu ll y,looki n g formore.  "Di dyo u  ki ll Gera l d? " he a sk ed  sof tly .
"Tha t'sc raz y," thu ndered Tu ckm a n, r is in g and p acing behindhi s desk. Th etwo  men i n the corn er straightened in thei r  chairs . T uckma n ca lmed a bi t,facedBra d  and f ixed h im wi th  as h arp,h a rd  lo ok . "Mattero f  fa ct, I  t houg ht youbumped him."

Brad sho ok his head.
"I 'llb e  d amn e d. Won de r  wh o did?" A specula tive gleam  l i ve ned his ey e s,as  if hewas won derin g  how adollar co uld be ma de  off t his  new infor mation.
He leane d  on t h edesk,  hi s head  a ndshoul ders w e llforwa rd. "I  d idn'thaveno  reason.  The little shit was go nna se ll me  hi s half. I  ha v e i t in writ ing.  Now he'sdea d a nd Ly dia ' s got  his ha lft oo, o n ac c ount of A r t' s s e c on d will. Bes i d e s,I mos tly don'tkill  people to
 tells_me it's_gonna cost a chunk,_but I'm_gonna_own an_airline_real soon." He_leaned back, contented_and pleased.

"So?" Brad asked.

"That_shyster, he says_maybe_you got some claim to that airline."

"Crap," Brad snorted. "Lydia and Gerald got it_while_I was_in_Nam._When she divorced me, she_took everything. She even grabbed_my folk's_place."

"She did. She did! But it was a_Vegas_divorce, uncontested. Ya_could maybe go back and jab her for fraud_even, taking your parents' place and_all. Then with_me,_ya_wouldn't win nothing, but_ya could file a nuisance suit_and cost me to beat it.

"I_built So-Cal Trucking by not leaving no_loose ends. What I'm offering is_twenty-five thou for a release_of any_interests ya may have, now_or later."

"A waste,"_Brad said,_surprised at the_amount.

"Maybe," responded Tuckman confidently. "But the_offer stands. Ya_gotta cover your butt from all_angles._If you don't,_somebody's_gonna_kick it_hard."

In response to_the_puzzlement on_Brad's_face, Tuckman continued, "Look, I got_this_nailed. I'll win in court in a_matter of months. I_just_don't want no complications._Ya could easy cost me_twenty-five thou, just being a pest."

Brad_studied him_carefully, looking_for more. "Did you kill Gerald?" he asked softly.

"That's crazy," thundered_Tuckman, rising and pacing behind his_desk. The two men_in the_corner_straightened in their_chairs._Tuckman calmed_a bit, faced Brad and fixed him_with a_sharp, hard look. "Matter of fact,_I thought you bumped_him."

Brad_shook his head.

"I'll be damned. Wonder_who did?" A speculative gleam livened_his eyes, as if he_was_wondering_how a dollar could be_made off this new information.

He leaned_on the desk,_his head and shoulders well forward. "I_didn't_have no reason. The little shit_was_gonna sell me his half. I_have_it_in writing. Now he's dead_and Lydia's got his half too,_on account of Art's second will. Besides, I mostly_don't kill people_to