Ghosts by Matt Rogers (ap literature book list txt) 📕

You should have kept my name out of your mouth. It’s your fault you ended up here.’

She started to cry.

He said, ‘But my oh my, I’m glad you did.’

He took his fingers off her chin, and lowered them.

Touching her neck.

Her collarbones.

Her—

The blare of a cellphone ringing pierced the quiet. It came from Ray’s pocket, and she could see him thinking about flat-out ignoring it. He was hot and flustered and encapsulated by her, and he kept probing his fingers gently along her upper chest.

She held her breath.

She wanted to scream.

Then a look passed over his face. Reconsidering, recalibrating. He grunted as he took his hand off her to work the phone out of his jeans.

She thought she might pass out.

Still on his knees, he turned the screen to face him and studied the contact name.

He said, ‘You’re kidding.’

He lurched to his feet, stormed out of the office, and slammed the door shut behind him, leaving the lamp on. The last flash she caught of him was as he swiped to answer and lifted the phone to his ear.

Then he was gone.

Alexis’ wrist was raw from straining against the handcuff.

She collapsed against the back of the desk, shut her eyes, and held back tears.

47

King waited, and waited, and waited.

He was about to end the call and ring again when there was a click.

A gruff raspy voice said, ‘Well, if it isn’t the traitorous dog.’

King didn’t speak.

Ray said, ‘You’ve decided to come running back with your tail between your legs?’

King said, ‘Shut up and listen.’

Ray froze on the other end. The caller’s voice was very, very different to Alan Ward’s.

King said, ‘You don’t know me, but I know you. Here’s how this is going to work, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll soak in every fucking word I say. I know you’ve been calling the DA all day, trying to get out of the mess you’re in. I know she hasn’t been answering your calls, which is quite unlike her. Usually you get top priority. The reason for her radio silence is because I’ve got her tied up in the room next door. Call my bluff if you want — make calls of your own. You’ll find out she hasn’t been seen at work since the early afternoon. You’ll find out half her security made a collective spontaneous trip to the hospital. So there’s that. But it’s your lucky day, Keith. That’s not all. I’ve got someone else you’re very interested in talking to. I’m calling from his phone.’

Silence.

King said, ‘Are you interested?’

‘Who are you?’

‘Did I say you could ask questions?’

‘Listen, buddy,’ Ray snarled. ‘If you think—’

‘Your back’s to the wall, Keith,’ King said, cutting him off. ‘You’re quickly running out of options. What are you going to do if I turn alive Gloria into dead Gloria? Who’s going to save you from this disaster? Sure, you might win the war with Gates, but then your whole operation is scattered and broken and you’re not going to be able to suppress everything you did today. You know what’ll make it even harder? If I go to every newspaper in Vegas and spill the beans about your special relationship with Armando.’

There was a pause, then Ray said, ‘How the fuck do you know—’

‘Doesn’t matter,’ King said. ‘You in or out?’

‘What do you want in return?’

‘You have a friend of ours.’

Silence. Then, ‘That bitch? You’ll swap Kerr and Ward for her? What is she, your squeeze?’

Slater clenched his fists so hard King thought they might break.

King said, ‘You say one more word about her and I’ll put a bullet in Gloria’s head and then come for you.’

Ray laughed, back on the front foot. ‘You come within a mile of this place and I’ll blow her brains all over the wall. You know I will. That’s why you’re calling with the offer. Don’t act like you can push me around. You’re just as desperate as I am.’

‘Then we’re in business, aren’t we?’

A pause, and then, ‘Sounds like we are.’

‘I knew you were a rational man.’

‘We swap,’ Ray said. ‘Tonight.’

King could almost hear him daydreaming. Imagining getting Kerr handed back to him, imagining her fixing everything. She could use her authority to quash Gates for good, to suppress any suspicion about Ray’s involvement in criminal activity, get him back to his rightful perch atop the mountain of corruption.

But he had suspicions.

Rightly so.

‘I know you’re not acting alone,’ Ray said. ‘The girl mentioned there were at least two of you. I know you’ll have a backup shooter somewhere. You think I’m vermin and want me dead. You’re a righteous crusader, aren’t you? That’s not how this is going to go. I’ve got backup shooters of my own. I catch any hint of a trap, she’s dead. Even if you kill me first. I’ll reach up from beyond the grave and pull her down with me. You understand that, buddy?’

‘I understand,’ King said. ‘We do this right. We cooperate. And then we go our separate ways.’

Ray said, ‘Hold on.’

King paused.

Ray said, ‘You didn’t deny anything I just said.’

‘I didn’t.’

‘So you are some crusader,’ Ray said, ‘and you do want me dead.’

King didn’t answer.

Ray said, ‘What’s to stop you coming after me? You know, when the dust settles…’

‘There are thousands of men like you out there,’ King said. ‘We just want our friend back. That’s it. We’ll find some other trafficker to mess with. You have my word.’

‘Find them someplace else,’ Ray said. ‘That’s my only stipulation. Leave Vegas alone. You know it’s the right move. Even if you take care of me, it’ll only create a power vacuum. There’s a dozen people just like me ready to take my place. Or Kerr’s. Do the right thing.’

‘I will,’ King said.

Oh, I will.

Number one rule in my world: You never put blinkers on.

Ray said, ‘I’m sure you know where I am. It’s already fortified, so don’t think about storming it. Nine p.m. tonight. Not a minute earlier or later. You drive up in one vehicle with