Dying For LA by Ian Jones (top fiction books of all time .txt) 📕

Brady scribbled the name down.

‘OK, so what are you doing for him?’

‘It’s already done. He had a problem with a partner here. Deals had been done but he hadn’t received any payments.’

Unable to contain himself any longer Truman butted into the conversation, leaning forward aggressively.

‘Why couldn’t he just have sorted that out for himself? It must have cost him a fortune to fly you all the way out here and put you up in the Montage, plus I expect you want paying for it. I assume this is a lot of money we are talking about.’

‘He tried, but he was encouraged to forget about it. Threats were made. Mr Butler prefers to keep his hands clean, so to speak. And yes, it is a lot of money.’

Truman sneered

‘This is bullshit.’

Brady tutted.

‘Dennis, please. We’re having a conversation, getting to the facts. And to be frank, at the moment you aren’t helping. Mr Smith how long have you been in LA?’

‘I arrived Friday evening, about seven. Simon picked me up and took me to the hotel. Then we met up in the morning and I went to see his business partner over here.’

‘Right, and who is this partner?’

Again, John had no reason not to answer.

‘His name is Randall Flanagan. He has some kind of property business here.’

Truman looked blank but Brady clapped his hands slowly.

‘Randy Flanagan? Jesus. Been a few years since we heard from Mister Flanagan. No wonder your guy didn’t have any luck with him, he is a solid gold crook that guy. Jesus, so he’s in the property development game now. I can’t recall the last time his name got mentioned. But he’s got a fellow as big as a house looks out for him. Clarence I believe his name is from memory. So what did you do that changed his mind?’

‘I just persuaded him that as plenty of money had been made the fairest solution would be to pay what he owed as he had originally agreed. And he decided I was right.’

Brady say back heavily in his chair and smiled despite himself.

‘And he agreed just like that?’

John nodded.

‘You know this Flanagan?’ Truman asked Brady in a low voice leaning toward him.

Brady raised his eyebrows.

‘Sure. Age-old scams in housing. Every trick in the book and obvious too. Rents on properties not his, selling vacant lots, you name it. He was at it for years. It finally caught up with him, he got five in Ironwood. I haven’t heard his name in … has to be ten years.’

‘Well, it’s easy to check out then,’ John commented.

Brady nodded.

‘Oh yeah, but like I said, that’s not why we’re talking here. I’m just trying to get the backstory, we need to understand who you are and how you came to be there. I’m sure you understand the seriousness of the situation.’

John looked at both men. Truman stood up and leaned on the table next to John.

‘You don’t look very happy Mr Smith. Well let me say I’m not either. This is all too neat right? You just happened to be right there. Just happened to be in LA in the first place when we get a terrorist strike …’

‘They weren’t terrorists,’ John interrupted, talking to Brady.

Truman’s face got even redder.

‘What? What crap is this? You’re saying they’re not terrorists? I knew you were up to your neck. What the fuck is your involvement with this?’

‘Calm down Dennis,’ Brady cut in. ‘Sit down. What do you mean John? Explain.’

John turned away and spoke deliberately to Brady, ignoring the stewing Truman.

‘It’s simple chief. I was there. They didn’t spray bullets. I hit the deck and it was all single shots. There was a short burst at the end but that’s it. When I came back after chasing the guy up the escalator I looked, and all the cameras had been shot out, plus the assistance phone. It was targeted, the terrorists I’ve had dealings with don’t shoot that well.’

‘Bullshit,’ muttered Truman. But Brady was looking at John. He was interested. There was something.

‘Go on.’

‘It was a hit. Tell me, anything at all in the victims? How many people were killed? Anyone stand out? Anything different or unusual?’

‘Don’t tell him anything!’ Truman shouted.

Brady sighed.

‘Dennis, please. Ok John. Yeah, there is something odd I suppose. There were twenty-one people on the platform including you. Sixteen men and five women. Five people killed, nobody else shot other than the three men that you took care of.’

John looked patiently at Brady who sighed and continued.

‘It was all five women shot and killed. Just the women.’

John was shocked.

‘All the women were killed?’

‘Yeah. Of course, we don’t know if that’s the real story, you interrupted them. Maybe everyone would have been dead now, you included.’

‘Yeah, well maybe. To me they seemed like it was done, they didn’t get what they were looking for. But I didn’t realise it was the women they were after. I can’t believe I didn’t notice.’

Brady rubbed his eyes.

‘Yes. Four of them were standing in two pairs and one was on her own. Youngest thirty, oldest forty-eight. Four dead before the paramedics got to the scene and the fifth passed away on the journey to the hospital.’

‘So, it was a hit,’ John mused.

‘How do you figure that smartass?’ Truman asked.

John looked at him, his patience running out.

‘Jesus, how the fuck did you make captain, you ignorant prick? Of course it was a fucking hit. One of the women at a guess. But they didn’t know what she looked like I reckon, maybe they only had a vague description, and maybe didn’t even have that so they killed the lot.’

‘And you just happened to be there, in the right place.’

‘No Truman, in the wrong place. At the wrong time. It was self-preservation, my instincts. The gun was there and they were standing right next to me. So I acted. You know what? Do me for murder. I’ll make my phone call now.’

Brady stood up.

‘Let’s just calm down here OK? John, what you did