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

base. And I tried, but that didn’t work, there was nothing that would stick. He got no family, no friends. Then they told me they had some lady working on it but it was no good, it was taking too long and they didn’t trust her, they wanted me to keep watch. They told me the lady was in Vegas. I told them I had no jurisdiction there, but they said they were dealing with that and she would be coming to LA.’

‘Deanna.’

Keane coughed.

‘Yeah.’

‘What did they want you to do? Arrest her?’

‘No, no. Just keep an eye on her. Thinking about it I guess Pinsky was involved now, he had a different idea. Like I said, it was all taking too fucking long. They had made contact with her friend, Madeline. Made out they were working to reconcile her with her daughter, and got them to come to LA. Meet an attorney. The first time, they got caught out because the women got all excited about it and turned up the same day. So they arranged a second time, but it got fucked up again. They thought that the major would just drive them in the car from Vegas, he was always there. But for some reason he didn’t go. Lucky they found out a couple of days before they would be getting the train.’

‘Ok. So they set up the Metro hit.’

‘Yeah. This is what they do. It’s the big leagues. They staked it out then did the hit. But it went to shit, as you know. What they were looking for wasn’t there and you were. So it was all a big loss. And yeah, I get the call, I got to get involved, they need all the information I can get now.’

‘What is they are looking for?’ Reed asked.

‘I don’t know. Really, I don’t. I heard it was some military document or something but it was real vague.’

‘Military document? What like missile codes or something?’

‘No, I don’t think so. I got the idea it was plans maybe.’

John looked at Reed.

‘The thing is Ron, that there is a problem in all this. A big problem.’

‘Yeah, there is,’ Reed agreed.

‘What? I’m being helpful here.’

‘I’ve only met you a few days, but right from the start you’ve lied. You missed your calling, you should be in films your acting was that good. The whole time you were talking, telling them who we were and exactly what we were doing. You’ve lied and lied and lied. And you really set us up in Vegas.’

‘Yeah, Kyle is dead and Judy is frightened half to death you fuck,’ Reed growled.

John looked at him again. The big man was clenching and unclenching his massive fists. John reached over and patted him on the shoulder.

‘Take it easy Tom.’

‘Look,’ Keane blustered. ‘Look, by that point there was no way out. I was in too deep. They were pushing me real hard. I had to send the photos, but I did what I could to keep them away I swear.’

‘Right. Of course. Apart from the tracker in the minivan and telling them what hotels we were in.’ Reed looked about ready to snap, and if he did there would be nothing that John could do about it.

‘No. no, it weren’t like that. Alright, there was the tracker I admit that. But I didn’t know anything about the hotels. I thought you were only there one day. Listen, they did not want you to go to Vegas. They told me to set it up with the minivan and they will deal with it. Then next day off you go and in no time at all I get the call that they failed. This was in the morning, so something had gone wrong and quick. They were in a panic about it. They asked me where you were going to be, I told them about the precinct but I didn’t know you were staying overnight. I was calling you John, over and over but you didn’t pick up. I spoke to Kyle in the end but that was it. They must have found the rest out themselves.’

‘They didn’t know where we were. But you sold out Kyle.’

‘I had no choice. I didn’t say nothing about Judy, I told them I didn’t know where she was.’

‘Bullshit!’ Reed snapped, face flushing red.

‘When did you speak to Leonid Pinsky?’ John was starting to feel the same way as Reed, so he kept on with the questions.

‘I got a message, call this number. This was later in the day, after I found out they didn’t stop you going to Vegas. They never told me who, just said to do it. I called and it was Pinsky. I never spoke to him before. Or again. He asked who you were and what you were doing.’

‘And you told him.’

‘Well, yeah, but look I didn’t go into any detail! How did you know about Pinsky anyway?’

‘Tom asked somebody, who was more than happy to tell.’

Reed stood up and leaned on the bars, staring down at Keane.

‘You know, when we realised it was you that was the problem, I couldn’t believe it.’

‘How did you know?’

‘It was the gun. Kyle was dead and Judy was close to it. I was trying and trying to work it out then I looked at the Sig. No firing pin. Useless. And that was another smart play by you down in that bar. There was no way I would have suspected you. But we’ve been back there by the way. And Billy was really keen to fill in the gaps. So I know Ron, it was all your idea.’ John told him.

Keane shrugged, unable to meet his eye.

‘I don’t know Ron. I should just come in there and break you into pieces. I don’t know what’s worse, that you’re a liar, you’re corrupt, you’re responsible for all those innocent deaths in the Metro and Kyle, or that you’re a fucking coward,’ Reed said quietly, still staring through the thick steel bars.

‘Or all of