Chapter 26
Angel brought some alcohol from Leonard's medicine cabinet, tore up a pillowcase, and let me dress Trudy's hand at the kitchen sink. Trudy was still white and a little wobbly and she flinched when I poured the alcohol on her hand, but not much. After being nailed to a table, alcohol was a treat.
'I'm sorry,' I said.
'I made my own choices,' she said. 'You don't know where the money is, do you, Hap?'
I didn't answer.
'If you do, don't tell them. They're going to kill us anyway. Let's don't give them the satisfaction of the money. Scum like this, they'll buy drugs, sell them to kids if they can make a dime.'
'Hey,' Soldier said. 'Quit the debate. Happy Man's giving me the money. And I tell you, it's not so bad a kid or two's got some dope, way things are. Little dope's better than some things. Let's roll.'
I wrapped the strips of pillowcase tight around her hand.
Blood spotted through it in a matter of seconds, but it was the best I could do.
'Everybody out into the great outdoors,' Soldier said. He went over to the couch to prod Howard with the barrel of his automatic, but Howard didn't move. Soldier bent and put his head to Howard's chest.
'This one's checked out. Shit, I hit guys harder than that before and they didn't die.'
'' You sonofabitch,'' Trudy said. ' You sorry sonofabitch.''
'You hadn't dug up the money and moved it on old Howard, he'd be with us today,' Soldier said. 'But no, you got to be the smart bitch. Then you got to get a nail through your hand for nothing, cause old Happy Man here is going to lead me to the dough anyway.'
'He doesn't know where it is,' Trudy said.
'Yes I do,' I said. 'I figured it out.'
'You better have,' Soldier said, 'or it's going to sound like the Fourth of July around here for about a minute. Let's go.'
Soldier got his umbrella and put his hat on. I put an arm around Trudy, and Soldier waved Leonard in close to us and the three of us led out, Paco, Angel, and Soldier close behind.
Outside, the blowing rain and sleet had stopped, but it was cold and wet and there was the sound of thunder. I bent over and kissed Trudy next to her ear, whispered, 'Just follow my lead.'
'No talking,' Soldier said. 'You get to talking, I get nervous. I like to do the talking.'
I walked straight to the barn. When we were inside, I let go of Trudy and she wobbled, but Leonard stepped in and held her up. I went over and got the shovel where Soldier had tossed it.
I started outside again.
'It's not in here?' Soldier said. 'We got to go back out in that shit?'
I didn't say anything. I went out and Leonard followed, helping Trudy. The armed trio followed us. I went straight to Switch's pen, and when Leonard saw where I was going, he picked up his speed slightly. I stopped in front of the pen, and Switch came out of his house and walked cautiously toward me.
'You all right now,' Leonard said to Trudy.
'I'm all right,' she said. 'I can stand just fine.'
Leonard let go of her and came over to the dog pen and said, 'Switch, ol' buddy.'
Switch came over and Leonard looked at me out of the corner of his eye. I knew then he understood what I was up to.
'What's with stopping to pet the mutt?' Soldier said. 'You on vacation here?'
'The money's here,' I said. 'One of these pens. I don't know which one, but one. When she came back that night, the second time, she had dog shit on her shoes. This is the most likely place for her to get it. I think she buried it in one of these pens.'
'Think?' Soldier said.
'You can just about count on it,' I said.
'You got to count on it,' Soldier said. 'Paco, what you think?'
'Could be,' Paco said. 'Probably is.'
'Angel?' Soldier said.
Angel shrugged.
'What am I asking you for?' Soldier said. 'You got your three squares, one of those protein milkshakes, some barbells, you're happy, aren't you?'
Angel's expression didn't change.
'You could be one of those things,' Soldier said. 'What is it I'm trying to say here, Angel? Like a robot kind of.'
'Android,' she said.
'Yeah, one of them. You know, sometimes you give me the willies.'
