'Moved along down the street with him,' Hawk said. 'Stayed in the vehicles while Preacher and Pony went in.'
'Weapons?'
'Handguns probably. I didn't see anything bigger.'
When Hawk was engaged by something, he occasionally forgot his mocking black accent. It was how you could tell he was engaged.
'This is beginning to sound easy,' I said.
'It'll be easy,' Hawk said.
'They know we're here,' I said.
'Probably. But The Preacher's been the stud horse around here a long time. He's so used to not having trouble that he forgot there is any. My guess, he don't care if we're here.'
'You working on a plan?' I said.
Hawk nodded toward the head of the street
'We park Sapp in one car up there,' he said. 'And we put Bobby Horse in the other car, at the bottom of the street. Chollo in the alley there.'
Hawk pointed with his chin at a point midway along Main Street.
'The little Vegas guy…'
'Bernard,' I said. 'Bernard J. Fortunato:'
'Him,' Hawk said. 'Across and down a little, between the bakery and the drug store. And Vinnie in the hotel window, top floor.'
'Why Vinnie?' I said.
'Best shooter,' Hawk said.
'I'm not sure he's better than Chollo,' I said.
'He ain't worse,' Hawk said.
'No. You're right. Vinnie's in the window. Which leaves you and me to brace Pony and The Preacher.'
'Best for last,' Hawk said and took a pull at his beer.
'Okay,' I said. 'That'll work.'
''Course it'll work,' Hawk said. 'You just jealous you didn't think it up.'
'How hard was it to think up?' I said.
'Tha's not the point,' Hawk said.
'Of course it isn't,' I said. 'Next week we'll implement your plan.'
'Hot diggity,' Hawk said.
Chapter 48
J GEORGE TAYLOR asked me to come talk with him. Except for J. George, the office was empty when I got there.
'Mary Lou says you've been questioning her,' he said after I was seated in his client chair.
'She does?' I said,
'She feels you were somewhat accusative.'
'And she complained to you?'
'We're friends. Since her husband's death, I have been looking out for her, sort of like a father.'
'Sort of,' I said.
'And I really think she needs a gentle touch. For God's sake, her husband was murdered.'
'By the Dell.' I said.
'Of course, by the Dell.'
'You know this.'
'Everyone knew that he was standing up to the Dell. Everyone knew they had threatened him.'
'Who did the actual threatening?'
'The Dell.'
'Which one?'
'The Preacher.'
'You heard him?'
'No. It was his, ah, brute-Pony.'
