'And we cannot change our mind?'
'Bernard J. Fortunato's word is good,' he said.
All of us were quiet, staring at Bernard. Finally Tedy Sapp spoke.
'You're so fucking little,' he said. 'I didn't know you had a word.'
'You got to keep your word more,' Bernard said, 'if you're small.'
Chollo was looking past me, toward the road.
'Hello FedEx,' he said.
A Federal Express truck pulled up in front of the house and the driver got out with an envelope.
'Mr. Spenser?' he said.
'Me,' I said.
He handed me the letter. I signed his little Etch-A-Sketch, and he went to his truck and drove away. I opened the envelope. Inside was a thick sheaf of computer printout. I slipped it back in the envelope and looked around the porch.
'You guys come to any conclusions?' I said.
'Bobby Horse and I will stay,' Chollo said.
'Me too,' Tedy Sapp said.
'Vinnie tole me he'd do what I did,' Hawk said.
I looked around the porch. With the possible exception of Sapp, these were bad men who had done bad things.
'Okay,' I said.
No one had anything else to say.
'Whyn't you read that list?' Hawk said.
Chapter 56
I READ THE transcripts first. There were three: one George, who seemed to be a drug dealer, one Henry, who sounded like a bookie, and one Lou (female) talking about water resources in a place called Potshot (no state mentioned). The entry was dated a month before she lured me. Some of it was the kind of trivial chatter that people have before they settle in. Then I came to it.
TANNENBAUM: Fix us a couple more drinks, will you baby?
LOU: I'd love to.
TANNENBAUM: Oh man, that hits the spot.
LOU: To you, Morrie.
TANNENBAUM: Preacher's fucking us. I think he knows about the water.
LOU: Steve told him.
TANNENBAUM: That fucking blow. He's like a loose fucking cannon. Bragging about being a bad guy. He's going to fuck up this fucking deal if we don't do something about him. I told you we needed to do something about him.
LO U: I can fix it.
TANNENBAUM: How you going to fix it?
LOU: I know a person who will do it.
TANNENBAUM: I don't want you hiring nobody. Lotta deals go south 'cause some fucking hired guy can't keep his fucking mouth shut.
LOU: Person I'm thinking of will be fine. He'll do anything I say.
TANNENBAUM: You fucking him?
LOU: Just enough.
TANNENBAUM: To keep him under control?
LOU: Un-huh.
TANNENBAUM: That what you doing to me?
LOU: Nobody can keep you under control, Morrie.
(Sound of sexual activity.)
TANNENBAUM: Come on you little bitch. You know you want it.
LOU: Morrie, I'm not going to fuck you right here on the floor.
TANNENBAUM: You'd fuck me in the middle of the I-S freeway if you needed to.
LOU: Come on Morrie. Let's go to bed.
It was pretty clear that they were talking about Steve Buckman's impending murder, though no one quite said
