'They won't find the guns. Anyway, I picked up the casings off the street.'
'Anyone see you last night?'
'I don't think so.' Miller cocked his head in a birdlike way. 'You ain't mad at me, right?'
Lee looked away. 'We gonna work this out.'
Melvin Lee took the stairs down to the street and found his faded Camry, parked on Sherman behind Rico Miller's shiny BMW. Driving up Georgia toward the car wash, he looked at the people out on the sidewalks and breathed the warm summer air rushing through his open window. He wanted to enjoy the sights and smells. He had the sick feeling that these things would be taken away from him again all too soon.
He could drive out of town right now, but he knew that someone would catch up to him eventually. He'd been running on a wheel, in a cage, his whole life.
He drove to work.
Deacon Taylor closed his disposable cell and settled himself in the driver's seat of his S-Series Benz. He had parked on Luray Place in Park View and was waiting for Griff to roll up and report on his meet with Nigel's enforcer, Lawrence Graham. Looked like Griff was coming his way now. Griff favored fast Japanese sedans, and drove a 260-horsepower midnight blue Infiniti G35.
Deacon had already had an eventful day. A Homicide team had come by his place and interviewed him about the murders. He had told them he knew nothing, and they had gone on their way. He had spoken to Melvin Lee and conveyed his extreme displeasure over the murders of Green and Butler. Then, on his personal cell, he had made a call to an officer in 4D he had been friendly with for some time.
Officer Muller was a careful man. He refused to finger informants, rough Taylor's enemies, or make false arrests. He would not initiate anything that he felt would compromise his personal code. He did provide Taylor with information on occasion that he thought was of a harmless nature. Taylor, in turn, fed information to Muller that was equally benign. For this dialogue Muller accepted nothing in the way of cash or gifts. The first-name-basis familiarity with a drug dealer and the attendant camaraderie appealed to his self-image. Muller liked to think of himself as a cop who was hardwired to both sides of the street.
'What you hear about that double off Crittenden last night?' Deacon had said.
'Hold up, Deacon,' said Muller. 'You need to tell me why you're interested first.' Always reminding Taylor that he, Muller, was in charge.
'Ain't no secret that it was two of Nigel Johnson's got themselves dead. I'm just tryin' to keep informed.'
'That's all?'
'You and me don't play games like that, big man,' said Deacon. In fact, he was playing Muller with every word.
'Just so we're clear,' said Muller.
'We
'Victim one died of shotgun wounds inside his SUV. Victim two was killed in the street by the same shotgun. Vic two also took bullets to the mouth and head.'
'Sounds like the shooter was angry about somethin'.'
'Prob'ly just one of those misunderstood youths we got out here.'
'Killer leave any prints?'
Muller did not reply. It was answer enough.
'No witnesses either, huh?' said Deacon.
Again, Muller said nothing.
'You keep me posted, hear?' said Deacon.
'I expect the same from you.'
'You know I will. This kind of violence is bad for business. Pretty soon the neighborhood gonna be crawling with bad elements like yourself.'
'You don't want that, dawg.'
'Word,' said Deacon. He hadn't used that expression to anyone but Muller in the last ten years.
Griff pulled his Infiniti up alongside the Mercedes and idled it in the street. They went nose to ass, the way police did, so they could speak.
Griff was serious, dependable, and strong of body and character. He dressed neatly and without show. He was Deacon's most fearsome employee. Only fault he had was he talked too much, and bragged, when his head was up on weed. Maturity would cure that. Someday the boy would become a man and learn how to handle his high.
'What's up, soldier?' said Deacon.
'I got up with Graham,' said Griff.
'Talk about it.'
'Nigel want to parley with you about this problem. Says he'll do it somewhere neutral, just the two of y'all.'
'I'll meet him,' said Deacon. 'But I ain't ready just yet. Need to think things out before we talk.'
'You got a plan?'
'I don't plan,' said Deacon. 'I look for opportunities.'
'You want to do this tonight?'
