Cutter (36 page)

I’
m
sur
e
h
e
i
s
arme
d.
H
e
i
s
no
t
a
stupi
d
ma
n
s
o
h
e
doe
s
no
t
trus
t
m
e,
jus
t
a
s
I
hav
e
n
o
confidenc
e
i
n
hi
m.
Bu
t
t
o
d
o
thi
s
busines
s
w
e
mus
t
tak
e
som
e
chance
s.
An
d
I
woul
d
neve
r
allo
w
thos
e
Chicag
o
wop
s
t
o
dea
l
wit
h
thi
s
ma
n.
I
t
i
s
m
y
busines
s.I
mad
e
i
t
happe
n,
regardles
s
o
f
ho
w
i
t
al
l
bega
n
wit
h
he
r
pim
p
o
f
a
brothe
r
.

‘Buena
s
tarde
s.’
Guerrer
o
smile
s
.

H
e
smile
s
frequentl
y,
bu
t
ther
e
i
s
neve
r
pleasur
e
o
n
hi
s
fac
e
.

H
e
i
s
a
n
India
n.
Dar
k
an
d
trul
y
handsom
e
fo
r
a
mixe
d-
bloo
d
Mexica
n
.

‘Yo
u
looke
d
tire
d,
seño
r.
Com
o
est
a?
’

‘
I
don’
t
hav
e
muc
h
tim
e,
jef
e.’
 

‘Yo
u
ar
e
rushe
d,
e
h?
Wh
y
i
s
tha
t?
’

‘Pressin
g
busines
s,
bac
k
i
n
Chicag
o.
’

‘A
y,
Cheecag
o.I
woul
d
lik
e
t
o
visi
t
i
t.I
a
m
a
bi
g
Whit
e
So
x
fa
n.
D
o
yo
u
lik
e
basebal
l,
seño
r?
’

‘N
o.I
don’
t
lik
e
—’

‘Yo
u
ough
t
t
o
hav
e
a
hobb
y.
Suc
h
a
gri
m
busines
s
a
s
your
s
woul
d
mak
e
on
e
..
.
tens
e.
N
o?
’

‘N
o,
jef
e.I
a
m
fin
e.
Bu
t
I
nee
d
t
o
hurr
y,
i
f
yo
u
don’
t
min
d.
’

‘I
se
e
n
o
reaso
n
wh
y
thi
s
shoul
d
tak
e
ver
y
lon
g
..
.
Th
e
good
s
ar
e
delivere
d.
N
o?
’

‘Ye
s.
I
n
th
e
usua
l
fashio
n.
’

‘I
t
help
s
t
o
ow
n
th
e
unio
n
whic
h
doe
s
th
e
baggag
e.
E
h?
’

‘Ye
s.
I
t
make
s
thing
s
muc
h
easie
r,
jef
e.
’

‘An
d
th
e
fuckin
g
Federate
s.
The
y
ar
e
expensiv
e,
bu
t
i
t
i
s
a
necessar
y
expens
e.
Jus
t
a
s
the
y
ar
e
everywher
e
w
e
tak
e
you
r
good
s.
’

H
e
i
s
smilin
g
broadl
y
no
w
.

‘
You’r
e
tellin
g
m
e
m
y
en
d
o
f
th
e
dea
l
i
s
t
o
b
e
reduce
d?’
I
as
k
.

‘I
t
i
s
becomin
g
mor
e
expensiv
e
t
o
fil
l
al
l
thes
e
pocket
s,
seño
r
..
.I
hea
r
the
y
cal
l
yo
u
Th
e
Farme
r.
I
s
tha
t
tru
e?
’

‘Ye
s.
I
t
i
s
tru
e.
’

H
e
laugh
s
boisterousl
y
.

‘I
t
i
s
no
t
a
thin
g
o
f
laughte
r,’
I
tel
l
hi
m
.

Th
e
smil
e
disappear
s.
H
e
i
s
ver
y
dar
k
brow
n.
Blindin
g
whit
e
teet
h.
Eve
n,
perfec
t
teet
h
.

‘Yo
u
ar
e
no
t
thinkin
g
o
f
a
disput
e?
’

‘I’
m
bein
g
squeeze
d.
Righ
t?
’

‘Clar
o!’
H
e
laugh
s
loudl
y
.

‘
I
don’
t
suppos
e
I
hav
e
a
choic
e
bu
t
t
o
g
o
alon
g.
’

‘Yo
u
ar
e
ver
y
cooperativ
e
..
.
to
o
cooperativ
e,
seño
r.
I
f
yo
u
wer
e
t
o
reac
h
int
o
you
r
pocket
s
fo
r
anythin
g
m
y
bodyguard
s
migh
t
hav
e
misse
d
..
.
O
r
i
f
yo
u
someho
w
manage
d
t
o
concea
l
a
weapo
n
o
n
th
e
wa
y
i
n
her
e,
you
r
hea
d
wil
l
ador
n
m
y
mantelpiec
e
an
d
th
e
coyote
s
wil
l
ea
t
you
r
cojone
s.
Ar
e
yo
u
wit
h
m
e,
Miste
r
Farme
r?
’