Page 37 of Soothsayer

“Mmm, no. I think I’d rather get dirty.” She grinned as though she had any idea of what she was talking about. Gods save me from people who thought they could out-witticism me.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure I know what you’re thinking,” I said. “You got a call from Phin, and he let something slip that he probably shouldn’t have, and you thought to yourself, ‘hey, I know what would be neat! I could get this guy to tell me all about myfuture, so I know what’s coming for me. Then once he’s done, I’ll tie things up all nice and neat by killing him. Only he might see that coming, so first I’m going to lure him in so that he trusts me, or at least doesn’t mind me getting nice and close, and then I’ll use my fake Taser—'” Her hand automatically twitched toward her hip. “Yeah, I can tell, I’ve seen modded Tasers before. It injects what, ketamine? What were you planning on drugging me with? Not that it matters, because you’re going to stay the fuck over there, and I’m going to stay here, and we’re going to do this transaction in money and nothing else.”

The smile had completely dropped from her face. “I wasn’t going to kill you.”

“Easy to say when I’m too far away to see into your future.”

“Why would I risk it?” She sounded a little desperate.

“Because you’re arrogant. Like everyone who thinks they can pull this shit on me. You’re not the first…” I leaned forward alittle bit,juuustfar enough to see more than the glimmer of her baby blues. “Charlotte Hauser. And you won’t be the last.”

My knowing her name threw her off for a moment, but she rallied fast. “It’s for my kid.”

“Sure it is.”

“I’m serious!” She thrust her hand toward her car. “Who do you think wanted a My Little Pony on the hood of this piece of junk? Why would I put something like that on the car I do business in?”

“To get people to underestimate you,” I said. “The same way you do by inviting people to pick a fruity name for you. Honest to fuck, you really think that’s cute?”

“It’s worked on plenty of assholes before. I’m not sure why it didn’t work on you,” she snapped. “And Iamserious. My ex ran off with my daughter five days ago. I don’t know where they are, and I need to find her! Look, you want a show of goodwill?” She reached into the back of her car and pulled out a black duffel bag about half the size of mine and threw it over to me. “Take a look inside.”

I put the bag on the hood and opened it warily. Inside was a full magazine for a Glock 19 as well as a box of ammo, two smart phones with charge cords still in the packaging, a first aid kit, and a sleek new Nintendo Switch. The bottom was layered with clothes and, yes, underpants. I held up a pair. “SpongeBob? Why are these even made in adult sizes?”

“Little more interesting than plain old gray, right?” she said, the teasing edge coming back into her voice. “It’s pretty good, huh? The Nintendo already has games loaded onto it, but the wireless has been disabled so you won’t be traceable that way. All this would normally cost you ten grand, easy—” and that was some bullshit, but I was willing to hear her out “—but I’ll trade it to you for information. I just want my daughter back.”

“You do.”

“Yeah.”

I sighed. I could already see where this was going. “Put the Taser down and come here.”

She frowned. “I don’t think—”

“I’m not getting any closer with that in grabbing distance, Charlotte, so put it down and we’ll deal.”

She took it off and set it aside immediately, which at least showed she was serious. “But don’t touch me,” she said as she stepped closer. “Otherwise, youwillhave a bad time, sugar.”

I put my hands behind my back. “I’ve got no interest in touching you, don’t worry about that.” She stopped about a foot from me. “Look at me,” I said.

Charlotte looked at me, fierce and afraid all at once. It was better than most people managed. I stared into her eyes, so wide, so blue. Her daughter didn’t have blue eyes. Her daughter took after her biological mother, Charlotte’s partner, the one who had objected when Charlotte made a deal with the—

“You’re fucking kidding me.”Really?

“What?”

“You made a deal with the Mexican equivalent of the Godfather and then you tried to skim off the top? Are you stupid or just suicidally hopeful?”

“It was just an extra hundredth of a percent, who notices stuff like that?” Charlotte exclaimed.

“The fucking Godfather does! I’m not looking anymore.”

“Youhaveto.”

“No.” There was no way. The last thing I wanted to see right now was Charlotte or her daughter being tortured to death, and that was 80 percent likely given as deep as I’d gone. “You want my advice, here it is: leave St. Louis and let your girlfriend keep Hayley for now, okay? Because until you’ve secured yourself, you’re not safe to be around.”

“But if I leave, they won’t know where to find me!”

“But you’ll be alive,” I pointed out. “Tough love, Charlotte. Don’t go home, justgo. And don’t be such a fucking dumbass! It isn’t difficult to find people to scam. You could have played along and made it big later, but you got greedy. Now get in your car and go find a hotel somewhere safe, and wait atleasta month before you try to get in touch with Penny and Hayley.”

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