Page 41 of Dirty Ex-Mas
I shake my head to clear it and return my attention to Mack and Reed’s conversation, in time to hear Reed agree to all Mack’s ideas. I scoff in my head. Reed agreed to let David go. They think he’s the small fish who will lead them to the bigger fish. A common crime fighting device used in America that I don’t understand. Rarely does it work that way. It reminds me of a Russian proverb my grandmother used to recite incessantly,bez truda ne vylovish' i rybku iz pruda, which loosely translates to mean, “without work, [one] cannot pull a fish out of a pond.”
It is purely ironic that both sayings involve fish. What I will avoid reminding Mack of is that the only way he will get the bigger fish, is togetthe bigger fish. Because in the real world the small fish always die, the big fish eat them.
“If we make him wear a wire, and they find it, they’ll kill him,” Reed argues.
“Then we’ll just have to pay attention and make sure that doesn’t happen,” Mack responds.
The two walk over to the chair where we’ve restrained David.
“When’s the next time you have a pickup?” Mack asks.
“A pickup?” David plays dumb.
“A date? A girl you plan to grab?”
“Not until a couple days before New Year’s Eve.”
“Move it up,” Mack says.
“I can’t just move it up. Plus, tomorrow is Christmas.”
“Move it up or go to jail. Your choice.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll see what I can do,” David says.
“Now.” Mack tosses him a burner phone and Reed moves to cut one of David’s hands free.
“It’s not like I just have a phone number I can call,” David argues.
Mack just stares at him. David picks up the phone and makes a call. Mack grabs the phone from him and puts it on speaker.
It rings ten times before someone answers. “The fuck you calling me for?” The voice is harsh and low. “It’s Christmas fucking Eve.”
“I know, man. Sorry. Did you hear what happened tonight?”
“What?”
“At my engagement party, man. Someone tried to kill me.”
“Pity for you. What’s that got to do with me?”
“I need to move up the next girl.”
“Why?”
“Security is getting tight around the family. With the holidays and the wedding right around the corner. I get married in a week, man.”
“Not my problem. We stick to the schedule.”
“Make it your problem.”
“What did you just say?” the voice growls.
“Look, I’m stressed the fuck out. If you want this from me, move it up.”
“Fuck. Lemme see what I can do. I’ll call you back.”
“Okay, on the other phone though, not this one.”
