Page 60 of The Boss
“He did,” Alaric said. “We’ll burn the mistake off fast.”
Magnus looked at Rocco. “What do you want from him?”
Alaric listened to the quiet inside himself and found the answer. “Closure,” he said. “Then a map.”
Magnus’s mouth ticked in something that wasn’t a smile. He planted a palm on the chair back and leaned down until his breath touched Rocco’s ear. “You gave us your Judas. Now you’ll give us streets and doors and the men Tomas drinks with when he thinks no one’s looking.”
“I don’t know,” Roccosaid.
Magnus lifted his head. Alaric shook his once. Try again.
Rocco’s good eye fluttered. “I don’t know where he’s taking her.”
“I didn’t ask where he’s taking her,” Alaric said. “I asked where he hides when he’s proud of himself. There’s a difference.”
Rocco searched his memory. Men always did when you cut out every reason not to. It took ten seconds. Less. “He’s got a cousin at a warehouse on the water. The old fertilizer import. They turned the office into a card room.”
“The Trinity,” Alaric said. “East side or west?”
“East,” Rocco said. “Back road is blocked most days. You need the service gate. Security camera died last month and nobody fixed it.”
Alaric nodded and looked at Magnus. “You’ll clear that.”
“Now,” Magnus said.
“Not yet,” Alaric said. “Leif first.”
Magnus stared at Rocco. “You done with him?”
Alaric listened to the quiet inside himself and found the answer. “Yes.”
Magnus stepped forward. He didn’t posture. He didn’t speak. He finished it with the same efficiency he used to break a wristlock or strip a rifle. Rocco’s head sagged and did not lift again. The room went a different kind of quiet.
Alaric pulled a rag from the workbench and tossed it. Magnus cleaned his hands and tossed the rag back. The clock on the wall clicked. Somewhere below, aforklift beeped and rolled past. Life had the nerve to keep going.
“Call the car,” Alaricsaid.
Magnus moved to the door and spoke into the hall. He returned with fresh gloves and slipped them on, fingers flexing once. “You want the river first.”
“I want Leif first,” Alaric said. “If he’s already on the move, we don’t separate his head from his men.”
Magnus grunted. Agreement. He looked at the chair again, then at Alaric. “He said service gate.”
“He did,” Alaric said. “Tomas will expect we sweep the front and the office. He’ll use the dead camera. He’ll like that. It’ll make him feel clever.”
Magnus’s eyes went flat. “He’s clever enough to die last.”
“Maybe,” Alaric said. “Not today.”
He dialed Leif again. The phone picked up on the first ring thistime.
“Two things,” Alaric said. “Rocco’s finished. We’ve got a location Tomas likes when he’s celebrating. East Trinity. Old fertilizer import. Service gate. Camera dead. If Tomas runs there, he won’t go inside. He’ll stage along the river and wait for an execution.”
“Copy,” Leif said. “I’m five minutes from her apartment.”
“Don’t go in blind,” Alaric said. “If he’s still there, he’s already moved his piece. Don’t let him trade yours.”
Leif gave a jagged laugh with no humor in it. “He won’t get the chance.”
