Budd Hunter sat at his kitchen table drinking coffee and reading, for the tenth time, the message that had come through his mail slot. His day had begun wonderfully. Flushed mind and body. Clear-headed and ready to face the world with a fresh outlook. A nickel in prison had seemed like a lifetime. Tamping down the bad memories and actions of his recent past was liberating, and now his fresh outlook was beginning - this message had been expected.

He gave a small snort as he flipped the piece of paper away, and finished the coffee. The words could still be read, and they drew his eyes like a wicked siren. .

You might have given up five years in stir, Hunter, but you still haven't given us anything - so we're coming for it. Enjoy what little time you have left.

"I am going to enjoy it," he pronounced aloud.

Davis McGuire had been his friend over the years, getting him odd jobs, including him in a questionable social world, and finally introducing him to the life that had him spending five years in a hell hole of a prison as an accessory to a million and a half dollar, armed robbery, in which a security guard had been killed. As the driver, he had no idea what went down inside the bank until hearing it on the news, and it was then the relationship with McGuire ended.

Budd had fled with the car that still contained the loot from the robbery, and managed to hide both before the police found and arrested him. He never knew what happened to the others; he just assumed they got caught as well. His good luck came via an unusually sharp and eager public defender that somehow saved him from more than the five years he received.

Now McGuire was coming for the money - and him. He took his mug and rinsed it in the sink then grabbed his phone. Time to get the ball rolling.

"Rick? Budd. Budd Hunter. Yeah man, how are you? Keepin' outta trouble? I've been out a couple of weeks now. Listen I got something might interest you, can we get together? Tomorrow night? Perfect. You know Marty's Grill on Lee Avenue, say seven? Great. Be good to see you, man. Later."

He placed another call then sat back down and made a plan to check on the car he had hidden.

*****

Dick Haymes was crooning on the speakers when he entered the grill, and he caught the small wave from a booth near the back. Budd waved to the waiter and joined the others in the booth.

"See you both beat me here." He grabbed their hands and shook them.

"I didn't know this ape was gonna be here." Rick tipped his fedora back and flicked the ash from his smoke onto the floor.

"When I called you I wasn't sure." He slapped the big man on the shoulder. "Calvin said he didn't care if the squirt was invited."

The teasing went on until the drinks came, and then Hunter explained what he had in mind.

"You've had that all this time?" Rick said, with awe.

"Well not to enjoy - as you well know. But I checked, and it's still there - at least the car is. I couldn't get to it."

"You hid it at a wreckers?"

"They don't have a crusher, it's a parts lot. I figured it would be safe there. I sneaked in on a weekend and scraped it up a bit, then left it behind an old school bus."

"So why don't you just go and buy it?"

"Davis McGuire."

"Ah, crap." Rick jabbed out his cigarette and slumped in the booth.

Calvin sighed and tasted his drink. "You shoulda said on the phone, Budd."

"Aah, c'mon, Cal. You aren't afraid of McGuire."

"The guy's a wing nut, and a stone killer." Calvin glanced at Rick, who was rolling his eyes. "And those mugs of his are just as crazy."

"Yeah, well it's a lot smaller now. He's only got Bingo, Larry, and Vic. The rest are doin' time. I checked all that out."

"How come they didn't get McGuire? Didn't you spill?"

"Like a busted glass, but they never found him." Budd fiddled with his drink. "Look, we sneak into the car lot, grab the money and disappear. If McGuire shows up--"

"Yes?" Rick sneered. "Go on."

"We do 'im. The three of us are plenty to take him on, and an equal split of a million and a half should be lots of incentive."

The trio sat in the booth debating and arguing back and forth and then Budd stood, looking down at his two friends.

"That's it then. Enough bumpin' gums. We go tomorrow, and it's wine, women, and song from then on." They all clasped hands, grinning.

******

Saturday night and the stolen car, compliments of Rick, sat silently in the lane beside an abandoned building. Calvin returned from scouting the area, as the street lights came on, and shadows grew deeper. He climbed into the car, quietly closing the door.

"Well?"

"Nuthin'. If they're here, they're invisible."

"You're sure?"

"Go look yourself if you ain't happy."

"Alright, sorry. Just- this is a one chance play. We can't blow it."

"So are we doin' it?" Rick grunted.

Budd sucked in a deep breath, tugging on his cap. "Yeah. Stay right with me, there's a lot off crap lying' around to trip over or make a noise."

The lot only had a few lights, and they were struggling to do their expected job. Shadows as black as death loomed everywhere from the jumble of wrecked vehicles. Budd stopped and looked around, listening. He pointed to the old school bus several yards away.

"It's behind the bus," he whispered. "A thirty-five black Chevy. The loot's in the trunk, and the key is under the front seat."

"So, let's go." Rick pressed.

"We gotta do this carefully," Budd continued. "You get to the car, and Calvin, you hang back a bit to cover him. I'm going around the other side to cover you both from there. Give me three minutes to get in position then you go."

Rick grabbed his arm, his face close to Budd's. "Why me? You know exactly where it is."

"Cause I also know my way around this yard, and if McGuire is here already, I'll spot him, okay. Look, you want a share of this or not?"

Rick looked at Calvin, and the big man just shrugged.

"Fine. Three minutes."

Budd pulled his arm free and slipped away in the dark.

"This stinks, Calvin."

"Does have an odour about it." He agreed. "Don't worry, I got your back."

The pair picked their way through the skeletal cars, and Calvin touched Rick's shoulder, pointing. He signalled that he would wait there and keep watch. Rick nodded, crouching lower as he approached the old Chevy. He reached the car and ran his fingers over the trunk handle. It didn't budge. With a muffled curse, he slipped around to the driver's door and tried it.

The door creaked slightly as he opened it just enough to reach under the seat. His fingers scrabbled on the floor, and he felt the keys. When he lifted the lid, it opened with an audible squeak, and Rick felt his sweat glands release in a flood. He dropped down, straining to hear anything. After a few seconds he crept back to the trunk, tried to see Calvin, without success, and then reached into the trunk for the bag Budd said would be there.

When he heard the shot, Budd flattened himself on the roof of the truck he'd chosen from which to keep watch. Something had happened and he didn't know what. He thought the sound came from his right, but he saw nothing.

"I warned you, Hunter." The yell echoed across the lot.

The voice definitely came from his left, and it was definitely McGuire's. He slid off the roof and crept along beside the truck to the tailgate, his eyes probing the darkness.

His heart stopped as a hand wrapped firmly over his mouth, and a knee into the back of his lowered him to the ground.

"Shhh, it's Calvin." The hand slipped away and Budd turned to see his friend, his heart thudding.

"Wh- where's Rick?"

"In the trunk of the Chevy. This is what he found." Calvin hefted the bag and stared at Budd. "Guess it's just two ways now."

"Jesus! How'd you get it without . . .?"

"I saw the flash and crept way around behind the shooter. It was Bingo."

"Was?"

Calvin shrugged. "Do we skip or do we finish the others?"

He blew out a relieved breath and nodded. "We do 'em, and end McGuire for good."

Budd reached for the bag, but Calvin moved it away. "I can manage this okay."

"Alright. Just thought you might want both hands free - I've got this." Budd waved the automatic between them. "Better safe than sorry."

"Like I said, I'll manage."

"Okay, any idea where the others are. I'm pretty sure I heard McGuire off to the left after the shot."

"He'll have one of his boys with him, if not both. We split up and come around from that chain link fence. That way we know they're in front of us."

"You wanna stash the bag here somewhere for now?"

Calvin grinned in the dark. "Don't worry about me, Budd. You watch out for yourself. We'll split it later."

Budd reached the fence and sat quietly, studying the lot. Silhouettes of wrecked cars stood out against the weak glow from the light standards, some taking on deceptive shapes that he watched nervously. Slowly he inched his way around the crowded vehicles, careful not to make a noise. A metallic tick ahead, froze him on the spot. Was that a gun? He got down and peered under the frame of the car.

A pair of shoes stood planted, and the jean covered legs faced his way. Jeans, that was Vic, Budd knew. The man was always in jeans no matter the occasion. He crawled slowly, watching the feet as he got around the back of the car. Raising his head, he peered over the trunk and saw Vic leaning on the roof, gun hand extended to where he had just crawled from.

"One move or sound, Vic, and your brain will be a decal on that Ford's door." The arm spasmed slightly as the head turned to Budd. "Leave the gun on top of the car and step away, hands where I can see them."

"Your pal's dead you know. He didn't get the money."

"That right? Who did?"

"Who do you think? McGuire."

"You need an update, Vic. McGuire and Larry are still hiding out there somewhere. Bingo's dead and I have the money."

"You're bluffing." Vic grinned.

Budd suddenly felt a sliver of doubt run down his spine. How did Vic know it wasn't him that was killed, and why does he seem so calm when he had him dead to rights? Had all his planning and plotting gone awry? The calm voice behind him answered his question positively.

"You can drop the gun, Hunter, it's all over."

Budd turned to see McGuire and Calvin standing together with Larry off to the side.

"I guess I placed my trust in the wrong people,"

"Not the only mistake you made, Hunter." McGuire sneered. "Hiding the money in the same car we used in the robbery was amateurish. We tracked you here the night you came to check on it. Didn't take long to find it after you left."

"Why didn't you take the money then? Why go through all this?"

McGuire felt Calvin shift beside him, and he stepped away as Larry fire twice into the big man's back. Calvin crashed sideways onto the car and slid down, his mouth working silently. McGuire pushed him over with his foot.

"I wanted all your buddies out of the way so I didn't have to worry about them in the future. Calvin here, was open to a larger share of my operation if he helped me. His error."

"Do your other boys know how you do business? You guys feel safe with this mug now?"

"Nice try, Hunter."

"So what's in the bag? I'm surprised Calvin never checked."

"Oh, it's the money okay. I couldn't risk him finding out it was dirty laundry or something."

"Well, that's very nice to know."

McGuire's smile faded and his brow furrowed. Two shots rang out in succession and Vic yelped aloud, a hand flying to what was left of his head. Larry dropped where he was without a sound.

"A game two can play, Davis. Drop the gun now or your next."

McGuire dropped the gun looking around, and seeing nothing, sagged with the realization of defeat.

"Don't feel bad, Davis . . . oh, maybe you should. Calvin should have killed Bingo like he said. You could have had the money and left. You disappeared once before. Too late now. Open that trunk and climb in." Budd waved the gun he had never dropped. "Another mistake, my friend. Too confident. Now get in."

McGuire squeezed into the trunk, a pitiful pleading look on his face. "You don't have to do this, Hunter."

"Actually, I do." The gun fired and the lid slammed.

"Well, that all worked out pretty good, eh?" Bingo approached out of the shadows, cradling his rifle.

"I guess you could say that."

"Something wrong?"

"You shot Rick."

"Yeah. All the more for us, eh?"

"I knew you were the right one to approach. Of all McGuire's boys, I knew I could turn you."

"What are you getting at?"

"The end of this little charade. Drop the rifle, Bingo." Harsh lights came on and several men in police jackets surrounded the pair. Two grabbed Bingo and cuffed his hands.

"You are under arrest for the murder of Richard Fowler and for the security guard killed in the robbery in which you took part."

"What the hell! What about him? He shot McGuire, he's in the tr--" His words ended as he watched McGuire climb out of the trunk and get handcuffed. "He shot you!"

"Blank, Bingo. All part of our sting." The officer said.

"But he--"

"Mr. Hunter was working for us, as part of the reduced sentence he received."

Bingo struggled between the two policemen. "But you waited five years?"

"To be truthful, it took almost the entire time to convince him it was in his best interest. Take them away, boys."

"McGuire seemed quite subdued." Budd said.

"I don't think he wanted attention. He was caught and he knew it. Besides, your threatening manner caused him to have an embarrassing accident he didn't want noticed."

"And the money was in the bag?"

"All of it. You are a free man, Hunter, with the thanks of our department. Be thankful we were able to hold it to only five years. Keep your nose clean."

They shook hands and parted.

******

"Josie? It's hunter. have the cops been around yet?"

"Yes, and we are free and clear. When are we meeting?"

"Sooner the better. Did you get everything?"

"Every dime Denis had, plus all his sources, contacts, and even his sports car." The laugh was throaty. "That bag of loot barely compares to the account numbers I have."

"Terrific. I'll come by soon, baby, then it's you and me around the world."

"Make it soon, sweetheart." She rang off and turned to face the man on whose lap she was seated.

"He doesn't suspect a thing and he'll be here soon."

"My brother would be pleased, Josie. Too bad he's gone for life." Bruce McGuire leaned his head back and laughed. "To perfect. Just too perfect, doll."

Josie's squeal could be heard down the hall, as she pivoted on his lap.

END

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