“He ain’t here, asshole,” one of the men at the table slurred.Drunk.
“I told him we was gonna get you. You made it easy coming to us. He said to bring you to him so he can kill you.” One of the other men let out a raucous laugh.Also drunk.
“Cállate, you idiot! The boss would kill you if he heard you talkin’ like that.”Not that drunk. Take him second.
“God, you guys are a bunch of rocks,” Mitch said. “How does Manuel get anything done?”
Jose cocked the gun and put it next to Mitch’s head, making him rethink his decision to be a smart ass.Also not drunk, already planning to take him first.
“Sorry, man, you seem like the brightest one here. Where you gonna take me?”
“Shut up, shit for brains. Like I would tell you.”
“Well, if you’re going to kill me anyway, does it matter?”
Jose paused to think, then ignored the question. “We’re going out the back door. No funny business or I’ll finish this now.”
He believed him. Jose might be stupid, but stupid could still be lethal. Jose pushed Mitch ahead of him. The two-foot gap made it impossible for Mitch to overtake him without the risk of being shot. At the door, Jose motioned for Mitch to precede him. Right outside the door was a black car with the engine running.
“Yeah, I think I’ll pass on the ride,” Mitch said.
“Who’s got the gun, asshole?” Jose pushed him toward the car.
“I’ve got a gun. Can I play?” Adam stepped out from the shadows, and Mitch heaved a sigh of relief.Thank God.The split-second distraction was all he needed. He had Jose disarmed and in a headlock before he could even respond.
“Hey, man, fancy meeting you here,” Mitch said. “You already take care of whoever’s in the car?”
“Yeah. He’s tied up in the back seat. You are a complete dumbass. You know that, right?” Adam countered.
“I had him right where I wanted him. We gotta hurry. There are three more idiots inside.”
Jose was struggling to get free. Adam holstered his gun and put a pair of flex cuffs on him. Mitch let him out of the headlock, grabbed his arm, and squeezed hard.
“I asked you something earlier, and I’m still waiting for an answer,” Mitch growled. “Where’s Manuel?”
“Fuck you!”
“Your loyalty is inspiring but misplaced. You think Manuel would think twice before giving you up if he were in your shoes? He’d sell you out in a second.”
Jose said nothing.
“Got any black and whites coming?” Mitch asked.
“Didn’t have time. Put him in the back with his buddy.”
He opened the back door and pushed Jose in. “Stay.”
As soon as the door closed, Adam quickly outlined a plan he’d hatched while waiting. Mitch loved it.
He opened the door, and Adam threw the keys onto Jose’s lap. Then they shut the door and walked away.
“You sure this is going to work?” Mitch was getting impatient.
“Not at all, but it was the best I could come up with on such short notice. When I found out the driver’s plan to take you to Manuel, I almost let them. But after weighing the what ifs, I decided I’d better save your ass sooner rather than later. You’re welcome, by the way.”
They were sitting in Adam’s truck waiting for the black car to leave, assuming it would eventually lead them to Manuel. The two idiots must’ve been having a hell of a time getting free. He wondered how long it would take the three stooges inside to come help.
“Oh, yeah, thanks for that. I mean, I had it handled, but you did come in handy.”
