Page 258 of Sticks and Stones
When Gene peeked inside, he saw Renegade was alone and on the phone.
Well, this was their best opportunity.
The minute he hung up, they’d make their move and not before then. They didn’t need him alerting anyone.
In the back of the house, Ethan pointed. Two metal Bilco doors led to a basement.
It looked as if they were going to break in through the back.
Quietly, they lifted the metal door, and thankfully, it didn’t make any noise.
Then, they walked down the steps toward the basement’s outer door.
Using his little flashlight, Gene shined it on the doorknob, and Ethan got to work. He picked the lock so fast that Gene was impressed.
Only, this wasn’t the time to talk. They couldn't risk being heard.
When the door was opened, they moved through the darkness. They heard a dryer running, and it looked like Renegade was doing laundry. Well, at least the sound would muffle any noise they made.
At the stairs, they climbed them, with Gene making sure that Ethan was behind him. He was using his body to protect his partner, just in case the man pulled the basement door open. He’d take Renegade down as quickly as he could if that happened.
As they listened, Ethan tapped him, and Gene knew why.
Someone was talking up a storm on the phone.
So, they listened.
“Nah, I’m staying in. Cash kept the bar closed just in case. The five of us are laying low for the time being. The cops were in the alley today, and we don’t want to risk it. They were nosing around after that cop. Someone must have seen the body and called the police. Tomorrow, we’re going to move out for a while.”
That made Gene curious.
How did they know that?
Had someone been watching the place?
Those were questions he hoped to get the answers to as they talked to the man.
And by talk, he meant forcefully.
From the room, there was silence, and they knew Renegade was likely listening to whatever the person on the phone was saying.
“Yeah, we fucked him up to the point he couldn’t have survived that. It’s not in the news whether he’s dead or not, but we ain’t taking chances. All we know is that he wasn’t in the alley this morning, and the cops were there today. That has to mean someone found him.”
He laughed, and as he did, Gene wanted to punch him so hard his fist left an indentation in the asshole’s head. They thought it was funny that they dumped a living, breathing human in a dumpster like he was trash?
What the fuck?
Unfortunately for Renegade, the asshole kept asshole-ing.
“We headed to his place when we found his wallet in the car. All of us partied there, too.”
Now, they had him admitting to more crimes.
Attempted homicide.
Theft.
Breaking and entering…
