Page 137 of Something Tattered
"At his shredder."
My breath caught. "His paper shredder?"
"Oh yeah. And he gives me that look, like I just caught him screwing a goat."
I knew exactly what kind of look Joel meant. I saw it on my uncle all the time. But that was hardly relevant.
With growing trepidation, I asked, "Don't tell me he was shredding the contract?"
"That's exactly what he was doing."
I wanted to kill the guy. "Literally? Like right in front of you?"
"He wasn't being a dick about it," Joel said. "It's just that I got there early and, well, there he was."
"So, did he say anything?"
"Yeah. He tells me, 'Sorry no deal.'"
"Just like that?"
"Yeah. Except the guy takes an hour to say it."
I recalled the details from our previous conversation. "And he canceled it because of your brother?"
"Yeah. Some brother, huh?"
"Did you ever ask him about it?"
"Jake?" Joel's jaw tightened. "Yeah. I asked him."
"What'd he say?"
"Heclaimedhe was doing me a favor."
I stared in disbelief. "A favor?"
"That's what he said, told me the agent was a snake, and that I'd thank him someday."
"And what didyousay?"
"I told him where he could shove it. And then, I call Bishop, hoping he'll talk some sense into Jake. But what doeshedo?He says the same damn thing." Joel gave a humorless laugh. "Tells me it's for the best."
"So what'd you do then?" I asked.
"Youknowwhat I did."
He was right. I did. He'd taken something valuable from each of them and then, he'd skipped town. Trying to fill in the blanks, I asked, "So after the deal fell through, did you contact any other agents?"
"Hell no. Why bother? You think Jake wouldn’t step in again?"
"But maybe it was something aboutthatagent in particular."
"It wasn't the agent," Joel said. "And you want the truth? It wasn't even Jake. It was me. Cigar, remember? If Jake hadn't stopped it, something else would've."
"Oh come on. Stop saying that."
"Hey, I'm not complaining. I'm just telling you the way it is."
