Page 124 of Misrule
Her words were poignant. He’d bet she cried as she texted them. He wanted to hold her and comfort her. As he should have when he saw her tears earlier. Instead, he’d sneered at them. He needed an ass-kicking. The type that Outlaw had given him so many months ago. Knox had been hospitalized as a result and needed plastic surgery. Confession would be his penance.
Maybe, I should tell Mortician and Outlaw myself, all the god-awful things I said to you. I’ll take whatever they dish out.
DEATH!
That warning came immediately.
They will kill you. Gruesomely. Don’t do anything you wouldn’t survive to regret.
He almost regretted being born, at that particular moment.
I’ll think about it and discuss it with you when I see you this evening.
Another immediate response.
Let me know what time you intend to pick up your things from the clubhouse, so I can be long gone.
No. He wouldn’t do that. He couldn’t give in without a fight, so he stared at his phone, as if he could find the answers to his misery. One thing was certain, if he didn’t respond, he knew she wouldn’t. She considered herself done with him.
The ringing of the office phone startled him and he jumped, on edge and out-of-sorts. He thought of ignoring it and allowing the answering service to take the call, but he needed something to distract him. On what would’ve been the fifth and final ring, he snatched up the received. “Harrington.”
“Mr. Harrington.”
This better not be a telemarketer. “Yes?”
“This is Joyner Amfinger. I was calling because I have a small case I’d like to hire you for.”
Losing Roxanne crowded out most of Knox’s other memories, so it took him a moment to place the name.
“I asked you to provide me with a new identity,” Amfinger reminded Knox just as the thought popped into his head.
“Did I hear you say a small case?” Knox couldn’t keep the incredulity from his voice. He’d said the same thing the last time. Just what did the man consider a big case?
“To me.”
“I’m still not interested,” Knox said with irritation.
“Good, because I’m calling in regards to another matter.”
Knox didn’t want any other cases right now. Outside of the Kendall job, he needed to use every other working moment winning Roxanne back. If today wasn’t the day for Johnnie to cross paths with Emily Riser, Knox wouldn’t have even come to work.
“Just hear me out,” Amfinger said into the silence.
Knox didn’t know why he wasted his time, listening to whatever scheme Amfinger needed help with this time. The jackass was lucky Knox had merely declined him, and not called the police. A man didn’t decide to change identities if he wasn’t into some serious crimes.
“Give me ten minutes.”
“Five,” Knox conceded.
“I have light arms to get rid of,” Amfinger announced.
It took a moment for the man’s meaning to dawn on Knox. “Guns?” he gasped.
“Machine guns. Light and sub,” Amfinger clarified.
Knox straightened in his seat. “Are you out of your fucking mind?” he shouted. “Where the fuck did you get my number and why do you think I’m willing to break the law?”
“Gun-running isn’t illegal, as long as it is done through the proper channels.”
