Lion Plays Rough by Lachlan Smith

one.
    â€œIt’s none of your business who my clients are. Jesus, that I have to sit here and take this shit from a kid still in diapers.”
    The rice-ball salad came. With her fork she picked off individual grains of fried rice and speared rings of green onion. After every bite she patted her lips with her napkin.
    â€œYou know why you got burned on this one?” she said after she’d taken the edge off. “It’s because you haven’t had proper mentoring.” She took another bite. “You’ve got discretion, even though you’ve been made a fool. I’d love nothing more than to help you settle your score with whoever did it, but you don’t want my help. Fine. You want to be a courthouse joke, I won’t stand in your way.” She studied me over her fork, then pointed it at me and said, “Your brother and Jeanie must have warned you about me. They must have advised you never to have anything to do with me. That must be it.”
    I began to smile, knowing her reputation for unscrupulous, unethical practices. Then I remembered that I was the one who’d blundered into her case, interfered with her client, and the smile fled, and I didn’t feel like eating anything more. “I’m afraid Teddy never mentioned you. I could ask him. You never know who and what he’ll remember. But I try to avoid reminding him about the past.”
    â€œYes, I suppose that’s all over now. Poor bastard. I bet he wishes that gunman’s aim had been just a little better.”
    I pushed back my chair. “You watch your mouth.”
    â€œCome on. Sit down. It’s just my way of talking. Everyone knows I say what’s on my mind. Don’t let it bother you.” Her gaze grew inward, thoughtful. “I’ve been looking for a new associate. Maybe you were made a fool, but you went out and got those pictures. You got them. That tells me something about you, that you’re not quite the helpless child you appear to be.”
    â€œYou can’t seriously be offering me a job.”
    â€œI could use someone who’s not afraid of getting his hands dirty—someone who cares about results, and the truth above all else.” In her mouth the word sounded like a euphemism. “What are you making with Jeanie, fifty, fifty-five? I’ll pay you ninety.”
    I sat looking at her, the numbers ringing in my ears. “You and Campbell, you’re two gears in the same machine, aren’t you? His role was to make sure Jamil was arrested with that gun. Your job is to make sure Jamil doesn’t turn on his boss. I’m the wrench in the works, and you figure you can buy me off, take me in hand until you find out what you want to know, use me to put some distance between yourself and the dirty work.” I stood. “Ninety isn’t nearly enough.”
    â€œIt’s not just the salary. I’m offering you guidance, protection. Take a few days and think about it.”
    â€œI’ve thought plenty.”
    â€œFair warning, then. Watch your step. Oh, and I’ll take my copy of the CD you made for Fowler.”
    I dropped the extra CD I’d made on the table and walked out of the restaurant just as the waiter came with our curries. The food smelled good.

Chapter 9
    I managed to avoid Jeanie and Teddy when I got back to the office. I closed my door behind me and looked longingly at my bike. I lifted the rear wheel and spun the pedals, checking the motion of the chain. I wondered how long it would be before I took another afternoon off to ride it.
    The thing to do now was check on Scarsdale; make sure we were still on for our meeting. I called his hotel room, letting the phone ring and ring, but there was no answer. I tried the cell. No luck. He wasn’t exactly staying in the kind of neighborhood that made you want to go for a stroll. I called the front desk of the hotel. “I’m trying to reach the guest in