And like I said, there’s one dude that is going to be a hard sell.” Trufante paused waiting for this to set in. Sure they had decided to go with his plan, but Cesar didn’t know that.
“Fifty then. Tell those motherfuckers if they try and sell that stuff anywhere in this state, I’ll find them and the consequences will not be pretty. Understand?”
“Hey, man, I’m trying to help you out here, no need to go off on me.”
“I appreciate that, and I will not forget your efforts. Take the offer to them and let me know. I’ve got some guys breathing down my neck to get this back. I’m going to head up there. Let’s do this tonight.”
***
Mac walked up the path as Trufante disconnected. “C’mon inside, I’ll settle up with you.”
“Good deal, man. I could use a shot of that rum you got, anyway.”
“You seem a little shaky.” Mac wondered what the phone call was about. “Come on up. I only keep that crap for you.” Mac led the way upstairs. He turned on the fans in an attempt to cool the place.
“You know you’re the only dude down here without AC.”
Mac ignored him and went to the kitchen. He poured two fingers in a glass and handed it to Trufante. “Don’t like AC. The fans work ok for me. Three hundred-dollar bills came out of his billfold and were quickly swallowed up by Trufante’s eager hand. “Should be more coming. I’ll take it to the market in the morning and let you know.”
Trufante showed his teeth. “Good deal, man. What about that other thing?”
Mac reached for the bottle of Scotch and poured a matching amount for himself. He held his glass up in silent salutation. “I’ve been thinking about that. He picked up his phone.
“Hold on there. What’d you have in mind?”
“I’m calling Jules. Let the sheriff’s office handle this. She can call in whoever she wants.”
“Man, put that away. You see…” He drained his glass, “I’m in a situation here. The stuff’s not mine. I got this dude comin’ up to take it and that box is part of the package. See these dudes ran across a square grouper and …” He paused and held the empty glass towards Mac. “You can’t go there. He’ll put a freakin ice pick through me or something.”
Mac looked at him, “That’s what the secret phone call was about. I knew you were up to something.”
“It’s a harmless deal, man.” Trufante went for the tequila bottle, but Mac knocked his hand away.
“Harmless? You get with some guys that find a square grouper with some radioactive shit mixed in and it’s harmless?”
“Just trying to make a buck. Guess I jumped the gun.”
Mac stared at him until the Cajun blinked and shied away. “No way can that stuff get to where it was intended. OK. I say we stash what’s in there and refill it with something else. I got a compaction tester that has some radioactive material in it. We can mix that stuff with sand or something and unless these guys really know what they’re looking at it’ll pass a first inspection. It’ll test positive with a geiger counter. Any luck it’ll get far enough down the line before they figure out what happened. They won’t be able to trace it back to you.”
“As long as I can pass it off, I’m good with that.”
Mel came through the door then, breathing heavily, her clothes stuck to her, sweat dripping from her hair.
“Set it up. I’ll do the package up tonight,” Mac whispered as he watched Mel climbing the stairs. “Not a word to her.” He said as the door opened.
“You’re one crazy lady, running in this heat. It’s hotter than nine hells out there,” Trufante said.
“Thanks for your concern.” She went for the refrigerator and grabbed a beer.
“Hey, babe, maybe grab some water first.”
She gave Mac the famous Melanie Woodson FU look, and finished the beer like a college kid on spring break. Then she crushed the can and tossed it in the trash.“Pour me some of that,” she said, motioning toward the
“Fifty then. Tell those motherfuckers if they try and sell that stuff anywhere in this state, I’ll find them and the consequences will not be pretty. Understand?”
“Hey, man, I’m trying to help you out here, no need to go off on me.”
“I appreciate that, and I will not forget your efforts. Take the offer to them and let me know. I’ve got some guys breathing down my neck to get this back. I’m going to head up there. Let’s do this tonight.”
***
Mac walked up the path as Trufante disconnected. “C’mon inside, I’ll settle up with you.”
“Good deal, man. I could use a shot of that rum you got, anyway.”
“You seem a little shaky.” Mac wondered what the phone call was about. “Come on up. I only keep that crap for you.” Mac led the way upstairs. He turned on the fans in an attempt to cool the place.
“You know you’re the only dude down here without AC.”
Mac ignored him and went to the kitchen. He poured two fingers in a glass and handed it to Trufante. “Don’t like AC. The fans work ok for me. Three hundred-dollar bills came out of his billfold and were quickly swallowed up by Trufante’s eager hand. “Should be more coming. I’ll take it to the market in the morning and let you know.”
Trufante showed his teeth. “Good deal, man. What about that other thing?”
Mac reached for the bottle of Scotch and poured a matching amount for himself. He held his glass up in silent salutation. “I’ve been thinking about that. He picked up his phone.
“Hold on there. What’d you have in mind?”
“I’m calling Jules. Let the sheriff’s office handle this. She can call in whoever she wants.”
“Man, put that away. You see…” He drained his glass, “I’m in a situation here. The stuff’s not mine. I got this dude comin’ up to take it and that box is part of the package. See these dudes ran across a square grouper and …” He paused and held the empty glass towards Mac. “You can’t go there. He’ll put a freakin ice pick through me or something.”
Mac looked at him, “That’s what the secret phone call was about. I knew you were up to something.”
“It’s a harmless deal, man.” Trufante went for the tequila bottle, but Mac knocked his hand away.
“Harmless? You get with some guys that find a square grouper with some radioactive shit mixed in and it’s harmless?”
“Just trying to make a buck. Guess I jumped the gun.”
Mac stared at him until the Cajun blinked and shied away. “No way can that stuff get to where it was intended. OK. I say we stash what’s in there and refill it with something else. I got a compaction tester that has some radioactive material in it. We can mix that stuff with sand or something and unless these guys really know what they’re looking at it’ll pass a first inspection. It’ll test positive with a geiger counter. Any luck it’ll get far enough down the line before they figure out what happened. They won’t be able to trace it back to you.”
“As long as I can pass it off, I’m good with that.”
Mel came through the door then, breathing heavily, her clothes stuck to her, sweat dripping from her hair.
“Set it up. I’ll do the package up tonight,” Mac whispered as he watched Mel climbing the stairs. “Not a word to her.” He said as the door opened.
“You’re one crazy lady, running in this heat. It’s hotter than nine hells out there,” Trufante said.
“Thanks for your concern.” She went for the refrigerator and grabbed a beer.
“Hey, babe, maybe grab some water first.”
She gave Mac the famous Melanie Woodson FU look, and finished the beer like a college kid on spring break. Then she crushed the can and tossed it in the trash.“Pour me some of that,” she said, motioning toward the
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