“First I thought he’d fallen out and was crawling around the store somewheres. I wasn’t even panicked. The place wasn’t that big. So I started looking around. You know, calling his name. But he wasn’t there. I’m looking under counters and even in the beer and soda cases. But he was gone. Then I look in the back, could see daylight coming from a

Roy would get a regular job somewhere far from this place and look after his brother for the rest of his life. He would keep the promise he had made twenty years ago. And nowhere in that plan was there room for Harvey or Albert or anyone else.

Evan kept his focus on Miguel. “You have to show that you’re not corrupt and that you’ll stop at nothing to find those who did this. That you’re tough on the gangs. That you will tolerate no one and no policy that isn’t as tough as you are. You have to be That Guy.”

then mayor Dick Riordon got the 10 back on line after the Northridge quake a full three months ahead of schedule. He even issued curfews and no one gave a rat’s ass. They loved him.

“Souvenirs. Apparently the man likes his baseball. St. Louis in particular. Kansas City before that. He’s got score sheets, pennants, shirts, a full fucking uniform hanging in the closet. It’s like he’s twelve.” “I know what you mean.” “And Cooper’s not his last name. We got a birth certificate from—

It was a stroke. Something, according to the doctor, that was already there inside his brain waiting to happen. It had nothing to do with his eyesight or kerosene fumes. The headaches were merely a sign that something had been long cross-wired, fucked up and ready to blow deep inside the man’s head.

“She said a lot of stupid shit. But Kelly Maguire’s not a racist. Not by a long shot. Good God, she’s fucking Nelson Mandela compared to some of the Aryan assholes we got badged up.”

The words Miguel Santiago working like a urinary abracadabra every single time.

never had ahold of myself to begin with.” She nodded to his suit and said, “What is that, Armani?” He tugged at a lapel and said, “Hugo. You like it?” “You always look good, fatso,” Kelly said.