BLACK in the Box Read Online Free

and he and Trout walked to the exit. “Not going to be a very merry one for our little lady, is it?” Trout asked.
    “Nope. But it is what it is. On to the next one. They’re like buses: another coming along soon.”
    Trout studied McCarthy’s weathered face. “You going to miss it?”
    “Hell no. The hours, the bureaucracy, the endless stream of ugliness? Not a chance.”
    “You’ll be bored.”
    “I’ll be drinking rum out of a jug on a beach somewhere. I’ll do just fine.”
    “Won’t be the same without you.”
    McCarthy lit his cigarette and offered his young partner a yellowed grin. “You going to blow me now, or just kiss?”
     

Chapter 5
    Los Angeles, California
     
    Artemus Black stood facing Sylvia, who was as annoyed as he’d ever seen her since they’d moved in together seven months earlier. He ran his fingers through his slicked-back ebony hair and studied her face. Though it wasn’t actually possible for smoke to blow from her ears, he could still envision it. The thought made him smile, which infuriated her more.
    “Something about this is funny?” she asked.
    “No. It’s not that at all,” he tried, his tone consoling.
    “What’s the most humorous part? Because I’m missing it.”
    “Sweetheart…” he said, taking a step to close the gap between them.
    “Don’t you ‘sweetheart’ me. I haven’t seen you for two weeks, except when you come in at all hours and drop into bed. It’s like living with a roommate. This isn’t what I signed up for,” she said. “It’s never going to change. I should have known better.”
    “I’ve been on a stakeout. I can’t help the hours. The guy’s a bartender. What am I supposed to do?”
    She glared holes through him. “You could try prioritizing us, for starters.” She stopped herself and took a calming breath. “Make us the priority instead of you .”
    “You think I want to do this? Besides, it’s over. I closed the case today, met with the client, got a check. He was cheating on his boyfriend, just like we suspected. Turning tricks, the whole works. But it’s done, so I’ll be around.”
    She rolled her eyes. “I’ve heard that before.”
    “Is it my fault that all my recent cases have had me out at night? It was just a string of them, honey…”
    “I’ve bent over backwards to make this work. Gave up my apartment, got used to crazy hours. But I’m telling you I’ve had enough. You need to decide whether you’d rather have me…or your job.” Sylvia stalked into the kitchen.
    “Look, Sylvia, I swear–”
    The ringing of Black’s cell phone interrupted him. He fumbled it from his shirt pocket and eyed the screen before looking sheepishly at Sylvia. “I have to take this. It’s Bobby.”
    “Right. Because even your deadbeat friends are more important than us.”
    “He’s a successful attorney, not a deadbeat.” Black stabbed the call to life. “Bobby! Feliz Navidad!”
    “You around?”
    Black lowered his voice. “Yeah, but right now’s not a great time…”
    “Got a code red for you, babe. Hot money.”
    “Now? Can it wait?”
    “Nope. Crisis situation. Only the best will do.”
    “Then why are you calling me?”
    “The other guy was busy.”
    “Ha, ha.”
    “Seriously. Three grand for one day’s work. That should make it a pretty sweet holiday for you, am I right?”
    “Three grand? Who do I have to kill?”
    “Careful, buddy. NSA’s listening in.”
    “What’s the rush? I’ve got a…a situation here right now.”
    “Well, wrap it up. There was a murder in Long Beach last night, and the client wants you to nose around, see what you can find out.”
    “I’m not a cop, Bobby.”
    “I know that. But he’s worried. He got a call from his friend on the force – it happened at one of his big-box stores. Long story short, they’re getting ready to charge his…one of his top employees. Her name’s Bethany Collins, and she’s only twenty-three. He doesn’t think she did it, and he’ll