Surrender Read Online Free Page A

shell on the small sofa, ready to spend the morning contentedly sniffing his own farts. For at least thirty seconds the only sounds were the whirr of the CD drive and the thump of my heart. I was about to get up and check the player when Gemma’s voice filled the room.
    ‘So how will I know when you’ve done it? Will you contact me?’
    Wolf lifted his head long enough to check Gemma wasn’t in the room and then continued with his previous preoccupation. He needed to get out more. Obviously Gemma had given me an edited version of the original recording and for that I was grateful, but there was going to be no gentle lead-in and I readied myself for the hard stuff.
    ‘You’ll know because he’ll be dead.’
    I recognised Snow’s voice immediately. For a big man he had a surprisingly whiny, high-pitched voice. Gemma’s next question suggested she was thinking the same thing.
    ‘How do I know you’ve got the balls to do it?’
    Wolf’s head shot up optimistically at the word ‘balls’. Despite the nausea I was feeling I couldn’t help but smile. I’d have let Wolf chase Snow’s balls any time he wanted. In fact, I’d have paid good money to watch.
    ‘Lady, your husband won’t be my first, you know what I mean? Knocking over hubby with a car will be like eating peanuts. The last one I did was up real close and personal. I watched her eyes roll back when I stuck the knife in. They were pretty eyes, but they went real flat-looking once she was dead. So don’t talk to me about balls because I got them all right. Nice big ones.’
    There was a rustling sound that no doubt was Snow grabbing Gemma’s hand and shoving it in his crotch. Nice. Knowing Gemma, it would have taken real restraint for her not to use the opportunity to twist them right off.
    ‘Okay, I’m sorry. I’m just a bit nervous. It’s not like I’ve hired a hit man before. That’s the correct term, is it? Hit man?’ Gemma laughed, a bit unconvincingly, but like Sean said, no one ever accused Snow of being smart. I could hear Snow shifting in his seat, readjusting himself no doubt.
    ‘You can call me whatever you like. It’s not like we’re in a long-term relationship or something. You pay me cash, I do the job, and we never see each other again. That’s the deal. I’ll be like an enforcer.’ Snow chuckled as if that was real funny.
    Gemma’s voice cut in. ‘If you don’t mind my asking, was that a job, too? The one you just mentioned, I mean. Were you hired to do that? It’s just that, I imagine, being hired to … remove someone is quite a different thing from, well, a personal killing.’
    Gemma had adopted a breathless ‘posh lady enjoying a bit of rough’ tone that seemed to be working on Snow. She was inviting him to brag.
    ‘What is this — the This is Your Life show or something?’
    Snow’s question was wary but it didn’t sound like he was on to Gemma. Not yet, anyway. Gemma giggled — something I’d never known her do in real life. I heard the plastic seat covers creak, then Snow, languid now, enjoying himself.
    ‘I don’t do personal and I don’t do freebies. Like that guy with the funny hair says, it was just business. She was a whore. Dumb too. Thought she could walk away when she felt like it. “ I don’t want to do it any more ”,’ he mimicked in a girly voice. ‘Well, it doesn’t work like that. But, you know, up-market nice-looking lady like you, I might be prepared to consider a discount.’
    I was pretty sure this wasn’t a threat. He even sounded a tad begrudging.
    Gemma spoke up quickly. ‘Listen, money’s not a problem. I’ve got it here.’ I could hear rustling. She must have had the cash ready in a paper bag. ‘There’s five thousand dollars here, all in ten and twenty dollar notes like you said. And I’ll give you the other half when you’ve done the job. That seems fair. Because I don’t have any proof that you can actually see this through. I mean, despite what you say, I don’t