The Heartbreak Lounge Read Online Free Page A

white man in his fifties, wearing a satin New Jersey Devils jacket over a shirt and tie. Harry didn’t know him.
    He came over, shook hands with Ray, nodded at Harry.
    â€œWhat a mess, huh?” he said, taking a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket.
    â€œEd Odell, this is Harry Rane. He works for me.”
    Odell looked at him but didn’t offer his hand. He pried a cigarette out of the half-empty pack, lit it with a Cricket.
    â€œRane? I know you?”
    â€œWe worked together for the state,” Ray said. “MCU. He’s been with me about six months.”
    â€œAnd I trust those weapons are fully licensed, carry permits and all?”
    â€œOf course,” Ray said. “Happy to show you the papers.”
    Odell looked at Harry.
    â€œBeen a while since you’ve been in the middle of something like this, I’d guess,” he said. “When did you leave the state?”

    â€œThree years ago.”
    â€œDrummed out, huh?” He smiled.
    â€œSomething like that.”
    â€œWell, Ray.” He turned away from Harry. “I know the mayor okayed your being here and I know the Businessman’s Association or Civil Rights Council—or whatever the fuck they’re calling themselves these days—is paying for it, but aggravation like this I don’t need.”
    He looked Ray in the eye. Smoke drifted between them.
    â€œDon’t mean to step on your toes here, Ed, but if these people feel they’re not getting enough police protection, then they’re entitled to bring in someone else. Every corporation and chain store in the area has private security. Why is this different?”
    â€œBecause I can’t remember the last time I had to respond to a shooting at Sears, that’s why. You state people, even after you leave the job, you’ve got the same attitude. Like the locals are some sort of Mickey Mouse outfit and you’re going to come in and tell us how things should be run. I have to put up with that bullshit sometimes, no way around it, but I don’t have to put up with it from you now.”
    â€œThat’s not the way it is, Ed, and you know it.”
    â€œLooks like we’re stuck cleaning up your mess, though. And maybe I should be making a call to Errol Micheaux’s boss over in Asbury too.”
    â€œHe’s been cleared to work for me. He’s off-duty. No one’s breaking any rules.”
    â€œCould be you need to hire some Neptune boys. Maybe they’d have had this situation under control a little quicker, with nobody getting hurt.”
    â€œHow’s the kid?” Harry said.
    Odell looked at him.
    â€œKid? You referring to the shooter or the employee whose face you fucked up?”
    â€œHe shot that boy point-blank, unarmed. It wasn’t right.”
    â€œWell, maybe that ‘kid’ will learn his lesson now.”
    â€œHow is he?”
    â€œLast I heard from the hospital, he was still unconscious.
Twenty-twos, though, they can be bad with head wounds. Small slug, but it rattles around in there, bounces off the bone. Can do a lot of damage.”
    â€œIs he going to live?”
    â€œGot a coin?”
    Odell slapped Ray on the arm.
    â€œLet’s talk in the morning,” he said. “Come by headquarters. And bring that paper.”
    He turned away, went over to talk to one of the uniforms.
    â€œPrick,” Harry said under his breath.
    â€œYou’ve been out of the Life too long,” Ray said. “He’s a prince compared to some I have to deal with. Come on, let’s take a drive. We need to talk.”
    Â 
    When Ray went to use the phone at the back of the diner, Harry swallowed another Percocet quarter, washed it down with coffee. He looked out the window at the rain. They’d driven from the liquor store in Ray’s Camry, left the Mustang there. He hoped there were enough cops still at the scene that it wouldn’t be stolen.
    Ray hung