Page 124 of Mouse Trapped

“I could give you some pointers,” Peg’s grinning widely. Yup, he’s got a boy.

“What about you, Slick?” Dollar asks. “You know what you’re havin’?”

“Not a fuckin’ clue, Brother, and don’t give a fuck.”

“Let me out! You’re a bunch of madmen.” The screams I’d tuned out start up once again.

I raise my eyebrow at Blade. He glances at Wraith and gets a chin lift in return. When he nods at me, I take a match from the box I’m still holding, strike it, then let it drop, making sure to swiftly jump back.

Now the screams increase in volume. There’s a thrashing sound asEl Procuradortries to avoid his inevitable fate.

“Well,” I say conversationally. “Mariana wanted him to disappear.”

Shooter walks as close as he can to the flaming hole and looks over. “Won’t be much of him left after that.”

Jeez. I’m glad I’m smoking. It’s helping to mellow me and covering up a little of the barbeque smell.

“Think he’s gone,” Shooter shouts back over his shoulder.

Wraith smiles. “Let it burn out. Then, Matt, cover him over.”

“I’ll help you, man,” Hyde offers. As the last member to be patched in, he’ll recall his prospecting duties.

The VP slaps me on the back. “It’s over now, Mouse. He’s finished.”

“And no one will know whether he’s dead or alive.” Yeah, the CIA and the feds will continue chasing their tails trying to find him. Another thing, along with how to get rid of him, we’d agreed on in church. Without a body, no one would be sending my woman back to Colombia.

The flames have died down. Matt and Hyde are picking up shovels. I smoke the last of my joint and throw the stub on top of the burned, twisted body. Then I spit on it. Turning around, I see my brothers walking ahead in the distance.

I start to follow them. The light from the flashlights behind me fades, and those ahead are a long way in front. I start to lengthen my stride, knowing I’m lagging.

There’s rustling in the trees around me. A Navajo wariness of being out in the dark creeps up on me.Ch’í?idii.The white in me disappears as I quicken my step, forcing myself not to look behind me, unable to empty my mind of the Navajo belief that all that’s bad in a person leaves upon death, becoming a malevolent spirit, not lingering near the body, but searching out anyone who mentions the name of the dead to infect them with their evil. The dead man I’d left to my rear was likelier than most to have hisch’í?idiileave him.

I walk faster as the rustling grows louder.

“Boo!”

Fucking hell!My heart, I swear, has stopped as Blade’s arm goes around my shoulder.

“Spooky out here, ain’t it?” he laughs.

Knowing he doesn’t know the fucking half of it, but not wanting to delay with a fist fight here, I just snarl, “Fuckin’ not funny, Brother.”

“Oooh. Made you startle, did I?”

Knowing he fucking knows he did, I just frown. He puts his flashlight under his chin and lights his face, looking like a Halloween figure. Fuck it. I can’t help but laugh at his childishness.

“What’s the hold up?” Wraith shouts back.

“Fuckin’ Blade, being fuckin’ Blade,” I yell back.

Christ, but I’m glad to be back on the compound. One last look behind, then I’m going down the slope to see my woman.

“Alright, Grunt. Sit.” Heart’s being greeted as if he’d been away a month, I dodge around the man trying to get his dog to obey, and see Mariana where I’d left her on the couch.

Drew holds a finger to his lips, and I see she’s sleeping.

“She alright?”