Page 96 of A Quick Buck

Wait, fuck, where didthatthought come from?

He blamed the creepy assassin still eyeballing him.

“We can stick around here for another day if you’d like,” Mickey offered. “Boss Cold doesn’t need us back right away.”

“I would appreciate that,” Alistair said.

“If Patrick is here, we’ll find him,” Roger promised.

There was movement at the doorway, and Noah saw Erasmus and Medina—ugh, why—walking in.

He must have flinched because Alistair’s touch became even more firm as if to reassure him.

“Mr. Tamerlane. Mr. Lorre.” Medina didn’t venture into the room very far, but he did bow his head respectfully.

Mickey said nothing.

“Hey there, fuckface,” Roger said cheerfully.

Noah snorted without meaning to.

“We’re going to redirect our efforts to finding Patrick Allan here in Moultrie,” Alistair announced. “Someone wants us to believe that he had fled the state, but that does not seem to be the case now.”

“I’ll go back around to his office,” Mace said. “Ask the staff again, see if their stories change.”

“Good.”

“You know where I’ll be,” Erasmus said mysteriously.

“Of course.”

“I could go—” Medina began.

“You’ll go with Mace so he can keep an eye on you.” Alistair’s tone indicated that his decision was final.

“No, come on.” Medina took a step closer. “This is bullshit! I’ve been doing everything you fuckin’ told me to!”

“Medina,” Alistair warned.

The air grew uncomfortably tense, and Crybaby’s hand hovered near her gun. Junior was sneering, and Erasmus and Mace were staring daggers at Medina as well, and Noah had the craziest feeling he was about to witness a murder.

“No!” Medina was headed right for Alistair. “It’s been fuckin’ days! What more do I have to do for you to fuckin’ trust me, huh? I’m sick of this shit—”

Mickey had a gun in Medina’s face before Noah could even process that he’d stood up. One second he’d been sitting down, and the next he was up, gun pressing right into Medina’s forehead.

Holy fuck, he was fast.

Noah scooted back, finding Alistair’s strong hand on his shoulder to stop him from scooting right into the fire.

Medina hissed, holding up his hands and backing away. “Now you’re gonna let Mickey Tamerlane push me around too? Gonna let him whack me? Is that your fuckin’ plan?”

“If we were in Strassen Springs, you’d already be dead,” Mickey promised.

Roger laughed loudly as if this was hilarious.

Noah thought he was going to throw up. Okay, Medina was a jerk, but he did not wanna see anyone getting their brains exploded all over the place.

“What I want from you is obedience,” Alistair said sternly. “I am not convinced you’re telling me everything you know about Patrick Allan or Jason Carbone. I still do not think it’s a coincidence that your alibi for Carbone’s murder was provided by Patrick’s own nephew.”