Page 51 of Thick as Thieves

Foster moaned an appeal to the almighty. “What are we going to do?”

“Well, first, we’re not going to panic. Burnet won’t parley until he’s talked to his lawyer. My guess is that their meeting won’t take place till morning, and maybe not till Monday, ’cause tomorrow’s Easter. But, in case I’m wrong, we need to hide this money. Tonight. Now.”

“Right, right. Hide it.”

“Where should we meet?”

“Meet?” Foster’s voice rose an octave. “You and me?”

“I’m not doing this alone, Foster.”

“But—”

“If something happened to me, nobody would know where the money was stashed.”

“What could happen to you?”

“Anything. Jesus! I could have a car wreck, fall in a fucking sinkhole. Anything. But what really scares me? If Burnet talks, he’ll give me over first, and it won’t matter that my daddy’s the sheriff. They’ll be after me. I can’t be caught with this money.

“If Burnet is granted bail, he’ll come after me. He’ll want to shut me up. Probably all of us.” He built in a strategic pause. A little longer. Then, “Look, never mind. I’ll figure it out for myself.”

“No, wait. Give me a sec to think.”

Rusty smiled but made himself sound put out. “Well, think fast. I’ve got to move on this.”

“I’ll help you.”

“If you’re afraid, if you’re going to be whimpering like a little girl the whole time—”

“No, I’m all right. Just nervous. But I don’t think Burnet will break the pact. I really don’t.”

“Think what you want. I’m counting on him selling us out. Which means…”

“What?”

“Well, I’m thinking that in addition to hiding the money, we need a fall guy.”

“Someone to take the blame?”

“That’s what fall guys do, Foster.”

“I know, I know, but—”

“We may not need one, but we should have it set up in case Burnet double-crosses us.”

Foster ruminated on it for so long that Rusty was ready to scream by the time he said, “Yeah, okay. It’s probably a good idea. But who?”

“The town drunk, otherwise known as Joe Maxwell.”

Chapter 14

Ledge sat with his legs wide apart, hands loosely clasped between his knees, head down, staring at the floor and wishing to God he could rewind the clock to when he’d woken up this morning and live today over again. Maybe then he wouldn’t be behind bars, sharing space with a stinking urinal.

But, hell, he probably would be. As Rusty had so accurately pointed out: In all this time, he hadn’t learned a damn thing.

“Burnet!”

Ledge raised his head. A deputy was unlocking the cell door. Ledge knew him to be a veteran of the sheriff’s office, long in the tooth and a heart attack waiting to happen. Perpetually short of breath, he wheezed when he talked. “Get your ass out of here. You’re free to go.”