The lighting in fast food places was always overly bright. The two guys in the plastic booth by the restrooms had that whole corner of the restaurant to themselves. Cream and Ricky looked like thugs, especially Cream, who sat slumped with one leg thrust way out doing the 'I'm A White Guy As Bad As Any Dude' thing. They had coffee in front of them, and there were half a dozen torn sugar packets in front of Ricky. Ricky liked his coffee really sweet. "It's the Big Hat," Ricky said. He was flying on something, one knee jittering in constant motion. Harry sat down in the booth and Ricky grinned widely for no reason Harry could see. Ricky had a brown and rotten smile. The teeth of a habitual meth user. "Any news?" Harry asked. "Nah," Cream said. "What's up on your date?" Harry asked. Cream had a court date coming up for breaking parole. It would probably get him sent back to prison. "Nothing new," said Cream. "Lawyer doesn't answer my phone calls." "You need a better lawyer?" Harry said. "I might be able to find one." Although Cream had peed dirty and it didn't really make any difference what lawyer he had. But Cream perked up. "Could you? Yeah. That would be good." "Okay," Harry said. There was a plastic grocery bag on the seat beside him that hadn't been there when he sat down. He took a bag out of his jacket, replaced the grocery bag with it. Inside the bag was a gun that had already been used in a felony. They would plant it on some guy and then make sure he was picked up for something. "Good seeing you," Ricky said, and grinned again. Too much dental information in that smile for Harry's taste. Harry walked out into the parking lot and took a breath of smog filled air. He stopped and lit a cigarette. A guy said, "Hey Harry." Harry knew the guy. He was a Federal Marshall. Harry had seen him, Don McPherson. McPherson said, "Let me drive you home." "What are you doing here?" Harry asked. "Followed you," McPherson said. "What do you want?" "I want to talk." Harry was all adrenaline. He had guys inside, but a lot could happen in a very short time. "Not tonight," Harry said. McPherson wasn't entirely clean himself, according to one of Harry's guys. Don had been seen talking to the guy who offed Cisneros and Gonzales and maybe a couple of other guys. "I just want to talk some business," McPherson said. "Not here," Harry said. "Not tonight." Cream and Ricky were probably watching. If they thought he was flipping them--wearing a wire, say, or working with the Feds--they'd turn on him. "Okay," McPherson said. Harry took a draw on his nearly forgotten cigarette. "I'll be in touch," McPherson said.
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