from my novel Tango Murderoso

McGrath’s heart leaped.
“Where’d he take the bags, Willie?” McGrath met his eyes in a cold stare.
Willie thought a moment. “Don’ know, I waited outside.”
Willie was genuinely confused with the sudden influx of knowledge and his mind couldn’t process it. There was excitement there but he couldn’t fathom the implications. He needed time to think.
McGrath’s voice took on a hard edge and his eyes bored into Willie’s. “Bullshit, Willie, he would’ve had you help him.”
“Naw, he was secret about some things he ...”
“So you mean he packed all those bags in by himself?” McGrath’s voice was rising. “Incredible, that’s what he paid you for.”
“Fuck you, I wasn’t his Joe-boy y’know. I handled other jobs for ‘im.”
Sure, McGrath thought, you were nothing but his strong-arm. Too stupid to be involved in anything cerebral. “What’d he say about them, the bags then?”
“Said they were a surprise for Cassandra, didn’t want my help.”
“Didn’t you even ask him what was in the fuckin’ things? I don’t believe this.”
“Fuck off, he said it was a surprise. Sure I aksed him but he goes, ‘you’ll find out later’. I never thought about it after. Forgot.”
McGrath knew he was going to lose ground once Willie figured he didn’t need him. He’d start lying. If he wasn’t already. He had to find out where those bags were hidden. “Wait a minute, I’ve got a sheet of paper here to show you.”
McGrath leaned into his car, Willie behind him. McGrath imagined Jose Canseco stepping out of the batter’s box to swing at a pitch-out. He twisted away from the car with the baseball bat in his hands and slammed Willie in the head with it. Blood splattered. Willie reeled across the alley and went down in a daze amid garbage piles. McGrath hit him twice on the knees with vicious blows. Quickly had Willie’s jacket open and the gun removed, slid it into an inner pocket of his own coat. Willie didn’t make a sound, he was numb but regaining consciousness. McGrath stood over him, sweat dripping from his brow, fiery anger in his eyes. “Now Willie, where’d you and Condy put the fucking BAGS?”

© RC Westerholm