Nickel City Storm Warning (Gideon Rimes Book 3) by Gary Ross (100 best novels of all time txt) 📗

Smoothing his mustache, the CO stepped over and bent close enough for us to hear him. “Inmate Hellman, twice I’ve heard you raise your voice and say the N-word.” His tone was even but his authority was underscored by the finger he pointed at Hellman. “It is an insult to your visitor, to me, and a poor example for children who may overhear you. If you use that word again, I will terminate this visit and return you to your cell.”

“Ooh whee!” Hellman said. “I’m real sorry ‘bout that, Officer Stokes, but I’m just funnin’ with my friend here. After all he done for me, the least I can do is tease him.”

“You got a strange idea of friendship.” Stokes straightened to his full height.

“You know, I wouldn’t expect you to understand, but lemme tell you who this fella is.” Shifting his gaze from the CO to me, he exhaled with a smile, halitosis wafting toward me. “This fella used to be a cop. In fact, he’s the reason I’m here. His name’s Gideon Rimes. Now what was it Old Roscoe Mulkins used to say ‘bout him ‘fore he died? He thought it was so funny. Oh, right!” He nodded, eyes narrowing in undisguised contempt. “CO Stokes, meet the man who cluster-Glocked my innards.”

“What?” Stokes blinked and looked at me.

“Shot me up so bad I gotta wear a bag.” Hellman touched his left side, gingerly, his eyes fixing me where I sat. “Killed my cousin too.”

“You killed a woman for her car. We caught you both by the body, and your cousin opened fire. My partner—”

“Oh, boo hoo! He crippled your pal fair and square,” Hellman said. “Weren’t no kids round, I’d show you how I gotta clean this bag ‘cause these people here don’t keep no good medical supplies.” He turned to the CO. “So ‘scuse me if I’m hard on him. We got history.”

“Least you’re alive,” I said. “My partner passed away about a year after he moved to Arizona, but he did okay in his wheelchair. I’m pretty sure he didn’t think about you.”

None of this was true but Hellman didn’t need to know that.

Hellman chuckled. “But I bet he thought a lot about Marv.”

“Excuse me, but why are you here?” Stokes asked me. “You may need to leave.”

“A few weeks ago a cocky young SOB tried to beat me to the ground with his bare hands. He came up to me on the street and told me he had a message from Jasper here.”

“That’s a damn lie!” Hellman’s washed-out face began to darken.

“Lower your voice,” Stokes said, modeling appropriate volume.

“That’s a damn lie,” Hellman whispered.

“Tell the next guy you send not to try it alone,” I said. “Tell him to bring a couple of other guys, maybe a weapon.”

“I didn’t tell that fool to kill nobody.”

“What fool?” Stokes said.

“Joey!” Hellman sounded agitated. “He’s sayin’ I sent Joey Snell to kill him and promised him fifteen thousand dollars. Everybody knows I ain’t got that kind of money.”

“Kid who got out awhile back? That dumb bastard tried to kill this guy barehanded?”

“Yeah!”

“Joey came up to me outside my gym,” I said. “Figured I was tired after my workout. He swung on me and I beat him so bad I broke his arm and fractured his skull.”

Another lie floated as a test balloon.

“Damn! So that’s what you were talking about.” The CO frowned at Hellman. “I wasn’t trying to listen but I couldn’t help hearing bits about an older man and some kid.”

I sat back and looked up at Stokes. “Three questions then?”

“Sure.”

“Did you hear me mention a sum of money?”

He thought for a moment. “No. I heard you say big money once or twice.”

“Not fifteen thousand. So when was the first time you heard the name Joey Snell?”

“Just now, from Hellman.”

“That don’t mean nothin’,” Hellman said, fidgeting. “That suit from the DA’s office asked me them same questions a couple weeks ago. That’s how I knew it was Joey who went after you and how much he claimed he was gonna get if he killed you.”

“Last question,” I said to Stokes. “Did you hear me at any time say someone tried to kill me?”

He shook his head and looked at Hellman. “The kill talk started with you, inmate.”

I tapped the tabletop to get Hellman’s attention. “Do you remember what you told the DA’s investigator about Joey?” I glanced over at the attorney-client conference rooms. That interview would have taken place in one of them.

“Yeah,” Hellman said. “I told him I didn’t tell nobody to—to go after you.”

I laughed. “His notes have you saying you didn’t know, and I quote, that wimpy little shit. Today you said you couldn’t remember meeting him. I bet this gentleman here knows you and Joey were close.”

Stokes nodded.

“Joey’s going back inside for assault, but he’s not coming here,” I said. “The DA’s office will be back to interview anybody close to you. Individuals you hang out with. Groups, like the white power people. Anybody else you might be intimate with.” I paused. “Joey cried when he learned you lied to him. But you probably don’t give a damn.”

“You are a nigger piece of shit,” Hellman said, climbing to his feet before the CO could tell him to stand. “Swear to God, one of us shoulda kilt the other that day.”

“I’m just giving you fair warning. If you’re trying to get people to hurt me when they get out and promising them money you don’t have from a wife who never existed, I think CO Stokes would agree everybody you talk to should know you’re a broke-ass bachelor.”

Smiling, Stokes nodded. “I could mention that in front of the right people.”

“But if you’re offering money to kill me, the DA will file murder for hire charges.”

“Life with no chance,” Hellman said as the CO gestured him toward the door. “What else can he do to me? But if I was you, I’d be careful. A cold world out there, my nigga.”

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