L Is for Lawless

bitch."
    "How'd he know you'd been released?"
    "Now that, I don't know. He might have talked to my PO. I seem to recall I might've threatened him once upon a time. He probably told 'em he was worried I'd come after him. Which I still might."
    "How did you figure out it was him?"
    "I didn't at first. Minute I heard about the break-in, I knew something was off, but I didn't think about Hays. Then I realized what happened and, like, it had to be him. Simple process of elimination because I never breathed a word about Johnny to anyone else." Ray lifted the napkin away from his bleeding lip. "How's that?"
    "Well, it isn't
gushing,"
I said. "Can we back up a bit? Once you heard Johnny was dead, what made you so sure he still had money stashed somewhere?"
    "I wasn't
sure,
but it just made sense. Guy drops dead of a heart attack, he doesn't have time to do anything. Talking to Bucky, I realized the kid didn't have a dime, so if there's money, it's probably still hidden somewhere on the premises. I figure if I rent his place, I can look around at my leisure."
    "Meanwhile, you didn't say a word to Bucky about this."
    "About the money? No way. You know why? Suppose I'm wrong? Why get their hopes up if there's nothing? If I do find some money, I can ask for a cut."
    "Oh, right. This is money they don't know anything about and you're telling me you'd turn it over to them?"
    He smiled sheepishly. "I might skim off a small percentage, but what harm would that do? They're still gonna come up with more than they ever had reason to expect."
    "And in the meantime, this former cellmate's followed you to Johnny's door."
    "That's my guess."
    "How'd he know about the kickplate?"
    Ray held up his battered hand. "Because I told him. Otherwise, he'd have broken every bone in my hand. He had me at a disadvantage because I wasn't expecting him. Next time I'll know, and one of us is going to end up dead."
    "How did you know about the kickplate?"
    Ray tapped himself on the temple. "I know how Johnny's mind worked. That day I came up there and you were looking through his books? I was doing a little survey. He'd used a kickplate before – this was way back when – so I was thinking I'd try that first." He stirred in his seat. "You don't believe me. I can tell by the look on your face."
    I smiled slightly. "You're a very slick man. You lie about as well as I do, only you've had more practice."
    He started to say something, but the waitress had reappeared with two steaming plates on a tray. She looked harried, to say the least. She set down juice, two side orders of buttered toast, and a variety of jams. She took a couple of small paper packets from the pocket of her uniform and put them by his plate. "I got you these," she said.
    Ray picked up a packet. "What's Midol?"
    "For cramps, but it'll cure anything that ails you. Just don't take too many. You might develop PMS."
    "PMS?" he said blankly.
    Neither of us responded. Let him figure it out. She refilled our coffee cups and moved on to another table, taking out her order pad. Ray opened a paper packet and tossed back two tablets with his orange juice. We spent a short, intense spell shoveling food down our throats.
    Rawson finally dabbed a paper napkin gingerly across his lips. "You want my suggestion, I'd say let's quit hassling what's past and figure out what comes next."
    "Ah. Now we're partners. The buddy system," I said.
    "Sure, why not? Gilbert Hays took Johnny's money, and I want it back. This is not just for me. I'm talking about Bucky and Chester. Isn't that why they hired you? To return what Hays stole?"
    "I suppose," I said.
    He shrugged laconically. "So how about it, then? What's the plan?"
    "How come it's up to me? You think of one," I said.
    "You're the one getting paid. I'm just here to assist."
    I studied him, debating the garbled tale he'd just told. I didn't really believe he was telling me the truth, but I didn't know him well enough to know what kinds of lies he told. "Actually, there is one possibility, and I could use some help," I said.
    "Good. What's the deal?"
    I took out Laura's room key and placed it on the table. "I have the key to Laura Huckaby's room."
    His face went completely blank, and then his brow was furrowed by a squint. He leaned forward, staring. He said, "What?"
    "The woman with the duffel. She's using the name Hudson, but that's the key to her room."

10
    I hauled one of the linen carts out of the utility alcove on Laura Huckaby's floor. I had changed