The Invisible Hand - A crime novel

Chapter 90

        

Red guides Gus down the basement stairs with the Blackhawk.

"The business cards are in there," Gus says. Points to the gun safe.

"Bullshit. You want me to let you open a gun safe?" Red says. Keeps the revolver aimed at Gus's vitals.

"You can open it if you want. The combination is 19-1-13-9-19-1-7-21-25. Just, please, let me see my family again," Gus says.

"Fine. Stand over there," Red says. Herds Gus into a corner. Returns to the safe. "Now tell me the numbers again. And don't fucking cry on me."

But Gus can't help it. It's not his family he thinks about as he tears up, though. It's the thought of missing the land opportunity. The money. It hurts more than the chance of missing his wife and kids.

He always told himself money didn't matter in life. Doing right by family matters. It's a nice saying, but not when this kind of money is on the line.

"If you only knew why I had to do this. You'd understand," Red says. Opens the safe. Finds the business cards. Pockets them. Turns to face Gus.

"Me, too," Gus says. His right fist cracks Red's nose like a padlock popping open.

Red takes the punch without stumbling. That gives Gus enough time to seed another knuckle into Red's jaw.

But not a third. Red has a moment before dizziness melts his vision. Shoots Gus in the leg with the revolver.

The .45 caliber hollow point scores a fistful of meat from Gus's outer thigh. The fragments terminate as pock marks in the basement walls. No magical ricochet like in the movies.

Red slides up against the wall. Gus does the same on the opposite side of the basement. Neither talks for a few minutes. Just breathe through the creeping pain in their wounds.

"Sorry," Gus says finally. Threads off his belt. Wraps it like a tourniquet around his upper thigh.

"Why'd you hit me?" Red says. Blood from his nose drools off his chin. "Why do you give two shits whether I leave to find Wil?"

Gus sighs. No sense in hiding it now.

"The federal agents, Tom and Beth, they made me a deal. Said if I kept you here I'd get first dibs on some hot property," Gus says.

"What kind of dibs?" Red says.

"Said there was going to be a plot of land coming on sale soon. I could buy it for almost nothing. They said the price would go way up after that. Guaranteed. I could sell it, keep my family comfortable for generations," Gus says.

Red digs into his pocket. It's like a trough for the blood from his nose. Finds the business card, pulls it out.

"What property were they talking about?" Red says.

Gus hobbles to his feet. Tests whether he can walk with the tourniquet. Nope.

"I need a doctor," Gus says with wide eyes.

"The property, Gus. What property were they talking about?" Red says.

Gus hesitates. Coughs. It sounds forced.

"You don't tell me, I'm leaving you in this basement," Red says.

"Fine, fine. It's the Reynolds place. Now get me the hell to a doctor," Gus says.

Red squints away the look of shock in his eyes. Looks for a landline phone so Gus can't see. Finds one and tosses the receiver to Gus.

The cord is long enough to stretch across the basement. Not an uncommon sight on the prairie. The cell towers constructed for the oil fields are changing that.

"What's this?" Gus says.

Red says, "You're calling those agents. Then we'll see about getting you to a doctor."   

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