Three by Jay Posey - sample chapters

thin sheen of perspiration, colorless ring around tensed lips.

“Sorry I frighten you,” Three said without apologetic tone. He leaned his head to one side and cracked his neck audibly, watching the old man carefully. The agent laughed, too suddenly, too loud.

“What? I ain’t scared of ya, don’t ya worry about that.”

Lie, Three thought.

“I lived plenty enough years to see things a lot worse than you, friend.”

That was true. Three lowered his head in the barest hint of a bow. Whatever the agent’s reason for withholding a portion of his stash, Three decided, he was an honest dealer. Probably owed someone. The agent got back to business.

“Gimme your SNIP, I’ll pim ya when I get the rest.”

“I’ll come back tomorrow.”

The agent’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Be easier if you just gimme the SNIP.” “I’d rather not.”

“Figgered that,” the agent snorted. “Well, gimme two days, I’ll have the rest for ya then. Late afternoon.”

Three unfastened his coat to pocket the payment, revealing a mammoth pistol crouching in a holster on his vest, coiled like some predator hungering to pounce. The agent’s eyes bulged at the hardware, but he quickly diverted his attention. He kicked at the coffin.