Raylan_ A Novel - Elmore Leonard [16]
Raylan said, “She ready for Harlan?”
Art said, “Anything this lady wants, you pinch the brim of your cowboy hat and say, ‘Yes, ma’am.’ ”
“While I’m waitin around, you mind if I scare up the Crowes?”
“If you can bring ’em in. You shoot ’em, you’ll never find the doctor, will you?”
They were in Layla’s motel room in Corbin, Layla packed, ready to return to UK Medical after two weeks off; Cuba here because he wanted to talk to her face-to-face.
“You tell me, dismiss the Crowe brothers,” Cuba said. “You mean take ’em out.”
They sat at the table in the motel room sipping brandy with the coffee Cuba got from the lobby.
“The way to ask it,” Cuba said, “did I ever shoot a dude look like he meant to take somethin belong to me, like my car or my life? See, that’s different than askin me to go shoot somebody. Know what I’m sayin? You join a young boys gang, they tell you go on out and gun this dude from some other gang. Prove you got the cojones. There boys groove on it till they get taken out theirselves. I never was in a gang. I avoid any bloodshed isn’t necessary to my state of being. The only time I used a gun—this nine-mil Sig I have—two dudes try to jack the Mercedes I just got done jackin. Big crackhead young niggas come with baseball bats, tell me they gonna bang on the car less I get out. I shoulda sat there. It come to me later, they ain’t gonna jack a car the windows broke out. But at the same time I thought I better defend myself. I pulled the Sig and shot both the motherfuckers they standin there waving the bats. Left ’em lyin in the street.”
“I can see it,” Layla said in her easy way. “You left them for dead?”
“I never heard they made it or passed.”
She reached across the table to lay her hand on his.
“But if you don’t do the Crowes they’ll tell on us.” She said, “Starting a new practice things always happen you didn’t plan on.” She said, “Once the Crowes are caught they’ll give us up. You know that.”
“I suppose,” Cuba said. “Only I never walked up to a man I’ve done business with and shot him. Or got into any kind of gig I ain’t positive it’s gonna pay off.”
“It’s like learning a new procedure,” Layla said. “Once you have it down . . . Our first week we scored both times, no surprises, four kidneys at ten each. I’m glad I found a good body broker. We can deal with some at the hospital, but you have to get the right ones when you’re freelancing. If we do just one a week for a year, extract both kidneys, you know what we make? A million bucks. While Dr. Blow Job’s working his ass off five days a week.”
“Your idea of usin masks,” Cuba said, “made it a scene. The guy in the motel room opens the door, tired, just come off the road. Sees these faces lookin at him—”
“They had to be the right ones,” Layla said.
“Man can’t believe what’s goin on. Starts to grin as I’m shakin his hand. You jab the needle in the man and I catch him as he goes down.”
“We started laughing,” Layla said, “I think with relief. Remember?”
“It was funny,” Cuba said. “We laughin in our rubber masks cause it was funny. I always felt, you don’t have a good time doin crime, you may as well find a job.”
Layla grinning at him till she said, “If I had any idea Angel knew the brothers—”
“I told you he did. You thinkin we sell ’em back the same day for a hundred grand, your mind busy. Hmmmm, maybe this is how we do Mr. Harry. The man still botherin your mind.”
“You’re right,” Layla said, “I was looking ahead. We know Harry can pay whatever we ask. Like a half mil for the pair?”
“Sounds about right,” Cuba said.
“But how do we collect,” Layla said, “without exposing ourselves?”
“I was thinking,” Cuba said, “we could take the Crowe brothers’ kidneys.”
He waited.
“That’s not a bad idea,” Layla said. “The boys have to be good for something.”
“Take out the kidneys,” Cuba said, “and forget about callin a hospital.”
“You’re off the hook,” Layla said. “Letting a person die isn’t the same as killing him. Or is it?”
“A course not,” Cuba said, “they two different things.”
“It’s okay with me,” Layla