The Darkness - Jason Pinter [69]
into any trouble, it's up to the other one to help out."
"No problem," Morgan said. "That's a pretty sweet
tie," he noted, admiring the silk.
"Only kind I wear," Theo said. "Red is too loud. Says
you're trying too hard. Lighter colors--yellow, green--
those are pansy-ass colors. Black, white, hell, you're not
even trying. Blue is the perfect in between. It's bold, but
it doesn't say that. It's like a backrub. Sounds pretty
innocent, but it's going to get your panties off before the
night is over."
"I'm not wearing any panties. So I guess you already
won."
"Enough, girls," Leonard said. His voice grew stern,
and he moved forward until his face was just inches from
Morgan's. "Theo is also your insurance policy, Isaacs,
and Isaacs is yours, Goggins. If you ever try anything
funny, ever do anything to place yourself or your partner
in danger...well, there's a quarter-million-dollar bonus in
it for your partner if he turns you in."
"Wait, what?" Morgan said. "He gets two hundred
and fifty grand for ratting on me?"
"Yes and no," Leonard continued. "I already explained this to Theo, but you need to know it as well. If
your partner does anything--talks to the cops, tells his
friends, tells his family, tells his fucking shih tzu--if you
inform us you get quarter-million-dollar bonus. Tax
free."
Morgan could tell Theo was eyeballing him. He
didn't like it.
The Darkness
197
"But," Leonard said, "if one of you lies just to get
the money, you won't need money where you're going.
So before you decide to play games, ask yourself if the
risk is really worth the reward. You can either continue
to make money--good money--working for us. Or
you can get cute, try to get rich quick, and end up like
Ken Tsang."
Morgan's stomach felt like someone had just poured
acid inside of it.
Leonard and his people couldn't have been responsible
for Ken's death--could they?
"Hopefully you'll never need to know what it feels like
to be able to touch your knee to the small of your back,"
Leonard said. "Or for your arms to suddenly grow another
joint. Because Ken sure did."
Theo didn't move. Did not react. Morgan stared at
Leonard. He was scared, and Leonard seemed to recognize this.
"Now, don't get ahead of yourself thinking all doom
and gloom. Ken was stupid," Leonard said. "I'm hoping
you're smart. Because if you are, it's nothing but gravy
for all of us. Theo here is your guardian angel, and the
bomb collar strapped to your neck. He will protect you
at all costs, but if you try and remove him in any way
whatsoever--he'll still be around long after the bomb
goes off. Do you get this? Both of you?"
Theo nodded. He didn't seem to care, didn't seem
affected in the least. It was as though he knew he would
never turn. Never lie to these people. He was there for the
money. And as long as he did what he was told, that green
would pour in.
"I get it," Morgan finally said. The acid had gone. The
look on Theo's face had made it dry up. This was Morgan's
198
Jason Pinter
chance to get his life back. He would never do what Ken
did. And he knew Theo would never turn on him.
They both had too much to lose.
"Great. Now that we're clear on the rules, let's go
over everything. But first, let's give you a look at your
merchandise."
Leonard opened the door up wider. Theo went back
inside, and Morgan followed. And when he saw what
was inside, it was all he could do not to gasp.
"How much..." he said.
"Doesn't matter," Leonard said.
Morgan looked around. In a dozen neat piles, each
about twenty feet wide and five feet tall, were small, individual bags. Each of these bags contained what looked
like a different kind of narcotic.
Cocaine. Ecstasy. Weed. Pills. Things Morgan didn't
recognize in the slightest.
And then, in the back corner, he saw something that
piqued his curiosity.
Bags filled with what looked like small pieces of black
gravel. Rocks so small and so insignificant that they
looked like they could have been taken from his grandmother's driveway.
"What's