Return to the Apex: No More Mr. Nice Guy novel · Chapter 17 of 24
Chapter 17: Two Papers
"Nobody's paying," I said. "Who are you?"
"I'm a man who's been very patient." The big man didn't let go of Rex's collar. "Four hundred thousand, from March. With the interest it's four eighty. I've been told it's due today."
"I didn't bring him," Rex said. His split lip made it hard to talk. "They were outside the police station when I got out. They've been following me for three days."
"Shut up," the big man said, pleasantly.
The deputy had turned his head, and so had the neighbors.
A man holding a debtor by his neck was a fine thing to film on a quiet street, and several of them were.
"Take your hand off him," I said.
"Or what?"
"Or the deputy standing behind you will ask why you're holding a man by the neck in front of this whole street."
He looked over his shoulder and found the deputy looking back.
He let go of the collar. He did it slowly, and he smiled.
"Four eighty," he said. "My boss doesn't care who pays it."
"Give me your boss."
He held out a phone, and the voice on it was a tired older man with a South Boston accent who said he'd take cash, a wire, or a car.
I told him I'd take the debt.
He took a minute to understand me.
"You buy it from me today, at face," he said. "And Brannigan's your problem."
"Brannigan's mine."
My lawyer sent the wire from the pavement with her phone held at arm's length, between two moving men carrying a lamp.
It took four minutes.
The big man's phone chimed.
He nodded, put it away, and gave Rex a long, level look.
"You're lucky somebody likes you," he said, and walked back to his car, and drove off with one wheel bumping off the grass.
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