‘I’ll do it on my time, Pete. I’ll do it between pipeline jobs. All I need is you not to hassle me for it, a few resources, and to know that Munro’s off my back.’
Pete LaBello wished for the thousandth time that he’d retired before the Tom Patrick shit had hit the fan – as he’d always known it would some day. He’d as good as promised Lenny Munro that he’d fire Tom today. And when he’d said it to Munro he’d meant it. He couldn’t see any way back for Tom. Not then, anyway …
‘It can’t be official. Munro would go over my head.’
‘I understand.’
‘He might go over my head anyway. He hates you like haemorrhoids.’
‘I get it.’
‘You have to be discreet. A goddamned sight more discreet than you’ve been so far.’
‘Okay.’
‘And you’ve got to apologize to Munro.’
Tom’s face protested. Pete cut him off: ‘Right now. In front of witnesses. It’s the only way he’ll lie down for this – and you know you owe it to him.’
‘Shit.’ Tom glowered at his sneakers and snaked an angry hand round the back of his neck, scraping at the prickles of hair. ‘Okay. Fuck it. Okay.’ He stood up. ‘As long as you know I don’t mean it.’
Pete couldn’t help smirking at that.
‘What about the CalSuperior complaint?’
Pete thought about it. ‘I guess I can make that go away. Their pride’s hurt, that’s all. The guy who called me up sounded like he was going to cry.’
Tom smiled tightly. ‘Lowell Dexter?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Prick.’
‘Yeah.’
Tom nodded, looking around the office, the fingers of his left hand splayed and resting lightly on the desk. His eyes finally travelled back to Pete’s. He took a deep breath and went for broke. ‘What about this bolt? If I put in an Eddy current test request Munro will be all over me again.’
Pete looked at him in amazement for a moment, then shook his head. ‘Unbelievable.’ He sighed for the final time that day. ‘I’ll get it done.’ He put the bolt into a Ziploc bag, then saw that Tom had something else to say. Something he was obviously having enormous difficulty with. The man’s face was a textbook example of inner turmoil. He was actually sweating, for Chrissake!
Pete hoped desperately that Tom Patrick had the sense to shut the hell up and take what he’d been offered: he had no more to give and he sure as hell wasn’t in the mood to dredge up any more favours.
But he felt his heart sink as Tom opened his big fucking mouth to say …
‘How’s Ann?’
Tom came out of Pete’s office and Lenny Munro immediately turned to him, his eyes as hostile as a cornered pig’s.
Tom grinned at Kitty and was gratified to see her face light up as she realized he was still in a job.
‘Shit!’ Munro had read the same thing on his face. ‘Pete! What the hell?’
Pete stood in his office doorway and braced himself. ‘Come back in, Lenny.’
‘You’re kidding me, right? You didn’t can his ass?’
Tom cleared his throat politely, fighting every instinct to rub Munro’s nose in it. He noticed that heads were turning towards them from every corner of the open-plan office as Munro’s voice rose.
‘Lenny. Please. We’ll discuss this in private.’
‘Fuck you, Pete! And fuck you too, Patrick!’ Munro was tight with fury. Tom could even see the redness boiling through his pale crew cut.
‘Munro!’
Lenny Munro realized he’d gone too far. With an effort that even Tom had to admire, he straightened himself up and walked towards Pete’s office, his eyes glinting, his jaw working under his shaking, flushed jowls.
As he passed, Tom put a hand briefly on his arm to hold him in place and spoke before he could change his mind. ‘Hey, Lenny, I’m sorry I fucked with your investigation,’ he said, loud enough for everyone to hear. He could see Munro was surprised, but also that he was still angry and desperate to have his say and – in an uncharacteristic moment of charity – Tom decided to let him. He raised his eyebrows and stood still in invitation of the man’s best shot.
Munro glared at him, his fists clenched tightly at his sides, and gave it to him. ‘There’s no i in “team”, asshole!’
That was his best shot? Tom snorted, then told him, ‘Yeah, but there’s a u in “cocksucker”.’
Kitty squeaked and Munro swung at him and Tom ducked under it, wondering vaguely where the hell his mouth had found that one, and Pete and two other men grappled Lenny Munro into the office before he could murder Tom Patrick in a room full of witnesses.
21
CANDICE HOLMES HADN’T been able to get a seat next to her boyfriend so she twisted in her belt and looked at him. Carlo smiled hazily at her. He’d taken a Valium to help him sleep on the flight from Savannah to LA and it was already kicking in.
‘Tired?’
