Free The Sentry by Robert Crais Page A

He’s the new generation, and we’re all over him—”
    Straw checked his watch.
    “—which is how I know you met with him two hours ago at the Starbucks on Abbot Kinney. After which you hooked up with Ms. Rayne and went to the Sidewalk Cafe. They make a good pizza. My favorite meal since I’ve been here.”
    Straw craned his head to geyser more smoke out the window, then glanced at Button.
    “My new best friend here, Detective Button, he thinks this conversation is a mistake.”
    Button stared out the window.
    “It is. You’re going to regret it.”
    “I don’t think so, but either way I need your help, Mr. Pike, so here we are. Ms. Rayne tell you what’s going on?”
    “What would she have told me?”
    “The two carnales you bounced, Mendoza and Gomer? This wasn’t the first time they’ve been to see her uncle, and they didn’t kick the shit out of him over a sandwich—they were sending a message.”
    Button nodded along.
    “It’s what you and I talked about, Pike. Smith lied. Those pricks were shaking him down.”
    Straw had more of the cigarette. He looked fit enough, but Pike thought the man probably couldn’t run twenty feet.
    “Mikie’s spooling up a protection racket—pay the man or get your ass kicked, we’ll break your window, steal your truck, whatever. It’s a street-level thing, small-time, but it’s only one of a number of new scams he’s running. Underline new. These guys are making it up as they go.”
    Button shifted in his seat, glancing at Pike but talking to Straw.
    “The girl may not know. Smith probably doesn’t want her worried about it. He’d be up shit creek if she walked out on him.”
    Pike said, “What does this have to do with me?”
    Straw had more of the cigarette.
    “You just scared Mikie off, and that’s bad. We’re clocking his business.”
    Pike cocked his head.
    “The FBI rolled out for a neighborhood protection scam?”
    Straw smiled again.
    “I wouldn’t give two shits and a cup of coffee about this, but the new jefes like Azzara, they aren’t content to deal tar like their daddies. La Eme is entering the modern age, Mr. Pike. They’re trying new business models, and this shakedown thing is just one piece. They’re also developing international ties with several cartels, and that interests me very much. Hence, my operation and this conversation.”
    Pike glanced at Button.
    “You didn’t know?”
    “Not until this morning.”
    Straw finished his cigarette, and flicked it over his shoulder.
    “With apologies to Detective Button, we didn’t have boots on the ground two weeks ago. When we learned about Mikie’s new venture, we decided this was our way into La Eme ’s new food chain. It’s happening fast.”
    Pike said, “Through a neighborhood shakedown.”
    Straw shrugged.
    “It’s down at the street level, we can reach it, and it’s easy. Easy means fast. New boys like Azzara are popping up in Eme sets from Brownsville to Phoenix to San Diego, and we don’t even know who they are. If we can get inside Mikie’s set, we can find out, which is what we were doing until you got in the way.”
    Straw shifted again, and looked apologetic.
    “Brother, listen, you did the right thing. If I saw those two clowns stomping some poor guy, I’d weigh in, too. I respect that. But now it’s over, and I need things to go back to the way they were.”
    Pike said, “Meaning what?”
    Button shifted angrily.
    “He wants you to mind your own fucking business. What don’t you get about that?”
    Straw raised a hand, telling Button to take it easy.
    “I’m asking you to cool it. Stay away from Smith and let him go back to being Smith. Don’t be his personal sentry. Let Azzara be Azzara.”
    Pike saw what Straw wanted, and didn’t like it.
    “Azzara being Azzara means he puts the pressure on Smith. Mendoza and Gomer will be free to lean on him.”
    “I need the little men, so I can trade for the big men. This means I need the little men out doing