Free Trial Junkies (A Thriller) by Robert Gregory Browne Page A

W. Isaacs, Chicago Post—with a note scribbled on back:
     
    Call me.
     
    A phone number was written underneath this.
    " See? What'd I tell you?" Maurice said. "Not worth firing up the kettle."
    Hutch smiled and thanked him, then pulled his phone out and dialed as he walked toward the elevator.
    Matt picked up after the second ring. "Isaacs."
    "It's Hutch. What's up?"
    "You're a tough man to get hold of."
    "I have my reasons."
    "No shit," Matt said with a laugh. "I've been out of town on assignment for the last few weeks, but our crime watch editor says you've been in the courtroom every day since they started jury selection. Says you had some pretty strong words about Ronnie."
    Hutch's gut tightened. "Are we on the record right now?"
    "Come on, man, give me some credit. I feel pretty bad about how we left it the night Ronnie was tagged, so I'm hoping you'll let me buy you a drink. Non-alcoholic, of course."
    Hutch had no problem with that. He'd always respected Matt, despite any differences of opinion.  
    "When and where?" he asked.
    "You free now?"
    Hutch was at the elevator and stopped just short of pressing the call button. "I was about to climb in bed with a harem of starlets, but I think they'll give me a rain check."
    "Yeah? Ask 'em if they'll give me one, too."

 
     
     
    — 18 —
     
    H UTCH ORDERED A root beer, then looked at Matt and said, "Where's your wing man?"
    It was just after five p.m. and The Monkey House was oddly devoid of college students, most of whom were on summer break.  
    Hutch and Matt sat across from each other at a corner table, Hutch trying to remember the last time he'd seen Matt without Andy McKenna hovering somewhere nearby. He hated terms like bromance, but thought it might be appropriate when it came to the Curmudgeon Twins.
    "He's working late tonight," Matt said. "Some kind of accounting emergency, I guess."
    Hutch smiled. "I read his script, you know. When I was back in L.A."
    "Oh?" Matt's eyebrows shot up. "Believe it or not, he hasn't said anything about it since that night. Guess I dodged a bullet."
    "I haven't talked to him yet. Been a little distracted."
    "Haven't we all," Matt said. "Thing any good?"
    "Honestly? It's probably better than most of the scripts I've read."
    "You gotta be shittin' me."
    Hutch shook his head. "Your old buddy actually has some talent. He's got the structure down, snappy dialogue, good visuals, and a pretty good little story. Better than the novel I'm working on, that's for sure."
    Matt looked at him. "You're writing a novel?"
    "Probably more of a memoir than anything else—and not a very interesting one."
    "Never really been a book man myself. I like stories I can read in one sitting. I like writing 'em, too. Unfortunately nobody's interested in newspapers anymore."
    "Maybe you should start a blog."
    Matt chuckled. "Might have to, if things keep going the way they're going. Whoever thought trees would become obsolete?"
    "It's not just trees. I haven't bought a CD or a DVD in years."  
    "It's all about streaming and downloads now," Matt said. "You can't go into the crapper these days without a charged battery and a wireless connection."
    They both laughed and the waitress brought their drinks, smiling politely as she set them on the table.  
    It felt good to laugh.
    "Can I get you boys anything else?"
    "That'll do it for now," Hutch said, and when she was gone, he sobered, took a sip of his root beer and looked again at Matt. "I don't think you called me here to gripe about emerging technology and the erosion of traditional business models."
    Matt shook his head, then stared at the beer in front of him for a moment without touching it. "I want to apologize, Hutch. That night at the station house, I got pretty hot when I realized you were thinking Ronnie did this thing."
    "That was mostly Nadine and Tom. They're the ones got me started in the first place. But, as we soon discovered, they did have a point."
    He nodded. "Now that I've had some