Free Crime Always Pays by Declan Burke

about?'
     
     
     
     
     
    Karen
     
    'That's him alright,' Ray said, adjusting the rearview to watch Rossi cross the forecourt, flares flapping, headed for the Beamer parked off to the side of the gas station.
              Karen, arms folded, watched in the wing mirror. 'You think I wouldn't know Rossi? Even wearing a poxy beard?'
              'Who's the big guy?'
              'No idea.'
              'His muscle?'
              'How would  I  know, Ray? I never seen him before.'
              'I'm only asking.'
              'Okay. Only next time? Ask me something I might know.'
              Ray sipped some coffee and chewed lightly on the rim of the cardboard beaker. 'Know what I'm thinking?' he said.
              Karen nodded, grim. 'We go over there, drag him out of the fucking car and put a round in each knee.'
              'Tempting,' Ray said. 'But first let's see if there's other options.'
              'Like what?'
              'Like how this doesn't actually change anything.'
              'Are you insane? The sick fuck's sitting right there.'
              'He's not over here. Not pointing a rod at your face, wanting the money. I'm saying,' Ray said, 'he doesn't know we're here. And there's no way he can know what we're driving. We could spin all the way down to Athens behind him, keeping an eye on the Beamer, he wouldn't think twice about it. Like, he reckons we got a jump-start on him, right?'
              'So now we're following him,' Karen said, 'following us?'
              'This way we know where he's at. And until I can raise Terry on the blower, we still need to hit Athens.'
              'I can't believe Madge told him about the cruise.'
              Ray had nothing to add to that. They watched as the big guy got out of the Beamer and lumbered back across the forecourt, went to the Ladies' restroom. From the rear of the van came a rumbling sigh that sounded a lot like a sabre-toothed tiger contemplating a mammoth. Ray flinched, ducking his head into his shoulders, then shuddered. Without looking, Karen reached back over the seat and patted Anna's shaggy head. 'Not now, hon,' she murmured. 'Just give me five minutes, okay?' Then, her eyes still on the wing mirror, 'You were saying, about this island.'
              Ray sipped some coffee. 'Ios, yeah. Time I was there, where I was staying, the guy had a hound he said was Rottweiler mixed with some Alsatian. To me it looked more like a bear crossed with a bigger bear, but I'm no expert. Anyway, the guy says the dog was for gypsies, blacks and guys in funny hats. Seriously, funny hats.' Karen gave Anna's ear a gentle tug, Anna growling sleepily way down in her throat. He said, 'You're living remote on the islands? They'll expect you to have a dog. Bigger the better.'
              'So that's Anna looked after,' Karen said. 'What about me?'
              'You'll buy a place,' he said, 'for thirty, forty. Nothing flash, you're not talking pools and wet bars, but enough space for Anna, a couple've acres. Then, you ride bikes, you can splash out for a Harley or some shit. Although in the islands, they mainly ride mopeds.'
              'Mopeds?'
              'Scooters. Anyway, your choice.'
              'And I'm working as a waitress. In a cocktail bar, right?'
              'Staying incognito,' Ray said, missing it. 'For a while, anyway. Until you decide what you want to do.' He glanced across. 'You've worked waitress before, right?'
              'Never, no. But you're saying I look the type.'
              'No offence,' Ray said. 'I thought all women, at some point, work waitress. Like, part-time. When they're kids, during the holidays.'
              'On my résumé,'  Karen said, 'if I had one, which I don't, but if I had? It'd say, "Taking care of bastard