Free The Killer II by Jack Elgos

‘but the next time you’re here call the Sunbrite and leave a message. Just tell ‘ em Paddy wants a ride. We’ll collect you and find somewhere better to stay.’
    ‘I can’t see me coming back here either. Doubt I’d be that welcome. That’s assuming I get out of here to start with.’
    ‘Talking of which, I reckon you’d better dump that jacket. It’s a bit – er – bloody. And that shirt. You don’t look all that respectable Paddy.’
    ‘I know it. My first job in there will be to buy some new clothes.’
    ‘You got enough money?’
    ‘That’s one thing I’m not short of and I’d better get some more in my back pocket before I go in there. Stand in front of me for a minute so no one can see, will you?’
    As Tommy shielded him from prying eyes he watched in amazement as the Irishman pulled a large wad of notes from the lining of the jacket. ‘Fuck me, Paddy. When we went for you back in the bar I thought we’d get a couple hundred bucks and some travellers’ cheques. Christ, if we’d have known.’
    ‘Yeah, well, it ain’t really mine. This is so I can get out of here. It all comes from the boss, and I reckon he can afford two-hundred dollars.’ Liam peeled off a couple of bills and handed them to Tommy. ‘For your time and trouble, lad.’
    ‘Hey, you don’t have to…’
    ‘You earned it.’
    ‘Thanks man,’ said Tommy taking the money. ‘Wow, what you could do with all that loot. Can’t beat cash, eh?’
    ‘Strangely my boss would disagree with you.’
    ‘Say what?’
    ‘He says one day cash will get you into trouble and we’ll have to find a way to operate without it.’
    ‘How could cash get you into trouble? Your boss has got some strange ideas.’
    ‘Tommy, you don’t know the half of it,’ Liam agreed. ‘Look lad, gotta go. Thanks again.’
    ‘You take care Paddy.’
    ‘You too Tommy.’
    They shook hands briefly and Tommy watched as Liam walked into the airport. ‘Hope I see you again you mad Irishman,’ he said out loud as he got into his Thunderbird and drove away.
    ‘I’ll never see you again, lad,’ Liam whispered under his breath as he walked into the terminal. ‘You’re just dying to get yourself into trouble, and that will never end well.’ It was a sobering thought and one he could do without right now. He shook himself and looked round for a gift shop. He found one selling T-shirts and purchased several, plus a small carry-on case, while the neighbouring shop provided some basic toiletries and a couple of paperbacks. In the gents he quickly washed, changed and transferred his codebook and more cash to the case, covering it with the extra things he’d bought, and then dumped his old shirt and empty jacket in the bin.
    An information desk provided everything else he needed and he was soon purchasing a ticket on the next available flight back to the UK. An attractive lady smiled sweetly at him as he handed over his money and he was soon heading to the boarding gate with his ticket in hand. ‘You don’t know what you’re talking about, Turner,’ he silently told his boss. ‘Cash is king. Always will be.’
     
    The Departures Lounge
    - And the Man from Minnesota
    His passport hadn’t raised any eyebrows but, safely through, he hunted out a newspaper stand and bought the late edition of the New York Times. He found a seat next to a large grey ashtray, lit himself a cigarette and opened the paper. The report he was looking for was halfway down page five. ‘Jesus, it doesn’t even warrant the front fuckin ’ page,’ tutted Liam when he eventually found the article and began to read:
     
    Mayhem in Midtown Today,
    Two Men Murdered in Manhattan
    The bodies of two men were discovered inside a parked car off Lafayette Street, Manhattan earlier today. Both men had been violently assaulted with what is reported to be a machete. A Police spokesman released the following statement:
    “The unknown killer or killers are still at large. At this time we have