Free Aftermath by Michael Kerr Page B

pain in his head, stomach and knee kicked-in and made him feel sick.  He was lying on the laminate wood floor, up against the wall, facing it, curled up on his side in a fetal position.  He didn’t move.  Just stayed as still as possible and listened for movement as he assimilated the situation he was in.
    Logan was sitting in an easy chair, holding a mug of coffee with its bottom resting on the upholstered arm.  He had closed the damaged door, jamming it back into its frame, before searching the apartment and then taking the time to pour himself the freshly brewed coffee from the gurgling pot.
    There was no real hurry.  He stared at Sammy’s back and just waited.  He said nothing.
    Five or six minutes passed.  Sammy was recovering as he listened for any sounds.  All he could hear was the hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen and the tick of the wall clock five feet above where he was laid.  He decided that it must have been a burglar that had broken in, knocked him out and taken anything he could find.  His stash of coke was no doubt gone, and maybe the wad of money he kept in a ziplock bag under a piece of carpet in the bedroom closet.
    Sammy turned round very slowly to face the room, freezing as he caught sight of the man sitting in the chair watching him.
    He didn’t know what to do, so made use of an elbow for support and waited.  The stranger said nothing, just pinned him with a steely gaze.
    “Who are you?”  Sammy finally asked.
    Logan took a sip of coffee and ignored him.
    “Hey, c’mon, talk to me,” Sammy said.  “What do you want?”
    Logan remained silent.  He had spent many years as a cop, and had questioned and interrogated countless guys.  Best way to start in was to make them nervous.  Get them talking of their own free will before going after what you really wanted.
    Sammy wanted to get up and beat the shit out of the trespasser who’d broken in and taken him off guard.  But even seated, the guy looked as hard as rock.  And he exuded a quiet and total aura of confidence.
    “For fuck’s sake, say something,” Sammy said.
    “Your coffee is pretty good,” Logan said in a flat voice.
    Sammy felt a spark of fear ignite in his brain.  The guy wasn’t a thief.  This wasn’t about cash and valuables.  “Just tell me what you want,” he said.
    Logan manufactured a small smile.  “What is it that you think I want, Sammy?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “Are you stupid, or are you just looking to get both of your legs broken?”
    “How the hell would I know what you want?”  Sammy said.  “If you were here to rob me, then you’d have been long gone when I came round.”
    “That’s better,” Logan said.  “So if I’m not here to steal, what other reason has brought me to your door?”
    Sammy knew in an instant.  He should have known just by the size of the man.  This was the big guy who’d broken Roy’s jaw and shot his toes off.
    Logan saw the realization in Sammy’s eyes.  “There you go, it was easy to work out, wasn’t it?” he said.  “I’m here for information and a little retribution, Sammy.  The longer it takes me to get answers, the more I hurt you.”
    Sammy swallowed hard.  He knew that he was in a precarious position, and that he was no match for the man sitting so casually in a chair just a few feet from him.
    “Can I get up,” he asked.
    “Not yet,” Logan answered.  “How’s Roy?”
    “Roy who?”
    Logan’s arm was a blur.  A stream of hot coffee left the mug and hit Sammy in the face, burning his eyes before his brain could receive the message to close them.  He whooped as he fell back and brought his hands up, as if he could wipe away the discomfort.
    “I don’t know how hard you want to make this, Sammy,” Logan said, getting up to go and pour himself more coffee.  “What you really need to understand is that you’re going to tell me everything I want to know before I leave here.  I’m not a cop, so don’t worry about