Free Family Honor - Robert B Parker by Parker Page B

stepped out, looking elegant in a
pinstripe suit and a pin collar shirt. His neck was a little soft, as if
he'd become so successful he didn't need to be muscular anymore.
    "We need to talk, Sunny Randall," Tony said.
    "Sure," I said.
    Tony looked at my car.
    "Got the little hooker, I see," Tony said.
    "Yes."
    "What's that thing in there with her?" Tony said. "My
dog, Rosie."
    "That's a dog?"
    "Yes."
    Tony offered his arm.
    "Walk along with me a little, Sunny Randall."
    I took his arm and we walked slowly east in front of my
building. Junior and Ty-Bop followed us.
    "I wondered how quick you'd find her," Tony said.
    "I know."
    "And I wondered how you'd deal with my man Pharaoh, when
you did find her."
    "I know."
    "Got to say this for you, Sunny Randall," Tony said. "You
done pretty good."
    "Yes," I said.
    "Like to have seen it," Tony said. "You sticking a gun
up Pharaoh's nose and taking one of his whores away."
    Tony laughed softly. It was a surprisingly high laugh,
almost a giggle.
    "He told you about it?" I said.
    "Hell no," Tony said. "Some of the other girls saw it.
I keep track of shit."
    We walked a few steps further in silence. At the end of
my building Tony turned with my hand still on his arm, and we began to
walk back. However his neck may have softened, his arm was strong. Ty-Bop
andJunior let us pass and fell in behind us again.
    "I got no problem with it," Tony said. "My pimps can't
hang on to their whores, I find me somebody that can."
    "I'm just helping you with quality control," I said.
    "Sure you are, Sunny Randall. Problem is that somebody
else looking for that little whore, too."
    We walked. I waited.
    "You quiet for a broad, Sunny Randall."
    "And you're not," I said. "Who's looking for her."
    Tony was laughing his high, soft laugh again.
    "Goddamn," he said. "'And you're not.' Goddamn. Sunny
Randall, you crack me up."
    "I know, sometimes I nearly overwhelm myself. Who's looking
for her?"
    "Some Irish guys," Tony said. "Came by to see Pharaoh,
said they was looking for the little whore. We talking pop-u-larity, here.
First you, then the two Irish guys."
    "I'm a trendsetter," I said.
    "So Pharaoh don't want to say that some pretty little
blond chick come along and took her away from him, so he say he don't know
where she is and the two Irish guys don't believe it, so they beat up on
Pharaoh till he tell them what happen."
    "And?"
    "And he tole them. He maybe dress it up a little so he
don't look like a fucking doofus, which he is, and he don't tell them your
name because he say he don't remember it. He tell them some female detective
come and took his new little whore."
    "Who are these guys?"
    "Don't know."
    "You sure they want Millicent?"
    "Millicent Patton, they said."
    "You know why?"
    "Pharaoh didn't ask. They didn't say."
    I nodded. We reached the other end of my building and
Tony turned again.
    "Do you believe Pharaoh?" I said.
    "Junior helped me talk to him," Tony said. "Pharaoh not
doing no lying to me and junior."
    "Do you think they'll ask you?" I said. Tony shrugged.
    "If they do you think you'll tell them?"
    "Ain't inclined to be helpful to somebody beats up one
of my pimps."
    We strolled quietly again.
    "Inclined maybe to let my man junior beat up on them,
truth be known."
    "How is Pharaoh?" I said.
    "Pharaoh's dead," he said.
    "They killed him?"
    Tony shook his head. I felt the truth all at once, an
electric tingle in my stomach.
    "You killed him," I said.
    "Can't have one of my pimps giving whores away to every
little blond cutie comes by with a gun," Tony said.
    We reached his car. He stopped. Ty-Bop opened the door.
Tony got in. Junior went around and eased in behind the driver's seat.
Ty-Bop closed Tony's door and got in the front. The car started. Tony's
rear window slid down silently. Tony smiled at me.
    "Look sharp, Sunny Randall," he said.
    The car slid away from the curb and cruised almost silently
away.
 
    CHAPTER 18
Millicent was looking at one of the cityscapes I was painting.
It