Free Mr Majestyk (1974) by Elmore Leonard Page B

had to. Come on, somebody pay you, threaten you?
    What?"
    "Listen," Julio said, intently now, his voice lower, "I got to work for a livin g a nd I can't do it in no goddamn hospital. You understand?"
    "I'm beginning to. You could help me though."
    "I'm not going to say any more. Man, I've said enough."
    Majestyk stared at him a moment. Finally he said, "Okay," got up and walked awa y f rom the table.
    Julio called after him, "Vincent, next season, uh?"
    The contractor at the table with him, eating his piece of toast, said, "If he' s s till around."
    Coming out of the place into the sunlight he was aware of the State Highway Department truck parked across the street and the deputy sitting in the cab , watching him. Tell him you're going back home, Majestyk was thinking. Put hi s m ind at ease. He started for the street, through the space between the back o f t he school bus and the stake truck, when the voice stopped him.
    "You looking for a crew?"
    He saw Bobby Kopas then, leaning against a car with his arms folded, a familia r p ose, a tight lavender shirt; sunglasses and bandit moustache hiding a thin , bony face. The car, an Olds 98, was at the curb in front of the school bus.
    Someone else was inside, a big-shouldered man, behind the wheel.
    "You want pickers, maybe I can get you some wine heads," Kopas said. H e s traightened, unfolding his arms, as Majestyk walked over to him. "You touch me , man, you're back in jail by lunchtime."
    Majestyk stared at him, standing there close enough to touch. All he had to d o w as grab the front of that pretty shirt and belt him. It would be easy and i t w ould be pure pleasure. But the deputy was across the street and Majestyk didn' t h ave to look over to know he was watching them. He wondered if Kopas knew th e m an in the State Highway Department truck was a cop.
    "You dropped the complaint," Majestyk said. "Why? You want to try and pay m e b ack yourself?"
    "I do you a favor--Jesus, after you like to broke my nose, you think I'm pullin g s omething." Kopas gave him the hint of a grin. "Man, I'm being a good neighbor , that's all."
    "What'd you say to Julio Tamaz and the other contractors? You pay them off o r t hreaten them? How'd you work it?"
    The little grin was still there. "Man, I hope nobody's telling stories on me , giving me a bad name."
    "They didn't say it was you. I'm saying it."
    "Why would I do a thing like that?"
    "So I'll lose my crop."
    "I think you must be a little mixed up," Kopas said. "Don't know where you r h ead's at. Here you are standing in deep shit and you're worried about a littl e d inky melon crop."
    "You've been talking to somebody," Majestyk said.
    "Who's that?" Kopas said, giving him the grin.
    "I can fix it you'd have a hard time smiling again."
    Kopas tensed and the grin vanished. "Listen, I'm not kidding. You even make a f ist, man, you're back in jail."
    "Are you working for him?"
    "Who's that?"
    "He get you to drop the complaint?"
    "I think I'm tired of talking to you," Kopas said. He moved to the car door an d o pened it, then looked back at Majestyk.
    "I'll tell you one thing though. Somebody's going to set your ass on fire. And I'm going to be there to see it."
    The Olds started off as Kopas got in and slammed the door.
    Majestyk caught a glimpse of the driver's profile--looking at Kopas, sayin g s omething--and for a moment he thought he knew the man or had seen him before.
    But the car was moving away and it was too late to get another look at him an d b e sure. Big shoulders, curly hair. Maybe he was one of the guys who had bee n w ith Kopas a week ago, the day it began. Or a different one. The car wa s d ifferent.
    What difference did it make? He had enough people to think about withou t b ringing in new ones. Faces to remember. Frank Renda's. Telling him he was goin g t o kill him. Now Kopas and Renda. The man had already started to make his move.
    He didn't waste time. He found Kopas and hired him. That was plain enough. No w t hey