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We can’t just shoot ’em all and let the Lord sort ’em out.
Payne brought down his pistol. He locked it.
“This is your lucky day, you sonofabitch.”
El Gato grinned defiantly at him.
Payne added, “You really must be a goddamn cat. But you just burned one of your nine lives. Eventually, you’ll run out.”
Payne looked down a moment. At Delgado’s feet he noticed there was a bean, similar to the one Jim Byrth tumbled across his fingers. But this one was black. He shook his head.
Payne turned.
Byrth and Esteban were standing there, backlit in the open doorway to the kitchen. Both now wore the tan-colored surgical gloves the crime-scene technicians used.
Nice and professional of Jim.
And what the hell… time to move this case to the next phase.
Payne looked between them, then wordlessly walked back into the kitchen.
Payne saw that Tony Harris was handing his handkerchief to Amanda Law. She was standing, leaning against the counter by the sink.
She ran toward Matt. He went to her, his arms open, and wrapped them around her. She sobbed uncontrollably.
Payne then heard Jim Byrth enter the room.
Payne whispered to her, “It’s okay, baby. It’s all over.”
And then there was the sound of a gun going off in the dining room.
FIVE
Terminal D Philadelphia International Airport Thursday, September 10, 5:21 P.M.
“Well, Matt,” Jim Byrth said. He wore clean slacks and shirt, his white Stetson atop his head. “I’d say Juan Paulo Delgado got his wish.”
Payne looked at him a long moment. “I don’t follow you.”
“ ‘Death before dishonor’?”
“Oh.” He shrugged. “I dunno, Jim. He looked pretty dishonored in that chair.”
Byrth grinned. “My granddaddy had an expression. He told me, ‘Jimmy, in life you’ll find three kinds of men. There’re the ones who can learn by reading. And there’re the ones who can learn by observation.’”
He paused to let that sink in.
“And?” Payne said.
/> “ ‘And then there’s the rest of them who have to pee on the electric fence to find out for themselves.’ ”
Payne laughed aloud. “Sounds like one of Ron White’s lines.”
Bryth and Payne looked at each other. “ ‘ You can’t fix stupid,’ ” they said, simultaneously quoting the Texas comedian.
“And thankfully, most bad guys are stupid,” Byrth said.
“That.45 Officer’s Model had the serial number ground off,” Payne said, but it was more of a question.
