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“When’s the next one due?”
“Man, they be shipping this stuff just as fast as they can. Must be havin’ a whole warehouse stashed on the other side, ‘cos they ain’t waiting around or nothin’.” Barry bit into his sandwich.
“Did anyone mention where it ships out of, down there?”
Barry shook his head. “Naw, man. That’s top-floor shit. Ain’t nobody knows ‘cept the boss man.”
“Vincent Heston? Is that who you mean, Barry?”
The teenager grunted. “I ain’t sayin’ his name, not to you, not to no one. He’s theboss man, that’s it. Alrigh’?” In fact, they both knew the only time Barry had spoken his boss’s name was to confirm his arrival, some ten months before, as part of a reorganization of the San Antonio operation. Since then, it had run like clockwork.
“Alright, Barry. How’s the sandwich?”
Barry gawked at him. “Fuckthe fuckin’sandwich, man. You listening to what I’m laying down? Cos I ain’t risking my life ‘less you paying attention.”
“A hundred percent, Barry, a hundred percent.”
“OK. So, they gonna unload somewhere with some weird-ass name, I never heard of it before, like Wal-Mart Island, or something.”
Corbett gave his informant a look. “Barry... You can’t just sit there and make shit up, alright? If you don’t know, like I told you, all you gotta say is...”
“Iain’tmaking up a damn thing, motherfucker, Iswearto you right now! They mention this place a couple times and it sounded like that, like Wall-Mart Island, or Wyatt Earp Island, or some damn place. You ask me for the intel, and this be theshapeof the intel, you got it?”
Corbett could only push Barry so far, he knew. It would be most unfortunate to show up for a meet and find himself staring down gun barrels, the object of some drawn-out and embarrassing hostage deal. “I got it, Barry. You did good, and I mean that.”
Barry relaxed a little, nodding to himself. “There’s one more thing.”
“I’m all ears, Barry.”
“You got yourself a snake in the grass.” Lindstrom froze. He hadn’t expected this. “I heard there’s one o’ your guys who’s doing a double-agent kinda thing. You know?”
Corbett tried to keep emotion out of his voice. “Can you tell me more?”
“That’s all I’m saying, man.”
Thinking it over, Corbett decided not to press further; this was too sensitive, and Barry’s value had just become incalculable.Slow and patient, that’s the way to do it.“Understand. You did real good.”
With a smile, Barry asked, “So, how about a little expression o’ gratitude this time, huh? Just a lil’ something for your good friend Barry?” Corbett sighed. “Oh, comeon, man. I done good, you said it yourself.”
With feigned reluctance, Corbett reached into his jacket and brought out a business card. “Her name’s Monique, and you be nice to her, alright? Nothing like the last time.”
“Oh, brother, I gon’ be nicer to her than anyoneeverbeen.”
“That’s nice, Barry.”
“She all paid up?”
“Fully paid,” the somewhat embarrassed detective confirmed.
“No bugs in the rug?”
Corbett choked for a second, then said, “Clean as my mother’s kitchen floor.”
“Sweet!”
“Ready for me to drive you back?” Corbett asked, hiding his mounting exasperation.
“Yeah. Home, James!”
