He’d had too many lying clients to take any of what Neal said at face value. And that’s what he needed now, face time. With the “witness” to the whole thing.
In truth, Steve did not want to be within twenty yards of Rennie at any given moment. Menace came off him like onion fumes. Get too close and your eyes would water.
Especially when he had an acetylene torch in his hand as he did now, in the open garage of the house where Steve had first set eyes on him. Steve wondered if Ezekiel the monster dog was chained up in the backyard. He didn’t care to find out.
Johnny had his face stuck under the hood of a Lincoln. Rennie saw Steve first and didn’t bother to ease the flame. He held it at his side like a gun.
“Your brother’s here,” Rennie said.
Johnny pulled out from the engine, looking none too pleased. Then he smiled. “Hey, Bro. How’s Neal doing?”
Steve didn’t enter the garage, as if going inside would take him into a dimension he’d rather avoid. “He’s cooling for the weekend. I need to talk to Rennie here.”
Rennie didn’t move, the hot flame still gushing.
Johnny said, “We’re doing a thing right now, trying to fix this — ”
“I’m doing a thing too,” Steve said. “Like I said, I need to talk to Rennie. I’ll wait at the end of the driveway.” Without waiting for an answer, Steve turned and walked to the road. He leaned against his car and looked at the mountainside. A touch of flame from Rennie’s torch, and the whole thing could go up.
A few minutes later Rennie joined him. “Make it fast.” At least he’d left the torch in the garage.
“You had quite a night last night,” Steve said.
“Neal tell you about it?”
“Yeah.”
“What did he tell you?”
“I’d rather hear it from you.”
“Why?”
“Humor me.”
“I don’t have time for this — ”
“Make time,” Steve said. “Because if you get on the witness stand and lie, it could turn out to be very bad.”
“Who said anything about lying?”
“What happened last night?”
“A mud tried to mess up Neal, but Neal was too quick for him.”
“Where were you?”
“Around.”
“Why didn’t you try to help Neal?”
“He didn’t need my help. He was doing fine.”
“Uh-huh. What did this kid do to make you think he was attacking?”
“He had a chain in his hand, dude. What’s that tell you?”
“Maybe he was fixing a bike.”
Rennie’s eyes narrowed. “You know what I think? I think you don’t really believe me.”
Steve said nothing.
“Now why is that?” Rennie said. “I thought you worked for the family.”
“You sound like Michael Corleone.”
“Who?”
“The godfather.”
“You got it wrong, friend. Eldon LaSalle is the godfather.”
“Then I don’t have it wrong at all.”
Pulling himself up to his full height, half a head taller than Steve, Rennie said, “You tell me to my face that I’m lying.”
“I’m not going to tell you a thing.”
“You just did.”
“What’s your head made of? Foam? I’m just listening right now, because you may have to tell this story under oath. And a jury isn’t going to be impressed with your natural charm.”
For a moment Rennie looked like he wanted to wrap his massive hands around Steve’s throat and make like a two-year-old with a squeeze toy. Steve managed to keep his gaze steady, though not without effort.
“You got what happened,” Rennie finally said. “We were walking down the street minding our own business when this gangbanger comes out and — ”
“Whoa, wait a minute. What do you mean gangbanger?”
Rennie took in a snort of air. “Well, what else?”
“Is there gang activity in Verner? Is that what you’re telling me?”
“They come up from LA, genius. When the heat’s on. They try to blend in.”
“Now you sound like Joe McCarthy.”
“Who? What do you keep dropping these names for?”
“Why don’t you crack a book sometime?”
“You want me to crack something? I’ll be happy to.”
And he looked about to do it too. Then Johnny’s voice piped in from behind Rennie. “You boys get it all straightened out?”
Rennie leaned away from Steve and said nothing, waiting for Steve to give the word.
“Oh sure,” Steve said. “I think we understand each other.”
Rennie turned and walked toward the garage.
“I don’t much like that guy,” Steve said to his brother. “He’s not getting the whole Christian thing.”
“Relax. You’re doing a good job. We’re taking care of you.”
“What exactly does that mean, Johnny? Taking care of me how?”
Johnny smiled and put a hand on Steve’s shoulder. “Every which way. Just have a little faith in me, huh?”