Page 91 of Hunter's Hidden Camera
“Up near the mountains,” she says.
“What city?”
“This one.”
“Point Liberty?” I ask.
She nods. “Nikolai loves Christmas so much. He loves Christmas all year long.”
“What? What does that mean? Do you have an address? Do you know exactly how I can get to him?”
The woman’s eyes open again, and she screams at me, “How the fuck am I supposed to know?! Do I look like Google to you?!”
I back away.
She closes her eyes and snores again.
Well, at least that’s something. I don’t know what she means exactly. Maybe he has Christmas lights up or something?
Point Liberty isn’t that big of a town. If I get lucky, I might be able to find a house like that just by driving around.
But then what’s my plan? I’m just one guy. Nikolai has a whole team. I’ve seen the big dudes he rolls with.
It’s clear that even if I do find out where Nikolai lives then I’m going to need backup. I need a bunch of guys who can take on a drug lord and his henchmen. Jesus, it sounds like something out of a movie.
I need the help of some straight-up thugs. And there’s only one person I know who knows those type of people.
39
Rent
Since it’s after midnight, I knock gently on the apartment door. No answer.
All the lights are off inside, so everyone is probably sleeping.
I knock again. No answer.
I don’t know if I should push my luck and bang on the door.
But then, I think I hear some noise coming from inside. Footsteps shuffle toward me. The door opens slightly, the chain keeping it secure.
In the crack of the door is a woman in her thirties, a ratty pink bathrobe wrapped around her. Her eyes are half-open.
She says, “Who you?”
“My name is Hunter,” I say. “I’m . . . uh . . . I’m a friend of Blanca’s.”
The woman cocks her head. “Blanca has friends like you?”
I shrug.
“Wait here.” The woman turns around and then yells toward the bedroom. “Blanca! Some fine-ass white boy is at the door!”
“What?!”
“I said some boy-band-looking white kid is looking for you!”
“Ma, you crazy!”
