Read Cop Out for Free Online Page A

dropped into it. He kept fondling the Colt. They had to turn their heads to face him.
    â€œWhat do I do with this, Fure?” Malone asked.
    â€œMr. Furia to cops.”
    â€œMr. Furia.”
    â€œTake a look inside.”
    Malone unzipped the bag. Bundles of greenbacks stared up at him.
    The purr behind him said, “I still think—”
    â€œJust don’t, Hinch,” Furia said. “Know where this loot comes from, cop?”
    â€œI can guess.” Malone said in a soft voice, “You don’t know about this, Ellen. Tom Howland was killed tonight at the Aztec plant and the payroll stolen. That’s what all the excitement was about. This is the Aztec payroll. Right, Furia?”
    â€œ Mister Furia.”
    â€œMr. Furia.”
    â€œRight.”
    He thought Ellen was going to topple over.
    â€œCan I go to my wife, please? She looks sick.”
    â€œNo.”
    Ellen’s eyes were begging him. They made a quick upward roll toward where little Barbara was. “I’m all right, Loney.”
    Malone said, “What did you mean, this is mine?”
    â€œYou’ll never have so much bread in your hands your whole life. Enjoy it.”
    â€œWhat did you mean?”
    â€œLike for the time being.”
    â€œI don’t get it.”
    â€œNo? You’re putting me on.”
    â€œI don’t get any of this.”
    â€œYou want I should spell it out? What you do, cop, is you hold this for us. Like you’re a bank.”
    Malone tried to look stupid.
    â€œYou still don’t get it,” Furia said. “We drew a real dumb one, Hinch, a dummy town cop.”
    Hinch heehawed.
    â€œOkay, dummy, listen good,” Furia said. “With the bread on us we can’t get through the roadblocks. Without it we can. They’ll have no reason to handle us different from anybody else. Specially seeing there’s going to be four of us in the car.”
    â€œFour of you,” Malone said. His mouth was sticky. “I thought there were three.”
    â€œFour,” Furia said. “Me, Hinch, Goldie, and your kid. Only she’ll be Goldie’s. Her mama, like.”
    â€œNo,” Ellen said. “No.”
    â€œYeah,” Furia said. “Your kid’s our receipt for the loot. All clear?”
    â€œIt’s taking chances,” Malone said carefully. “Suppose one of the officers recognizes her when you’re stopped? This is a small town. Everybody knows everybody. That blows it.”
    â€œYou better pray it don’t. Can you pray?”
    â€œYes,” Malone said. He wondered if it was true. He had not been inside a church since his confirmation. Ellen took Barbara every Sunday to the second mass, she’s not going to grow up a heathen like you, Loney Baloney, you’re a cross he has to bear Father Weil says.
    â€œThey tell me it helps,” Furia said. One of the eyes in the bear mask winked. “All clear now?”
    â€œAll clear,” Malone said.
    â€œIt better be. You try any cop stuff, dummy, or your missus there sets up a squawk, and the kid gets it through the head. Be a nice dummy and keep your old lady’s yap shut and you get the kid back with her noggin in one piece. It’s that simple.”
    Ellen’s eyes were scurrying about and Malone said, “Ellen.”
    â€œI won’t. They can’t!”
    â€œThey can and you will. We have no choice, honey.”
    â€œYou listen to your papa, honey,” Furia said. “He’s a smart dummy.”
    â€œHow do we know they’ll keep their word?” Ellen screamed. “You know what you’ve always said about kidnapers, Loney!”
    â€œThis isn’t a kidnaping except technically. All they want is to hold Bibby as security till they can get the payroll back.”
    â€œWe’ll never see her again.”
    â€œThey’ll keep their word,” Malone said. “Or they’ll never see this money