Read Cop Out for Free Online Page B

again. I’ll make sure of that.” He said to Furia, “All right, we have a deal. But now you listen to me and you listen good.”
    â€œYeah?” Furia said.
    â€œYou hurt my daughter and I’ll hunt you down and cut you to pieces. If it takes the rest of my life. You, and this goon, and that woman upstairs.”
    A growl behind him. “Fure, let me. Let me.”
    â€œYou close your goddam mouth, Hinch!” Furia shouted. He jumped up and sprang forward, eyes in the wrinkled mask boiling. “I ought to knock you off right now, cop, you know that?”
    â€œYou need me,” Malone said. He tried not to swallow.
    â€œI ain’t going to need you forever. Nobody talks to me like that. But nobody!”
    â€œRemember what I said.”
    Their eyes locked. I could jump him now. And get a bullet in my back from the goon. And leave Ellen and Bibby to their mercy. Malone looked away.
    â€œGoldie!” Furia yelled.
    A woman’s voice from upstairs said, “Yes, Fure.”
    â€œWake the kid up and get her dressed!”
    â€œLet me,” Ellen whimpered. “Please? She’ll be so scared.”
    â€œLet her,” Malone said. “She’s not going to try anything.”
    â€œShe damn well better not.” Furia waved the Colt. Ellen jumped to her feet and ran up the stairs.
    Furia sat himself down on the rocker. The Colt was aimed at Malone’s navel. He’d love to pull that trigger. He’d pull, not squeeze. He’s kill-crazy. Malone looked down at his own hands. They were gripping the edge of the sofa so hard the knuckles resembled dead bone. He put his hands on the black bag.
    They appeared at the top of the stairs, Ellen clutching Barbara’s hand, the woman strolling behind them. The woman was wearing a mask, too. Through the mouth slit she was smoking a goldtipped cigaret. That was all Malone saw of her.
    He said with a smile, “Baby. Come down here.”
    She was still sleepy. Ellen had dressed her in her best outfit, the red corduroy dress, the patent leather shoes, the blue wool coat and hat.
    â€œHave you told her anything, Ellen?”
    â€œWhat could I tell her?” Ellen said. “What?”
    â€œAre we going someplace, daddy?” Bibby asked.
    He set the black bag on the sofa and took her on his lap. “Bibby, are you all waked up?”
    â€œYes, daddy.”
    â€œWill you listen to me very, very hard?”
    â€œYes, daddy.”
    â€œThese people are going to take you somewhere in a car. You’re to go with them like a good girl.”
    â€œAren’t you and mommy going, too?”
    â€œNo baby.”
    â€œThen why do I have to go?”
    â€œI can’t explain now. Let’s say it’s because I ask you to.”
    Her lips began to quiver. “I don’t like them. Why are they wearing those masks? They’re hor’ble.”
    â€œOh, they’re just pretending something.”
    â€œThey have guns. They’ll hurt me.”
    â€œI have a gun and I’ve never hurt you, have I?”
    â€œNo, daddy …”
    â€œCome on,” Furia said. “Time’s up, like the screws say.”
    â€œWait a minute, Fure,” the woman said. “Let him explain it to his little girl.”
    â€œThey won’t hurt you, Bibby. I promise. Have I ever broken a promise to you?”
    â€œNo …”
    â€œRemember, they won’t hurt you. And you do whatever they tell you, Bibby. Whatever. You may even have to pretend, too, the way you did in the school play.”
    â€œPretend what?” Barbara asked in an interested voice.
    â€œWell, the chances are some policemen are going to stop the car. If they do you make believe you’re sleeping in the lady’s lap. If they wake you up and ask you questions, just say the lady is your mama and that’s all.”
    â€œMy mama? That lady?” She looked at her mother. Her mother looked at