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seat. “Usually, I took items from people and handed them to someone else. The items varied from job to job. Sometimes they parted with them willingly. Sometimes they didn’t. Sometimes they were objects. Sometimes they were people.”
    Will sat up. “People?”
    “This group has their hands in a lot of pies. Sometimes people upset them.”
    “Sounds like the mob.”
    “Not exactly, but close.”
    “Out here in nowhere?”
    “You’d be surprised. Plus sometimes I traveled. Minneapolis. Chicago once.”
    Holy shit. “How did you get involved with them?”
    “They contacted me. I have no idea how they found me.”
    “So how’d you get out?”
    “It wasn’t easy, but I finally managed it.”
    Will had singlehandedly put James back into the mess he’d dug himself out of.  Shit . “It sounds kind of like a mercenary job.”
    “To some extent, it was.”
     His nerves on edge, Will swallowed. “Did you ever kill anyone?”
    James turned to look at him before returning his gaze to the road. “I can’t believe you asked me that.”
    With anyone else, that would have meant no. With James, Will wasn’t so sure. “So did you?”
    James smirked. “No, but a few guys didn’t want to go, so they took some  convincing  to cooperate.”
    “Why did the organization want them?”
    “It wasn’t my place to ask. Why all the questions?”
    “I’m looking for a job. Maybe it’s something I’m qualified for.”
    “You’re more than qualified.” James shook his head. “But trust me. You don’t want to get mixed up with these people.”
    “So you were kind of like a bounty hunter.”
    “Yeah, I guess. But not always. Sometimes it was packages. Or taking things.”
    “How often did you work for them?”
    James narrowed his gaze. “What’s going on, Will?”
    “You say these people are bad, but you also said they paid well. It just so happens that I’m currently looking for a well-paying position. If you think I shouldn’t apply, then now’s your chance to persuade me otherwise.”
    “You don’t even know how to contact them.” But James didn’t look convinced by his own statement.
    If James hadn’t worked for these people in awhile and they were calling him now, Will suspected that eliminated a simple package run. Will needed to take the man in the photos to the warehouse. But he’d need James’s car to do it. And it would have helped if he had a weapon. James was going to have to become involved at some point, but the longer Will waited to tell him, the better. He only hoped James would still be speaking to him after it was all done. But then again, the way Will was fucking up lives left and right, maybe it would be better for James if he didn’t.

Chapter Six
     
     
    They stopped at a steak house for dinner, one that Will had found close to the rendezvous point. James watched Will all through the meal, sneaking glances when he thought Will wasn’t looking. Will was sure his fake good mood had to be a sign that something was off, but he hoped to be on James’s good side when the shit hit the fan.
    When they left, James drove about a half mile before he passed the motel and bar.
    Will pointed out the window. “That place looks good.”
    James craned his neck back to check it out. “You’re shitting me, right?”
    “No, go back.”
    James turned the car around and parked in the lot. The motel sign flashed on and off, the  N  burnt out on the  Pine , making the sign read  Pie Knots . James eyed Will as they got out of the car and walked inside. The place was nearly deserted on a weeknight, and the ones inside the bar looked down on their luck.
    “You must not want to get laid tonight if you want to go here. First of all, the pickings are going to be slim, and second, I’m not sure you want to screw anything you find in this place.”
    “Humor me.”
    James mumbled obscene ideas of what he’d like to do to Will as he sat at the counter and ordered two beers. When the bartender set the