Read The Hunter's Prayer for Free Online

Lucas turned and looked at Chris. He was standing in the corner, timid. ‘It’s my fault,’ he said again.
    ‘You called someone, didn’t you?’
    ‘From a phone booth,’ he said defensively. ‘And I only called home. I spoke to my brother.’
    ‘And told him what?’
    ‘Where we were. The hotel.’ He looked scared, and maybe with good reason. Lucas could feel himself coiling up with anger.
    ‘You stupid fuck.’
    ‘I didn’t know whether I could trust you. I wanted someone to know where we were, in case . . .’
    ‘In case what?’ He didn’t answer. ‘In case what? Because good for you, you let someone know where we were.’ He was moving towards him, the anger swelling, breaking. Ella made some desperate plea for calm but all Lucas could see was Chris and the fact he’d nearly got her killed.
    ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t . . .’ Lucas grabbed him by the shirt and threw him. Chris stumbled and fell onto the edge of the bed. He grabbed him again and put the gun between his eyes.
    ‘This close! This close! You stupid fuck!’
    Chris was crying now, pleading incomprehensibly, and he could hear Ella saying, ‘Please, Lucas, don’t. Lucas, don’t,’ and then he could smell urine and Chris’s features crumpled further into humiliation. Suddenly all he could see was the boy he was standing over and he felt sick for what he’d just done to him, in front of his girlfriend.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ he said, and stepped back.
    Chris sank down onto the floor and said, ‘Bastard.’
    ‘I know, I’m sorry. I was angry.’ He wasn’t sure if Ella had seen the wet patch on Chris’s trousers so he said, ‘Look, we don’t have a lot of time. Ella, go into the bathroom, change your clothes, wash your face, get the blood out of your hair.’ She looked at him like she needed reassurance, maybe that it was over, that he wouldn’t do anything more to Chris. ‘It’s okay. Go on.’
    She went into the bathroom, still clutching the shopping bags she’d been carrying. With the door closed, Lucas said, ‘I don’t think she noticed. Change your clothes, bag them and toss them.’ Chris didn’t move at first so he added, ‘You know, there’s no shame in what just happened. I’ve known some pretty tough guys do the same thing, and worse.’
    Chris looked up at him with contempt and said, ‘Don’t fucking patronize me.’ He got up and pulled some clothes out of a bag.
    ‘Okay, and I am sorry. I was just angry. I mean, Jesus, don’t you watch movies?’
    ‘Yes, I do.’ He looked angry himself, and wronged, as he said, ‘You told us it was an attempted kidnap. I don’t know what the fuck’s going on, I don’t even know if you do, but kidnappers don’t tap the telephone of the victim’s boyfriend’s family. And that man you killed downstairs—he didn’t look like he wanted to kidnap her at all.’ Lucas felt uneasy, sensing that Chris was close to guessing how out of his depth he was, and how unsuited to protection work.
    ‘Look, last night I thought I was being overcautious. Now I know I wasn’t. These people have serious resources and you’re right, they’re trying to kill her.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘I don’t know. So Chris, you don’t have to be my friend, but I need you to be cool. Ella needs you to be cool.’ Chris nodded and Lucas handed him the key to the other room. ‘Change in there, freshen up. Knock when you come back.’
    Chris took the key but before opening the door he said, ‘I’m sorry about the phone call.’
    ‘It’s my fault; I didn’t make things clear. And this isn’t the kind of work I usually do.’
    ‘I don’t understand. What do you usually do?’
    ‘I kill people.’ Chris stared at him as if to make sure he wasn’t joking. He left then and Lucas locked the door and fell back into the armchair.
    He knew one thing: killing people was easier than dealing with them, relating to them. And looking back over the last twenty-four hours, he’d done almost everything