The Mystic Arts Of Erasing All Signs Of Death Part 55

-Yeah. Had to cover that. Ended up.

-I know.

-Filled the pool partway.

-Chlorinated the s.h.i.t out of it. Scrubbed and pumped it out.

He runs a finger over the invoice.

-That's a good one.

We sit there till I stand up.

-You gonna eat? Want me to?

He shakes his head.

-The stuff I'm allowed to eat, I'd rather fast. Lost fifty pounds. I'd known I could do that, I'd have had a stroke ten years ago.

-Start a diet craze.

-Man, it's sweeping the nation.

I go to the door.

-I'm gonna see if I can get Xing in the bath.

He puts his hands together in prayer.

-Best thing about this whole deal, not having to wrestle with her. You want to borrow my cane to beat her?

-No, I brought a belt.

-Good man.

He picks up the remote.

-You know Lei won't make it back in two hours.

-She never does.

-Woman can't be on time for s.h.i.t. You got something going tonight, you take off. I can handle Xing once she's run down a little.

-No, I'm cool. Hooking up with Soledad later. See a movie. Try to distract her a little. Tomorrow we have to get the last of her stuff out of the Malibu place and into her apartment. Fed will have it up for auction next week.

-f.u.c.king Fed.

-Well. Her dad did the crimes. So. Anyway.

I go out in the hall.

-Web.

I go back to the door.

He looks at the TV, looks at me.

-I'll be back at it soon enough, and I'll forget how much help you've been and I'll just push you around on the job like the peon you are. So. Thanks for all this.

I touch the nearly healed cut on my forehead. It's going to scar bad because I never bothered to have it st.i.tched.

-Yeah, sure. After all, not like you ever did anything for me.

Po Sin nods.

-Nothing I can remember.

He aims the remote at the TV and unmutes the escalating melee on the screen.

-These people, they're living proof that a human being can live with any old stupid s.h.i.t they can dream up.

I look out the window and watch Xing on the front lawn, kicking her new kitty around like a soccer ball.

-No argument here, Grandfather Elephant.

He waves the remote.

-Holy! This chick is gonna claw that a.s.shole's eyes out.

He b.u.mps the volume up, and I turn and leave the room, the raised voices of brawling families following me down the hall as I go to bathe his daughter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CHARLIE H HUSTON is the author of is the author of The Shotgun Rule; The Shotgun Rule; the Henry Thompson trilogy, which includes the Edgar Awardnominated the Henry Thompson trilogy, which includes the Edgar Awardnominated Six Bad Things; Six Bad Things; and The Joe Pitt casebooks. For Marvel Comics he has written and The Joe Pitt casebooks. For Marvel Comics he has written Moon Knight Moon Knight, as well as special annual issues of The Ultimates The Ultimates and and X-Force. X-Force. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, the actress Virginia Louise Smith. Visit him at He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, the actress Virginia Louise Smith. Visit him at www.pulpnoir.com