He looked at Dedrick.
‘He’s lying, of course. Maxie must have given it to him. Well, all right; it’s about time I fixed
Maxie.’ He took out a silver cigarette case, selected a cigarette, stuck it on his lower lip. As he lit it, his eyes browsed over my face. ‘I owe you something, Malloy. You’ll find I’m good at paying off old scores.’
‘Can’t imagine you’d be good at anything, but I’ll take your word for it,’ I said.
‘What are we going to do with him?’ Dedrick asked.
Barratt moved to the mirror over the fireplace and admired himself.
The mine, of course,’ he said. There’s no better place for him. He’ll take a nice long time to die.’
Dedrick grimaced.
‘Why not put a slug through his head and leave him here? I don’t want to go down there again. It gives me the horrors.’
‘You’ll do what I tell you,’ Barratt said and ran his thumbnail along his thin moustache. Tie his hands.’