The Sin Bin by Tony Black Page A

didn't need to say anymore. Pullman got out the SUV
and crossed the street. As he went, Mike watched his muscle-bound factotum walk
towards the sidewalk.
    The SUV's windows were blacked out, they kept Mike's
identity hidden from the street as Pullman grabbed the lawyer round the neck
and wrestled him to the ground like a steer. It was a carefully-practised
manoeuvre, all over in under a minute.
    The lawyer squealed like a stuck pig in the back of the
vehicle. It took two raps on the side of the head from Pullman to quieten him
down.
    They drove out to the flats. It was hot, topping eighty
Fahrenheit. A dust trail blew up behind them.
    When Mike stopped the SUV, he slowly turned to face the
lawyer for the first time.
    'Do you have any idea who I am?' said a crumpled suit,
covered in blood from a fierce nosebleed.
    'Do I look like I care who you are?' said Mike.
    The lawyer, flustered, raised a finger. 'I will, t-tell
you ...' Pullman grabbed the finger, snapped it back. The lawyer shrieked then
folded like a knife, cradling his hand.
    'Look, boss he's crying ... Straight up, he's crying
like a fucking girl. I never seen that before, you seen that before, boss?'
    Mike turned away, spoke quietly, 'Yeah, I've seen that
before.'
    'W-what do you want from me?' screamed the lawyer.
    Pullman laid a hand on his chest, 'Boss, let me ass-fuck
him, please, huh?'
    Mike turned front again, watched Pullman in the
rear-view, he saw him eye the lawyer up and down, grab his thigh ... 'Go on,
Boss ... I ain't gave no one a good ass-fucking for the longest time.'
    Mike laughed. The lawyer seemed to let out a whimper,
then wet himself.
    'Man, he's pissed in his pants!'
    Mike stopped laughing, 'Get this piece of shit out of
here.'
    Pullman opened the door and kicked the lawyer off the
seat. He landed face down in the dirt.
    'I think he lost some teeth that time,' said Pullman.
    The lawyer tried to run, his arms and legs splayed out
like a newborn foal struggling on fresh limbs. Mike let him get a hundred feet
before sending Pullman to the trunk.
    The first shot from the Mossberg stopped the runaway in
his tracks.
    ****
    It was the strangest thing,
thought Eddie, it had been quiet for days. Party girl seemed to have shipped
out, then the 'For Sale' sign went up.
    A knock at the door amidst the silence startled him.
    'I wondered if I may ...'
    It was the lawyer again; Eddie's heart sank.
    'I ain't got a Goddamn thing to say to you, what is it
now? You got a new suit to slap on me?'
    The lawyer raised his hands, 'No, no ... q-quite the
reverse.' There was something strange about him, and it wasn't the Band-Aid
above his eye, he seemed ... different, quieter somehow.
    'Please, may I come in?'
    Eddie opened the door.
    Inside, the lawyer politely asked to sit. He produced a
bottle of twelve-year-old Scotch from his briefcase, 'I wanted to, a-hem ,
er, I wanted to offer my sincerest apologies for my daughter's over-exuberant
behaviour ...'
    Eddie rose, ranted: 'You fucking roach! You tried to sue
my ass ... you filed a restraining ...'
    He intervened: 'I-I know ... I was very misguided, it
would appear I was misinformed ... may I offer my sincere apologies, and if I
may also, I would like to compensate you.'
    ' What ?'
    'I did some calculations, you've been here for three
months, is that correct?'
    'Yeah. What the ...? You know I have ...'
    'These condos attract four thousand dollars a month
rental and so I thought twelve thousand would be ...'
    'Fifteen,' spat Eddie.
    The lawyer fumbled for words, looked startled, his
bead-eyes narrowed some more then seemed to wet up, 'But ... y-yes, of course.
Fifteen thousand.'
    Mike's advice was playing to a tee, but Eddie wondered
about the next part. He was ready to let it slide, accept the cheque and kick
the guy out on his ass. 
    But then lawyer daddy spoke up. 'I believe you have a
letter of mine, if I may have it returned I w-would be most grateful.'
    Eddie went to the dresser where he kept the letter.