“Funny, the police said the same thing . . . about the cash, I mean.”
“Well they’re right. . . for a change. Things are dangerous enough around here without drawing unnecessary attention to yourself.”
I leaned back in the seat and closed my eyes. I hadn’t slept well, but the brief time I had spent in a horizontal position had allowed my muscles to tighten, and I ached all over.
“So, I discovered,” I said. “Oh well, it’s over now. Besides, I didn’t do such a bad job of taking care of myself.”
“The way I heard it, someone showed up to help bail you out,” Edvick pointed out bluntly, “and even then it was touch and go. Don’t kid yourself about it being over, though. You’d just better hope your luck holds the next time.”
Suddenly, my aching muscles were no longer the main claim to my attention.
“Next time?” I said, sitting up straight. “What next time?”
“I don’t want to sound pessimistic,” the cabbie shrugged, “but I figure it’s a given. Those guys you messed up are going to be back on the street today, and will probably devote a certain amount of their time and energy trying to find you for a rematch.”
“You think so?”
“Then again, even if I’m wrong, the word is out that you’re carrying a good sized wad around with you. That’s going to make you fair game for every cheap hoodlum looking to pick up some quick cash.”
I hadn’t stopped to consider, it, but what Edvick was saying made sense. All I needed to make my mission more difficult was to have to be watching my back constantly at the same time!