Blood Crimes: Book One (38 page)

      “Of course,” Jack said. He produced a checkbook, began to scribble. Somewhat mollified, Nurse Clark watched until she was certain every dollar was written down properly. “Naturally, I’d love to stay, but I need to get back to town to catch that bus.
M
y damned car is still in the shop from the fender bender I had last week.” She tried to get a look at the remaining balance in his checking account but failed.

      Jack ripped the check out, handed it to her with a romantic flourish. “Here, paid in full. And thanks.” 
 “Oh,” the nurse suddenly purred, “I hate to think of you and your wife up here all alone day after day, why the very idea makes me sad, so of course, if more money becomes available?”

      “Sure.” Jack patted her arm. “
M
y cell works up here. We’ll call you.”

      “Please do.” Nurse Clark folded the check neatly, held on tight. “Fucking insurance companies are robbing us all blind.”

      The driver headed for the cab. “Look lady,” Aaron said, “you want a ride, get in the van.”

      Nurse Clark hurried toward the passenger door, clutching the check in her right hand. “Yes, well. Goodbye.”

      The moving van backed around the tree stump sitting in the middle of the yard. Aaron made a wide turn to avoid the small porch, and turned back towards the road leading down to Highway 41 and the dying little town of Dry Wells. He rolled down the driver side window as he passed Jack Wade. Aaron winked. They knocked knuckles. “Hang in there,
M
r. Wade.”

      “I’ll try.”

      “And don’t worry, dude. It’s like we never met.”

      Jack nodded, backed away towards the tree stump as they drove away. His stomach sank. Jack nearly called out for the driver to wait, but he couldn’t think of a reasonable excuse.

      The moving van accelerated over the bumpy turf, went up the steep slope and vanished into the dry pines. Jack Wade returned to the porch, sat on the steps listening. The engine disturbed the mountains for a few moments longer, but then faded away to be replaced by the urgent rapping of woodpeckers, the eerie giggle of a nearby stream and a low, sad wind moving through the trees. The barren quiet soon overwhelmed Jack. This place seemed as isolated as the surface of
M
ars. 

      In fact, he’d never felt so alone in his life.

      Jack sighed, called out loud. “Well, it’s just you and me now, Frankie. Living it up like a couple of major rednecks.” 

### 

About the author:
 

Dave
Zeltserman
is the Shamus-award wining author of
Julius Katz
. His third novel, Small Crimes, was named by National Public Radio as one of the 5 best crime and mystery novels of 2008. His novel, Pariah, was named by the Washington Post as one of the best books of 2009. His upcoming novel, Outsourced, is currently in development by Impact Pictures and Constantin Film. 

      
Connect with
M
e Online:
 

      
M
y website:
http://www.davezeltserman.com

      
M
y blog:
http://smallcrimes-novel.
blogspot.com
 

      
Advanced Praise for Outsourced
 

      'A small gem of crime fiction' Booklist 

      ‘A dark, lightening-paced read’ Financial Times 

      ‘Bodies mount up as the double dealing and revenge gather apace. The blurb on the book describes it as a "fast-paced, edge-of-your seat crime novel," and it really does live up to the hype. Add this to your holiday reading list for a piece of escapism.’
M
orning Star 

      ‘Back in the “real” world,
Dave
Zeltserman
’s Outsourced is a dryly witty take on the heist caper genre with a gaggle of reluctantly redundant software engineers planning the perfect bank robbery. He brings together crazed hitmen, Russian mafiosi, Iraqi antiques smugglers and domestic angst in a fast-paced action romp that has the inestimable advantage (or not) that its characters are actually human.’ Peter
M
illar, London Times 

      ‘DAVE Zeltserman is one of the new, highly original voices in crime fiction, his writing spare, disciplined and concrete. His plots are as original as anyone writing hard-boiled fiction with an attractive noir edge, and always grimly entertaining. Like his characters. Outsourced, already being turned into a movie, follows an all-too-human bunch of outsourced software engineers who have no job prospects and no long-term insurance but do possess a plan. They are going to use their computing skills to rob a bank, and Zeltserman delivers a finely paced, witty and stylish take on the heist caper novel.
M
ore than most authors churning out mysteries, Zeltserman is fully steeped in the conventions of crime fiction. He remains absolutely his own hard man.’ The Australian 

      
Praise for The Caretaker of Lorne Field
 

      "Superb mix of humor and horror" Publishers Weekly, starred review 

      “superbly crafted horror story" Booklist 

      “delicious horror-ish novel” Newsday 

      “The Caretaker of Lorne Field is a wonderfully weird, gritty, and pitch-dark legend, perfect for New England. Weaved in the compulsively readable narrative is a heavy dose of our current society's meanness, unease, and ambiguity: kind of a nightmare-noir zeitgeist. The thing of it is, the reader is never safe in
Dave
Zeltserman
's hands. I love that. You should too.”
Paul
Tremblay 

      
Praise for Small Crimes:
 

      "There's a new name to add to the pantheon of the sons and daughters of Cain:
Dave
Zeltserman
." NPR's Top 5 Crime and
M
ystery Novels of 2008 

      "Zeltserman's breakthrough third crime novel deserves comparison with the best of
James
Ellroy", Publisher's Weekly, starred review 

      "A
Jim
Thompson mentality on a Norman Rockwell setting... 'Small Crimes' is a strong piece of work, lean and spare, but muscular where a noir novel should be, with a strong central character whom we alternately admire and despise." Boston Globe 

      
Praise for Pariah:
 

      "A doozy of a doom-laden crime story that not only makes merry with the justice system but also satirizes the publishing industry" Washington Post, Best Books of 2009 

      “Sheer astounding writing” Ken Bruen 

      "PARIAH is sure to catapult Zeltserman head and shoulders above other Boston authors. This is not only a great crime book, but a gripping read that will crossover to allow greater exposure for this rising talent."
Bruce Grossman
, Bookgasm 

      
Praise for Killer:
 

      "Spare prose and assured pacing place this above most other contemporary noirs." Publisher's Weekly 

      "With graphic imagery and exciting twists, this novel is impossible to put down and has a surprising ending. A brilliant read" Aberdeen Press & Journal 

      "This novel is everything hard-boiled fiction should be - compact, direct and disciplined, and concerned with humans rather than stereotypes. It is also, for all its violent subject matter, a quietly told story, which makes its tension all the more intense"
M
at Coward,
M
orning Star