Chill Factor
Page 39
“You didn’t tell him what happens to young studs after a couple years, when they get too old to be in your kiddie shows. The ‘big bucks’ are all gone, into your pocket for their clothes, food, a place to stay, and the drugs you manage to hook them on. After that, the kids are out on the street, too ashamed to go home to family, too young to earn money any way but hooking. But I’ll bet you can help them out there, too?”
A car from HPD Vice had arrived, and Dixie let them take over. Remembering Doc Arceneaux’s comments about discipline, Dixie’d thought seriously about arranging for Ryan to spend a few hours in juvie lockup, give him a dose of the real world his small-time porno racket could lead to. I turned the little pissant in. But Ryan wasn’t as street smart as Lureen’s fifteen-year-old son, and maybe Dixie wasn’t as strong as Lureen. She decided a personal jail tour would do the trick.
Back in the Mustang, she watched the Vice unit turning a corner toward downtown, Ryan’s porno supplier scowling out its back window. Ryan might not speak to her until he turned thirty.
After dropping her nephew and his bike at home and providing a lengthy explanation to Amy and Carl, Dixie headed gratefully, wearily toward home. On the way, she phoned Parker.
Listening to the rings at a stoplight, she shuffled through her mail … a box of new checks and deposit slips, with all new account numbers … some bills … a payment from the bonding company for bringing in Voller … a letter from
Atlanta State Bank …
Parker picked up on the fourth ring.
“Got your messages,” she said. “But I was … tied up.”
“Guess that’s why I heard your name in the news again.”
“Guess so.”
“Thought I’d cook steaks tonight.” Parker’s voice slipped into the sexy zone, the one that always turned her to mush. “Thought maybe you and Mud could join me … maybe bring an overnight bag.”
She considered it. A week ago, she’d’ve raced to take him up on such an offer.
“I have a different idea,” she told him. “How about if I order pizza and you bring an overnight bag?”
He hesitated, but only an instant. “Sounds good to me.”
Before hanging up, she said, “Parker? Thanks for worrying about me.” She ordered the pizza—half with extra cheese for her, the other half with extra mushrooms for him—then she studied the letter from Atlanta State Bank. She didn’t know anybody at Atlanta State Bank. She ripped it open.
RE:#70005466789
Dear Ms. Flannigan,
Your account has been closed due to numerous unpaid insufficient funds statements issued to the address you provided. Please contact us immediately …
Shit!
ABOUT CHRIS ROGERS
CHRIS ROGERS lives in Houston, Texas, where she is at work on her next Dixie Flannigan novel.
This edition contains the complete text of the original hardcover edition.
NOT ONE WORD HAS BEEN OMITTED.
CHILL FACTOR
A Bantam Book
PUBLISHING HISTORY
Bantam hardcover edition / 2000
Bantam mass market edition / April 2001
All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1999 by Chris Rogers
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
For information address: Bantam Books.
eISBN: 978-0-307-57305-6
Bantam Books are published by Bantam Books, a division of Random House, Inc. Its trademark, consisting of the words “Bantam Books” and the portrayal of a rooster, is Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Marca Registrada. Bantam Books, 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036.
v3.0
Table of Contents
Cover
Other Books By This Author
Title Page
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-one
Chapter Thirty-two
Chapter Thirty-three
Chapter Thirty-four
Chapter Thirty-five
Chapter Thirty-six
Chapter Thirty-seven
Chapter Thirty-eight
Chapter Thirty-nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-one
Chapter Forty-two
Chapter Forty-three
Chapter Forty-four
Chapter Forty-five
Chapter Forty-six
Chapter Forty-seven
Chapter Forty-eight
Chapter Forty-nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-one
Chapter Fifty-two
Chapter Fifty-three
Chapter Fifty-four
Chapter Fifty-five
Chapter Fifty-six
Chapter Fifty-seven
Chapter Fifty-eight
Chapter Fifty-nine
Chapter Sixty
Chapter Sixty-one
Chapter Sixty-two
Chapter Sixty-three
Chapter Sixty-four
Chapter Sixty-five
Chapter Sixty-six
Chapter Sixty-seven
Chapter Sixty-eight
Chapter Sixty-nine
Chapter Seventy
Chapter Seventy-one
Chapter Seventy-two
Chapter Seventy-three
Chapter Seventy-four
About Chris Rogers
Copyright