The Austin Job Read Free Page A

Oleg corrected.
    “Look, we both know better than to come at a horse from behind.” He crammed in another big bite of roll and spoke with his mouth full. “Despite being set up, I don’t mind saying I think tenant farming stinks to high heaven. I’ve gone on record saying as much dozens of times. And sure, the right to strike is American, while the right for a man to enjoy the fruits of his labor is God-given.” The tea having cooled enough, Starr knocked the rest of it back in a gulp. “Nothing will change my beliefs on that.”
    “Well spoken, Mr. Starr. And yet you support government that take God-given right away—government owned by wealthy industrialists at expense of poor farmers.”
    “I support no such thing.” Starr slapped the table as the bells behind him jingled again.
    “Do not be naive, Mr. Starr. All government is tool of wealthy to oppress poor.” Oleg sat forward and pierced Starr with his gaze. “Money is power and power is poison, like alcohol.” He paused slightly, indicating he knew of Starr’s past with booze and his decision to break from it. “Small amounts make man feel good. But man not content with small amounts.” He tore a piece of sweet roll between his teeth and swallowed.
    “Is universal truth, Mr. Starr. Men drunk with power will never stop until world on fire.” He nodded slowly to himself as he sat back in his seat. “Some fire is bad, while some is good. Every man has same choice.” Starr glanced over his shoulder where a crowd of young people had gathered, every pair of eyes intent on him and the professor. Oleg continued, “Good fire purify. From ashes of corrupt institutions, true humanity rise.”
    “Interesting lecture, professor Rodchenko, but you’re talking about anarchy. Here in Texas we shoe a horse one hoof at a time, and we sure as hell don’t put him down for having a loose one. Governor Hobby will call a special session. If I were—”
    “If you were governor? If you were governor, then what? This is right question, Mr. Starr. You think about this question tonight at fancy party among corrupt and wasteful men and women of power.” He emphasized the word ‘women.’ “Sorry to be abrupt, but I have previous engagement.” He shuffled out of the bench and stood while calling toward the kitchen, “ сосиска .”  
    Starr rose as the young waiter scampered out straight away with two boiled sausages on a plate. “I think we both need this today.” Oleg offered a sausage to Starr before taking one himself and biting off the end. Not knowing what else to do, Starr accompanied the older man to the door. When he swung it open, the two men were greeted by a sea of cheers.
    ~~~
    Stooped and uncomfortable, Lickter pressed his ear against the wooden box in his left hand. The noise from the alley and the street beyond intensified, disturbing his ability to hear the amplified sound waves traveling through the cafe wall, into the collapsible cone, around the winding metal tubes, through the electrified transistors and finally into his ear. Standing in a pile of rancid garbage didn’t help his concentration either. I’m getting too old for this.
    Starr spoke more loudly, making the conversation easier to track.
    “Nothing will change my beliefs on that.”
    “Well spoken, Mr. Starr. And yet you support government that take God-given right away, government owned by wealthy industrialists at expense of poor farmers.”
    “I support no such thing.”
    A loud slap from within the cafe reverberated through the device, forcing Lickter to pull away. At the same moment a scuffling arose from behind. While ducking and spinning around, he leveled his pistol. “Dammit, you were supposed to be here ten minutes ago.”
    “Look, Sheriff. It doesn’t always work like that. Now do you mind?”
    Lickter holstered his weapon and collapsed the cone of the amplifier before slipping it into a pouch dangling from his belt. “I told you, I’m not a sheriff here in