Small Vices, Audio Book

Small Vices, Audio Book (1997) Robert B. Parker narrated by Burt Reynolds (Spenser)

Since my name was anathema at Pemberton, I had to employ guile. I called the alumni office and said my name was Anathema and I was with the IRS.

“We have an income tax refund for Ms. Glenda Baker, which has been returned by the postal service. Would you have a more recent address for her?”

“What did you say your name was?” “Anathema,” I said. “Pervis Anathema, refund enactment agent.”

“So,” Hawk said, “Alves borrows or steals a car one night, an inconspicuous old pink Caddy. He drives out to Pemberton in his inconspicuous car, where there ain’t no black folks, and the cops pay attention to any that they see. He cruises around in his inconspicuous car until he spots a white girl on a busy street, drags her into his inconspicuous car in front of witnesses, drives her somewhere, takes off her clothes and strangles her, though he maybe doesn’t rape her, dumps her body in the middle of the Pemberton Campus, and rides on back home with her clothes and the aforesaid ligature in his inconspicuous car, so in case the cops stop him he can incriminate himself.”

We crept into the toll booths in Weston and Susan picked up a toll ticket. Then we were through them and the traffic thinned as the commuters peeled off into the western suburbs.

“‘ You go to St. Louie, Joplin, Missouri, and Oklahoma City is mighty pretty . . . ’”

We slept in Holiday Inns. Me and Hawk in one room, Susan and Pearl next door. I felt that Pearl was getting the better of the deal. With Hawk holding my arm, I could shuffle in and out of the hotels and rest stops and Petro Stations.

“‘ See Amarillo; Gallup, New Mexico; Flagstaff, Arizona; now don’t forget Winona; Kingman; Barstow; San Bernardino . . . ’”

Publisher: Phoenix Books

Rating: 10/10

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