Alex leaned on the counter, like a man ready to shoot the bull for hours. His voice was soft, and deadly. “Jerk my chain, Boomer, and I’m going to have to come down here and take a hard look at what you keep in that back room.”
“Stock. Just stock.” But he grinned. He didn’t have any illusions about Alex. Boomer knew when he was detested, but he also knew they had an agreement of sorts. And, thus far, it had been advantageous to both of them. “I got something on those hookers that got sliced up.”
Though his expression didn’t change, though he didn’t move a muscle, Alex went on alert. “What kind of something?”
Boomer merely smiled and rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. When Alex drew out a twenty, it disappeared quickly through the bars. “Twenty more, if you like what I have to say.”
“If it’s worth it, you’ll get it.”
“You know I trust you.” Smelling of hair grease and sweat, Boomer leaned closer. “Word on the street is you’re looking for some high roller. Guy’s name’s Jack.”
“So far I’m not impressed.”
“Just building up to it, pal. The first one that was wasted? She was one of Big Ed’s wives. I recognized her from the newspaper picture. Now, she was fine-looking. Not that I ever used her services.”
“Turn the page, Boomer.”
“Okay, okay.” He shot a grin at Judd. “He don’t like conversation. I heard both those unfortunate ladies were in possession of a certain piece of jewelry.”
“You’ve got good ears.”
“Man in my position hears things. It so happens I had a young lady come in just yesterday. She had a certain piece of jewelry she wanted to exchange.” Opening a drawer, Boomer pulled out a thin gold chain. Dangling from it was a heart, cracked down the center. When Alex held out a hand, Boomer shook his head. “I gave her twenty for it.”
Saying nothing, Alex pulled another bill out of his wallet.
“Seems to me I’m entitled to a certain amount of profit.”
Eyes steady, Alex pulled the twenty back an inch. “You’re entitled to go in and answer a bunch of nasty questions down at the cop shop.”
With a shrug, Boomer exchanged the bill for the heart. He’d only given ten for it, in any case. “She wasn’t much more than a kid,” Boomer added. “Eighteen, maybe twenty at a stretch. Still pretty. Bottle blonde, blue eyes. Little mole right here.” He tapped beside his left eyebrow.
“Got an address?”
“Well, now...”
“Twenty for the address, Boomer.” Alex’s tone told the man to take it. “That’s it.”
Satisfied, Boomer named a hotel a few blocks away. “Signed her name Crystal,” he added, wanting to keep the partnership intact. “Crystal LaRue. Figure she made it up.”
“Let’s check it out,” he said to Judd, then tapped Bess on the shoulder. She was apparently absorbed in an ugly brass lamp in the shape of a rearing horse. “Let’s go.”
“In a minute.” She turned a smile on Boomer. “How much?”
“Oh, for you—”
“Forget it.” Alex was dragging her to the door.
“I want to buy—”
“It’s ugly.”
Annoyed at the loss, but pleased to have recorded the entire conversation, she sighed. “That’s the point.” But she climbed meekly into the car and began to scribble her impressions in her book.
Cramped shop. Very dirty. Mostly junk. Excellent place for props. Proprietor a complete sleaze. Alexi in complete control of exchange—a kind of game-playing. Quietly disgusted but willing to use the tools at hand.
By the time she’d finished scribbling, Alex was pulling to the curb again.
“Same rules,” he said to Bess as they climbed out of the car.
