The Hard Bounce - страница 9

“Who’s that?” I asked.

“I don’t know the dude. He just gives me the creeps.” Paul shuddered to emphasize those creeps. “Y’know. Slimy fucker. Got that big snake tattoo around his arm.”

“What else?”

Paul thought about it. “Real skinny. Got greasy black hair, goes halfway down to his butt. Looks like a rocker. Nobody knows why Cassie hangs with that guy.”

“Is he her boyfriend?”

“Jeez, I hope not. He’s like in his twenties.” Paul leaned back in his chair, teenage cockiness back to full. He’d realized he had something we wanted and that information gave him an edge. “Cassie’s a cool chick and all, but she’s a little flaky. That guy’s just… I dunno. Like I said, he creeps everybody out.”

“Junior, take him up to the office.”

“Move your ass, Weedy McTokesalot,” Junior snarled.

“Get his number and address.”

Paul panicked. “But you said-”

I put my hand on his shoulder. “Relax. It’s just in case we need to ask you some more questions. Junior’s going to give you my beeper number.”

“A beeper?” Paul looked at me, aghast. “Who are you, Fred Flintstone?”

“We can still toss you in juvie, smartass.”

He mimed a key between his lips and turned it.

“If you see Cassie anywhere, and I mean at any time, you beep me. Got it?”

Paul snapped me a brisk salute. “Got it.”

“C’mon.” Junior walked off with Paul.

I looked over at Barnes. “How much?”

“How much what?”

“How much are we going to be paid if we find the girl?”

“There’s twenty-five hundred in the envelope to get you started.” My heart did a somersault. Twenty-five might not impress Bill Gates, but in my world, we were starting out on the right foot. And that right foot was in a Gucci loafer. “I’ll need to talk with my employer on a final amount.”

“One more thing,” I said. “I meet your employer.”

“That’s not happening. You deal with me,” Barnes said.

“Ooh! I’ve got an idea! How about no? I meet him before I do another goddamned thing.” Barnes started to protest. I cut him off. “You tell him what you just saw. You tell him we meet or he can go fuck a duck. You know where I am.” I got up from the table. “I’m done.”

Barnes and Kelly stood up. Barnes didn’t offer me a goodbye handshake as he walked out. I wasn’t hurt.

Kelly said softly, “Thanks for the beer.”

She followed Barnes out without a second glance back at me. I did the opposite and didn’t take my eyes off her butt as she exited. Then the low-watt bulb flickered over my dome.

Sonofabitch.

As I stared at her exiting skirt muffins, I realized I’d just been had.

Kinda.

Junior sat at the desk writing down Paul’s info on an index card. We planned on getting a computer one day. On the other hand, we also planned on winning a million bucks on scratch tickets and retiring to Hawaii to build custom thongs for Natalie Portman. We were about as close to execution on either plan.

Paul stood, leaning against the doorjamb, arms crossed, looking like he was aching to get the hell out. The kid looked at me. “Am I done?”

“Couple more questions,” I said. “What’s Cassie’s last name?”

He hummed the “I dunno” notes.

Swing and a miss.

“What about the Dutch House?” I asked. Junior looked at me.

“What about it?” It was no secret why kids went to the Dutch House. A big squat in Cambridge, just off the Square, it was a safe place for kids to get high, drink beer, and do anything else they didn’t want their parents catching them doing.

“Has Cassie been there?”

“Once or twice. I don’t think she dug it. She’s not into the scene that much.”

“What scene is that?” Junior said, sneering. “Future Junkies of America?

Paul smirked but his eyes reflected hurt. I shot Junior a “leave him alone” look. Junior scratched his chin at me. He forgot to use all his fingers.

“I don’t think she’s been staying there or nothing.” Paul looked at our business card. “What does 4DC stand for?”

“Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.”

He smiled. “Hunh, cool.”

“We’re done,” Junior said, dismissing him with a wave.

Paul started to go, but I grabbed his arm and slid a hundred from the envelope into his hand. He gaped at it. “Holy shit!”

“If you get me to her, there’s more. Cassandra’s not in any trouble, despite the cop. You’re working for 4DC now. You know what that means?”