Page 22 of The Guilty Trial

Tacoma, Washington

The shop’s weathered sign swung in the wind, its chains groaning against the mounting brackets. Allie wasn’t sure she would ever get used to the smell of diesel fuel and brine. This corner of Tacoma felt like it had been abandoned long ago, wedged between industrial warehouses and fishing operations that had seen better decades.

Bennett’s burner phone had been silent since Friday. Scarlett had been the last person to hear from him, and since then, the digital trail had gone completely cold. They had fragments of his movements but no way to predict where he might surface next, which left them with just one option: track down the people he might have contacted in person.

Allie studied the narrow exterior staircase that led to a door above the shop. The building’s paint had long since peeled away, exposing gray wood beneath. A single window glowed with dim light. “Bennett came here for money?”

“Bookies typically don’t want to flaunt what they’ve got.” Jason stepped away from the car.

They crossed the lot and climbed the stairs. The metal steps rang hollow under their feet. Jason knocked, and a moment later, the door cracked open. A heavyset man with thinning gray hair peered out and gave them a wary look. “Help you?”

“FBI. We’d like to ask you a few questions. Are you Vinny?”

The face became even more guarded. “Yeah, I’m Vinny. Questions about what?”

“Aris Bennett,” Allie said. “Can we come in?”

Vinny hesitated, then stepped back and opened the door wider. The office was cramped with just enough room for a desk piled with ledgers and a pair of mismatched chairs. A small space heater hummed in the corner, fighting the draft from the single window.

The bookie moved behind his desk but didn’t sit. His hands fidgeted with a pen. “I can’t say that I know anyone by that name.”

Jason made a show of puffing out a heavy sigh. “Let’s not do this, all right? We have good reason to believe he came to see you. We’re not interested in your business, Vinny. We’re only interested in finding Bennett.”

Vinny’s eyes darted between them. Finally, he exhaled and dropped into his chair. “What did he do?”

“We’re trying to locate him,” Allie said. “He may have information about a case we’re working.”

Vinny tapped his pen against the desk. “Not sure I can help you.”

“It’s probably better if you do, don’t you think?” Jason pulled out one of the chairs and sat, settling into the posture of someone who had all the time in the world. Allie remained standing near the door and let Jason take the lead. “Bennett’s name came up in our investigation, and we’re trying to track his movements over the past week. If he came to see you, it would help us narrow down where he might be now.”

Vinny crossed his thick arms across his chest. “Look, I run a consulting business. I help people with financial planning.”

Allie watched him carefully. Washington state law prohibited independent bookmaking and sports betting outside of tribal casinos and the state lottery. Vinny was clearly dancing around the specifics to avoid anything that could incriminate him. She decided to let him keep his cover story. “Did Bennett come to see you about financial planning?”

Vinny set the pen down. “Yes. He certainly did.”

“When?” Jason asked.

“Last Friday. Midmorning.”

Allie ran the timeline in her head. That lined up with the bail bondsman refusing to loan him money the day before. “What did he want?”

Vinny leaned back in his chair, the leather creaking under his weight. “He wanted to borrow some cash. Said he needed to get back on his feet.”

“Did you loan it to him?” Jason asked.

“Hell no.” Vinny huffed through his nose. His expression hardened. “He owed me a lot from before he went to prison. I told him he needed to make right with that debt first before I’d even consider helping him out.”

Allie crossed her arms. “How much did he owe you?”

Vinny hesitated. “Enough that it mattered.”

“And how did he react when you told him no?” Jason asked.

Before Vinny could answer, the sound of an approaching vehicle filtered through the window. A car door slammed, and footsteps started up the exterior stairs. Vinny shot to his feet, his face draining of color. “Wait here.”

He moved quickly to the door and slipped outside, pulling it nearly shut behind him. Allie could hear him speaking in a low, urgent voice. “Hey, now’s not a good time. Come back later, okay?”