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Nola flung herself in Pops’ arms while the rest of the cauldron surrounded us. All talking at the same time.
“One at a time.”
“Gambit, let me take you to the manager’s office. We need to let these good people go. My men’ll get their statements and send them on. After I get settled, I’ll take Blue and Triton through the place.”
“Thanks man.”
“You bet. We’ll get your girl back.”
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POPS AND I SPENT THEnext thirty minutes talking to the prospects and the cauldron. Dan, the tables server, was the only other person missing. I left the office in search of the manager. Stone waved me over. He was talking to a guy with long dark hair. A few inches above six feet with broad shoulders. The guy was shirtless. Must be one of the dancers.
“Gambit, this is Peter. He’s the dancer that took Stormy up on the stage.”
“Peter, I’ll let Gambit introduce himself. I have another witness to interview.”
I waited until Stone was out of earshot. We were alone backstage. It took me two point five seconds to get in this guy’s face.
“Tell me everything you know and I’ll let you live. Lie to me, motherfucker, and you’ll die a slow, painful death.”
The guy puffed out his chest, straightened his shoulders and stood up to his full height.
“That detective knows you’re back here with me. You can’t kill me.”
“Oh, I can and I will. Let me tell you why. Stormy is my woman. The woman I love. If anything happens to her...” I paused. “Well, you don’t want to know what will happen to you and anyone else who stands in my way. She is the air that I breathe. I served my country for a long fucking time, and they taught me how to kill a man in dozens of different ways.
“Torture taught me how to keep a man alive and drag it out for days.”
“Dan showed me a picture of this woman. Said if I’d pick her for the pony song he’d give me three hundred dollars. My kid just broke her arm. With no insurance the bills are hell. I didn’t know he was going to take her, man. I swear on my life.”
I looked at him. He was telling the truth.
“Tell me everything you know about Dan.”
Chapter 51
