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There was a long pause. “Why do you want to know?”
“I need to speak to the club president,” she said. “I think there might be a connection between a robbery that just took place at the compound and a case I’m working on.”
“You think Lindsey stole something from the Booze Dogs and got killed for it?”
Dang, he was sharp. Cora hadn’t wanted to reveal anything about the investigation, but he’d gone and jumped to the right conclusion, anyway.
“I can’t really discuss it. Look, I know this is a shot in the dark, but is there any chance you could introduce me to the club president? I just want to ask him some quick questions.”
“Eli Shelton is not the kind of guy who’d take kindly to questions,” Finn said. “Especially not from law enforcement.”
“So you do know him.” Maybe she’d get lucky, after all.
“I’ve represented a few of his club members in the past.”
“Can you at least tell me if you know where he is? Is he at The Doghouse?” Cora asked. “Last time Liam and I went there looking for Slice, this man named Bear wouldn’t let us past the gate. But I’m flying solo today. Maybe he’ll be easier to talk to if he sees me without Liam.”
“Bear?” Finn sounded incredulous. “You’d have a better chance trying to reason with an actual grizzly.”
“If you can’t tell me anything, it’s okay. I get it. I don’t want to put a strain on any business relationship you might have with them.”
“Cora, please don’t go to The Doghouse alone,” Finn said urgently. “It’s not a good scene. They won’t let you past the gate unless you’re a club member or there on official club business. There’s only one other exception that would gain you entrance, and you’re certainly not it.”
“What’s the exception?”
Finn paused. “Women who are there for a party or pleasure.”
“Oh,” Cora said, deflated. “Yeah, I guess that’s not me.”
He gave a resounding, “No.”
She sighed. “I have to talk to him. Maybe if I go as one of those women and sneak in during a party—”
“Cora,” Finn said in alarm. “Good God, tell me you’re joking.”
“Shh, let me think about this for a sec.” If she found a way to buddy up with a group of women before they arrived at The Doghouse, and if she could get past the front gate—
“Listen, I know where Eli Shelton is,” Finn said. “He owns Choppers, a bike shop on Fifty-Fourth. It’s where he hangs out during the week.”
Relief washed over her. “Good. That’s much easier than waiting until the weekend to try and infiltrate The Doghouse as a party girl. It’s exactly what I needed to know. Thanks, Finn. I owe you one.”
“What are you planning to do?” He sounded worried.
“I’m just going to pop over there,” she said, mentally calculating the time it would take to get there and back with traffic. “I need to ask Eli a few questions about the robbery, that’s all. Thanks for telling me where to find him. I won’t reveal your name or anything. I promise.”
“I don’t care about that,” Finn said quickly. “Just... Hold on.” Cora heard a few muffled words between him and someone who must’ve been his administrative assistant. Finn told the person to cancel an appointment and reschedule. Then he got back on the phone and said, “Are you at the police station?”
“Sort of. I’m in the parking lot, but I’m about to head out.”
“Just wait for me, okay? I’ll meet you there and go with you.”
Cora leaned against her car, surprised. She hadn’t expected him to go that far to help her. “Finn, you don’t have to do that. I know you’re busy, and I can take care of it myself. I appreciate you letting me know where to find him. It saved me a lot of hassle trying to track him down.”
“Cora, we’re talking about Eli Shelton,” he said as if the name packed a punch. Maybe it did to other people, but to Cora it didn’t mean much.
“I know.”
“Eli doesn’t trust anyone, especially not cops. He’ll take one look at your badge, and he’ll shut down and lock up like a bank vault. You won’t get anything out of him. The Booze Dogs keep to themselves in all business matters, especially when it comes to club secrets. They have a strict code of honor. It’ll be an exercise in futility if you go all the way out there by yourself. Eli doesn’t know you from Adam. But there’s a small—and I mean very slight—chance he’ll talk to you if I vouch for you.”
