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“There is no such thing as too much job satisfaction,” Bobby declared. “Can I take off the tape now?”
“Go for it,” Corey said and had to admit that the sound Dewey made when Bobby ripped the tape off was satisfying.
“We have questions,” Bobby said with unrestrained glee. “And you’ll have answers.”
Dewey was grimacing. His lips were now raw and bleeding. “Fuck off.”
Corey shrugged. “So many of our guests have started with those very words,” he said lightly, then dropped the act. “Why are you so desperate to get Aaron out of jail? I don’t believe it was just out of friendship. So why?”
Dewey clenched his jaw.
“Can I try?” Bobby asked, sounding like a kid on Christmas.
Corey rolled his eyes. “In a minute.” He turned to Ed. “Go upriver to Dewey’s camp. Search for anything useful, but especially his computer.”
“You think Dewey knows how to use a computer?” Ed asked skeptically.
Corey spared Ed an irritated glance. “Just because he’s over fifty doesn’t mean he’s tech illiterate.”
“It’s not his age,” Ed protested. “Just... well, look at him.”
Dewey was unshaven and his clothes were filthy, but there was an intelligence in his eyes. “He’s stayed out of the hands of the law for years. And even if Aaron only gave him ten percent of the profits, he’s made at least a million since I’ve known him.”
Dewey didn’t react, not even a twitch. If Aaron had been cheating him, Corey figured that Dewey would show some surprise.
“Looks like Dewey might have been doing the same thing,” Bobby said idly. “Socking away money offshore, I mean. I bet we can get his passwords out of him before Ed comes back with his laptop.”
Corey smiled. “I bet you’re right.” Then he had a thought. “Ed, take Rick with you, as long as you’re headed upriver. Take him to the boat launch. Wrap him up and stick him in the back of the van. I don’t want Jace seeing him when we leave for Cardozo’s. Hit Dewey’s place on your way back.”
When Ed had left, Corey turned to Dewey. “Let’s try again. Why were you so desperate to get Aaron out of jail?”
Dewey clamped his lips shut.
Bobby got to work, starting by laying out his knives. It was his thing.
Dewey sneered. “If you kill me, you won’t ever find out what you want to know.”
Corey dragged his chair out of the splash zone. “Ah, bravado. We don’t plan on killing you. Not yet, anyway.”
Bobby was humming a happy tune, a smile on his face.
“Why are you so happy?” Corey asked.
“One, because I get to carve Dewey up like a Thanksgiving turkey and that always makes me happy. Two, I got a call from my buddy on the force when I was dumping Rick in Aaron’s quarters. It’ll make you happy, too.”
“What did he say?”
“Cardozo has declined police protection. Seems like he’s made some enemies and doesn’t know who to trust. He’s got no one outside his house.”
“Huh.” Corey considered. “Might be safer to drop Rick off at Cardozo’s than at NOPD.”
Dewey reacted to that. “What the hell? You’re turning Rick in?”
“We are,” Corey said with a smile. “Because Bobby’s buddy also told us that the cops think you were the driver last night. Because of your tattoo.”
Dewey closed his eyes. “Jace.”
Corey nodded. “Exactly. So we’re going to give the cops someone to chase. Sixth Day is the Big Bad, and you, Dewey, are Sixth Day. The biggest remaining fish, anyway. They’ve been looking for you for four years now, not realizing that you’ve been hiding out with Aaron in plain sight. So we’re going to give them Rick with your compliments.”
