“Sorry, boss.”His face flushes pink as he moves to stand against the nearest wall.
Fucking guy’s like a golden retriever with a penchant for murder.We’ll have to work on his self-control.
I return my knife to the bartender’s chest and continue drawing a line down the center of his sternum.He grits his teeth, trying not to scream.Gotta give him some points for that, at least.Most guys scream.Even the tough ones.
Especially the tough ones.
“Here’s the thing, Brad.Seems awfully convenient that you’ve only got one co-conspirator, given that trafficking operations tend to involve a lot of people.Multiple people transported those kids who were drugged.Put them in a van, drove them away, and put them on a plane or a boat.Someone made sure you were assigned to work those parties.Who was your boss?Your boss’s boss?Who handles scheduling for your employer?”
“I don’t know.I don’t?—”
I drag my knife farther down his chest.Right through a stupid-ass tattoo of a rooster on his chest.It’s well done for a barnyard animal.Detailed.That one probably cost some money.
“Okay.Okay.My boss is…” I glance over at Reece to make sure he’s getting the names this guy is rattling off.
“Make sure to look into those people,” I tell Reece when the bartender has run out of breath.
Not that I have high hopes.For all we know, the party planner simply requested Brad’s presence.Still, it doesn’t hurt to check.If we keep digging, eventually we’ll find someone who knew something.Persistence is key.
I pick up a tool that looks a bit like a gardening claw, but with razor-sharp ends.“Anything you’ve forgotten to tell us?”
“I don’t know anything else.I swear, I swear.”
The bartender is bleeding from cuts and scrapes all over his body.We’ve been working him over for a couple of hours, so it doesn’t surprise me when he mutters, “Man, I’m really dizzy.”
I sigh.“Was there anyone else at the parties other than this Tony person who seemed like they could’ve been involved?Anyone else he could have been working with?”
“It’s like I already told you.Dude was a social… What do you call them?Butterfly.Social butterfly.He talked to everybody.Liked to go around hugging and handshaking and snorting lines of coke off the coffee tables and whatever.He seemed to know everyone, so how would I know who he was working with?”
“There were a couple of vans we think he used to get people out of the parties.Did you ever see the vans?Ever help him load someone inside?”
“No.No.I never did…any of that.But I did see the van.It looked like one of our standard catering vans, except he usually parked it in front of the venue, which the staff weren’t allowed to do.After a while I figured out that was how you could tell.”
“Ever see the driver?”
“Fuck no.Tinted windows.”
The bartender’s head lolls to one side.
“We’ve probably gotten about all we’re going to get, boss,” Reece puts in.
I pause in my carving.“You’re probably right.”
The guy’s head shoots up.Probably calculating for the first time that if he isn’t useful, he’s dead.“Wait.Wait.There was, uh, another guy.I think he was a cop.I could swear I saw a badge once.”
“Did you get this cop’s name?Can you give me a description?”
“Kind of tall.Dark hair.White.Uh…” The bartender squeezes his eyes shut tight.“That’s all I can remember.But, hey, I could go back.Like, if you let me go, I could go work more parties.Keep an eye out for him.For anyone who’s suspicious.I could report back to you.”
“That’s a real nice offer, Brad…” I put my knife down on the table and pick up my phone, which is flashing again.
Ravi has entered the parking lot of Belle Argo University, Lot C.
Ravi is at Campus Coffee.
Ravi is at the BAU Campus Gym.
“Problem, boss?”Reese asks.