Page 46 of Cougar Point

“Does he live in Custer?” We’d been given an address in Custer, a little spot in the road halfway between Blaine and Bellingham.

“No, ma’am.”

“Where does he live?” I’m about through with this guy but Duke points across the street to the Mom & Pop store. “He lives there?”

“Yes, ma’am. Upstairs.”

The building is two-story. The top floor has windows covered with newspapers. Condemned is too kind of a description.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, ma’am. He has a card game going there from time to time. I played once and didn’t go back. Too rich for my blood. Vinnie is lucky. Good enough to take most of the players around these parts. Some guys approached him and offered to front him if he paid them back and gave them half his winnings.”

“He didn’t pay them anything.”

Duke smirks. “No, ma’am. Vinnie is plenty slick. But you don’t take money from those guys. Not if you want to walk around on two legs. He’s always strapped for money. He wouldn’t have been able to eat if his sister didn’t give him money.”

“His sister?”

“Yeah, I seen her a time or two when she’d visit.” He describes Victoria and I can tell Ronnie is convinced.

“Is there an apartment number?”

Duke laughs. “No, ma’am. The front is storage upstairs. His place is in the back. Or at least that’s where he crashes. Sometimes at least. He moves around a lot.”

“But you think Vinnie is up there right now?”

Duke shrugs. “I just got here. I didn’t go up. I don’t think he’d like it if I checked on him and then cops show up.”

Of course he’s right and he’s protecting his reputation that he’s not a snitch. “Anyone live with him?”

He shakes his head.

“Weapons?”

Duke laughs again. “Vinnie? Not that I ever knew about.”

I ask, “Have you talked to Vinnie since he got out, Duke?”

“Maybe a week ago. He was supposed to meet me, but he wasn’t around and I had to get back to the jail. He doesn’t have a phone. I feel sorry for him, ma’am.”

“Why’s that, Duke?”

“He’s twice my age and he’s never grown up. He just keeps digging the hole deeper. I learned my lesson this time. I’m going to Narcotics Anonymous when I get out. I won’t be back.”

I’ve heard that before. I take a tenner out of my pocket. “We’re here to help Vinnie so I seriously doubt he’d be mad at you. I’ll tell him I threatened you with a gun.”Which I’m about to do.“So, if I give you ten dollars, will you go and see if he’s there? If he is, don’t say anything about us. You only get the money if he’s home.”

“I don’t want your money. But I’ll take a kiss from one of you girls.” He’s eyeing Rebecca, who quickly turns her head and stares ahead through the windshield.

I hand him the ten. He chuckles and crosses the street.

I say to Ronnie, “I just saved you and Rebecca from a lifetime of nightmares.”

“Thank you, Megan,” she says, and nods toward Duke’s backside as he walks around the building.

I say, “Let’s go over there in case Duke warns him, or if he runs with our money.”

We cross the street, and a girl comes along pushing a shopping cart filled with aluminum cans. She’s maybe nine years old, dirty-blond hair, dirty clothes, brand-new Nikes. She givesus a defensive look and crosses the street in case we might mug her for the cans. Or the shoes.

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