Page 13 of To Die For

“It’s probably going nowhere anyway. What exactly do you want?”

“More to the point, what doyouwant? You’re a fed. So my guess is you want information on Danny Glass, right? He wants to take ownership of the girl, right?”

“Ownership?Interesting choice of words.”

“Glass owns people, didn’t you know?”

“And why doyouknow anything about him?” asked Devine politely.

“I keep my ear to the ground. People who do that tend to know stuff,valuablestuff.”

“You local?”

“Maybe,” replied the man curtly.

“Well, Glass isn’t from here. So why would you have anything on him?”

“I’m not from here, either. And they’re prosecuting his ass right here in Seattle. But if you don’t want to deal, I’ll find somebody else who does. See you around, sucker.”

He started to walk off, but Devine grabbed his thin arm, freezing the man in place.

“Let’s start again. How about with your name?”

“Oh, sure, it’s Fred. What’s yours?”

“Okay,Fred, what do you know about Glass?”

“Not how it works, dum-dum. You fork over money andthenI tell you.”

“And if I don’t think it’s worth what I paid?” said Devine.

“You file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Not to worry, I’m a member in good standing.”

“How much money are we talking?” asked Devine.

“A hundred grand is a nice number, don’t you think? I can give you my wire transfer instructions. I don’t like to carry cash. Too many criminals around here. Gut you for a gift card.”

“Hundred grand? Sure, let me run to an ATM like two hundred times and see if my government debit card will actually melt.”

“Take it or leave it. No skin off me.”

“That kind of money comes with at least three levels of approvals and a face-to-face beat-down with a battalion of government accountants. I can have a decision by this time next year, but I don’t think you’ll like our counteroffer, which might actuallybea gift card.”

“Boy, I thought you had a brain—my mistake.”

“So what can you tell me for, say, a hundred bucks?”

“I already told you. My name. It’s Fred. So fork over the C-note.”

“You are one funny man,” remarked Devine.

“And you are one unfunnyloser.”

“You know anything about Betsy Odom?”

“I know Glass wants her. And maybe, just maybe, I knowwhy,which I think might be valuable to you, but maybe I’m wrong.” The man’s look did not match his last few words.

Devine processed this provocative statement along with the man’s triumphant look. “Okay, maybe I can get you some money.”

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