Page 95 of Family Jewels

“Sometimes . . .”

“Do they ever talk about Kip Wagner?”

His eyes widened. “Why?”

Bingo. That’s what I was looking for. “Because that might be something you can use to bargain for protection. What do you know?”

He shook his head. “Nuh-uh. I’m not telling you nothing. I’m only telling Malcolm.”

“You think if I approach Skeeter Malcolm and ask him to protect you in exchange for information, he’s just gonna do it? He’ll want to know what you have to offer.”

“I think Skeeter Malcolm would rob the Piggly Wiggly in broad daylight without a mask on if you asked him to.”

I gave him a look of contempt. “Well,someone’ssadly deluded. And even if Skeeter Malcolm would entertain a meetin’ with you, I’d never set it up unless I knew for a fact you actually had something to offer. So start talkin’. What do you have to offer?”

“Some of Crocker’s men are aligning with Wagner.”

“What else?”

“What?Ain’t that enough?”

“Shoot,” I said in disgust. “I found that out while pumping gas at the Short Stop last week. I bet my kindergartner niece knows that. Give me something else.”

“This could get me killed, you know,” he whined.

“And I can guarantee you that pointing a shotgun at me like you’re doing now is far more likely to make that come true.”

He lowered the gun but didn’t look too happy about it. “Wagner’s planning something for next week.”

My irritated expression didn’t slip one bit, but I secretly rejoiced that Wagner didn’t have a big gun battle planned for Friday night. Maybe we’d somehow altered the timeline of my vision. “What’s he plannin’?”

“I don’t know.”

“Think harder.”

“I’m not in the inner circle,” he said. “I don’t know much. Just bits and pieces. Names and things they’re doin’ to spy on Malcolm.”

I slowly reached my hand toward the phone in my pocket. “I’m getting my phone out to call Skeeter, so don’t go shootin’ me unless you want to meet Skeeter Malcolm’s bullets before you ever see his face.”

He nodded and I carefully pulled out my phone and pretended to call him. “Raddy Dyer wants a face-to-face to share information about Kip Wagner in exchange for protection.”

“Did he really hold a shotgun on you?”

“Mr. Malcolm,” I said. “I know this is the middle of the night, but Raddy seems insistent.”

“Tell him we’ll come to him there.”

I glanced at Raddy. “He says he’ll come here.”

He looked worried. “Is he gonna kill me?”

“I give you my word he won’t kill you.”

James grunted in my ear. “What the hell are you doing, Lady? Don’t go promising him that.”

“How can I believe you?” Raddy asked.

“You do or you don’t,” I said to Raddy, trying to sound nonchalant. “You’re the one who’s desperate to talk to him. He seems unconvinced that you actually have something to share.”

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