Page 23 of Dark Alleys

“You don’t scare me, Donovan.”

Paco pissed me off and I grabbed him by the hair, dragged him over to the fridge, shoved his head in and slammed the door on his head a few times before I left.

Old West Austin.

Next stop was Chet Kamps. The research guy for the Agency who could find just about anything or anybody. He worked from his townhouse in an old part of the city.

I knocked.

Didn’t know he had a housekeeper, but a lady called Inez let me in.

“Mister Kamps is upstairs in his office, Mister…?

I flashed her my badge. “Ranger Lukas Donovan, ma’am.”

“Come in, Ranger Donovan. Would you like coffee?”

“If it’s no trouble. Thanks.”

I ran up the stairs and the door to the office was open. “Hey, Kamps.”

He grinned. “Don’t get many personal visits from you, Lukas. Good to see you.” He pointed to the chair in front of his desk, and I sat down. “What’s up?”

“I’m looking for a rapist.”

Kamps raised an eyebrow. “Not your zoo.” He pointed at my arm.

“Caught a blade and got me some stitches. You’re right, rape ain’t usually in my wheelhouse, but I’m making this one-time exception.”

“Reason?”

I told him the story of meeting Cindy at the laundromat.

“She’s in Neil’s shelter with her baby? That was a good move on your part.”

“Yeah, first thing I thought of for a quick solution and she seems okay there, but the asshole who grabbed her is a loose end. I want him and there were other Dragons with him at the time of the rape, but only the one name.”

“So they could’ve gang-raped other girls before Cindy.”

“That’s a probability.”

“What name did you get?”

“Akito…something. Dragons’ cut. All I got.”

“Okay, let’s see. Akito ain’t too common and that will help us a lot. I’ll give it a shot and see what the search comes up with.”

A tap on the open door and Inez brought coffee for us on a tray. “Thanks, Inez. I could use a coffee.”

“You’re welcome, sir.” She smiled at her boss.

I figured Inez was close to fifty. Nice Hispanic lady who could probably make killer enchiladas.

Wish I could afford a housekeeper.

We drank coffee while the computer program searched for a biker namedAkito.

“Have a muffin,” said Kamps.

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