Page 90 of Rest In Pink

“Go on,” Hen urged, still looking at me with worry.

“He didn’t even ask about mom,” Jim said. “Hell, he didn’t even really care about how I was doing. Faye had told him where I was staying. He asked about Navy and Margot and Peri.”

“Why?”

“It had something to do with money,” Jim said. “That’s all he ever cared about. That and . . . he was angry that night.”

“About what?”

“I’m not sure. I could tell he and Faye had been arguing. She was scared of him. Always has been. All of us are scared of him. It was so much better when he was in jail.”

“Was Faye sending him money when he was in jail?”

“I think so. He was yelling something about Cleve owing him.”

“For what?” I asked. I noticed that Alex was following this conversation closely, as was Hen. Her food was getting cold. I also noted that Sun hadn’t come by to ask me if I wanted anything.

“I don’t know,” Jim said.

“Cleve Blue was a bad man in his own way,” Hen said. “Not an outright criminal like Mickey, but there was something dark about him. He was a cancer on this town. It wasn’t just moving the factory, although that gutted it. There was something else.”

“Did your father think Cleve owed him money?” I asked Jim.

Jim shrugged. “I don’t know what else he would want.”

“So did he think that Navy owed him, then?”

“I don’t know.” But Jim couldn’t meet my eyes.

“Faye was pushing Navy for money, Jim. More than her allotment from Cleve’s trust. That money was going to your father. Why? Because he was her brother?”

Jim shook his head. “Aunt Faye is scared of Dad.”

I’d seen that earlier today. I was tempted to ask Alex if he knew about Cleve giving his grandfather a suitcase of money, but Rain was going to interview Skye, who would have been closer to that since she was living with Cleve. She most likely gave that tidbit to Thacker. Which reminded me.

“Did Thacker interview you?” I asked Jim.

“He wanted to,” Jim said. “I blew him off.”

“That night at Faye’s was the only time you saw your dad?”

“Yes.” He looked me in the eye. “I swear.”

“Do you have any idea where your father might hide out?”

“Did he kill Thacker?” Jim asked.

“I don’t know. Where would he hide?”

Jim shook his head. “I’ve got no idea. When he ran with the Wolves he hung out in their clubhouse.”

“Yeah, well, he burned that down.” Something occurred to me. “Have any of the Iron Wolves come to you looking for your father?”

Jim nodded. “Yeah. The guy Faye is shacked up with. Pete. Told him what I just told you. I got no idea.”

I leaned forward and stared into his eyes. “Don’t ever bullshit me again, Jim. You let me down. People got hurt.”

He appeared contrite, but he’d appeared surprised when I’d told him his dad was out of prison. So, which was the real Jim Pitts? Alex actually looked guiltier than Jim.

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