Page 73 of Knox

He must have exerted pressure on AJ because the man wheezed. Swallowed. “Fine, yes. Once. Right after he got out. Said he…” He closed his eyes.

“What? Said what?”

“He said he had unfinished business!”

Tate let out a word that seemed appropriate for the moment, then looked up at Knox.

Knox wrapped his hands around the back of his neck, squeezed. It was better than hitting something. Or someone.

“Does he have a cell phone?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Anybody who he trusts, that he’d go to for help?”

AJ hesitated.

“I’m not sure who you’re protecting, or why, but if your brother hurts my friend, I’m coming afteryou. And my brother won’t be here to keep me from breaking your fingers.” As if for emphasis, he grabbed one of AJ’s fingers.

“Don’t stop on my account,” Knox said quietly.

Tate didn’t look at him.

The man grunted, a sweat breaking across his forehead. “Listen—no. I don’t know. His cellmate got out a month before he did. They were pretty tight—”

“Who was his cellmate?”

“This guy. His name was…Harris, I think. Bradley Harris.”

“What was he in for?”

AJ took a breath. “I think he tried to blow up something.”

Tate let him go. Got to his feet. Looked down at AJ. “If your brother comes back here, I want you to call me.” He yanked AJ’s phone from his pocket. No screen lock. He dialed in his number, sent himself a text. Dropped the phone on the man’s back. “We’ll be in touch.”

Then he turned, kicked the man out of the way, and walked out.

Knox scrambled after him, not sure what had just happened.

The man in the chair had vanished, his green apron sitting in a puddle on the floor.

Tate pushed outside. Stood there and blew out a breath.

Knox came out beside him. Said nothing for a long while. Finally, “So I guess that’s what you mean by just talking.”

“Mmmhmm,” Tate said.

“What did you do while you were in Vegas? Because I know you didn’t learn that in the military.”

Tate glanced at him, shook his head, his lips tight. “Nothing I want to talk about.”

Fine. “So now what?”

“Now, we go back to Rayburn and see if he can help us dig up Harris.”

And do more talking, Knox supposed.

He followed his brother down the street as Tate pulled up his Uber app.