Page 66 of Mile High Baby

Or maybe it was a test for us. Maybe George had sacrificed Tommy to be certain about who Henry was using as protection and how we were operating.

"What does your wife know about all this?" I asked.

His head shook like a bobblehead doll. "Nothing, and I don't want her to know. "

"What does she know about Pitney's business? And why doesn't she seem concerned that you've been gone all night?"

He watched me for a long moment, and I suspected he was trying to find a good lie. Finally, he sighed. "She thinks I'm a wuss for not taking her to France. So when I had this opportunity, I told her I was going to do work for George."

"And that turned her on, did it? She gets wet thinking of your going to the dark side?"

He simply shrugged. That told me she knew about George's activity. She would be the next on my tour of interviews.

I stepped back and motioned to the chair. "Have a seat, Tommy. I'm going to go have a chat with your wife."

"No. You can't do that."

"I promise that she will be safe. No electrodes will be involved. But you need to finish talking to the men here and let them know everything you know about George Pitney's questionable activities."

The kid’s legs gave way, and as he sank to the floor, tears streamed down his cheeks. I felt bad for him, but I didn't let on. After all, this was Pitney’s fault, not mine.

"I don't know anything. I just married into the family a few months ago. But I know enough to know that George will kill me. Maybe Aimee too."

I squatted down in front of him. "Tommy, look at me."

He lifted his gaze to mine. "Are you being hyperbolic, or do you really think you're in that kind of danger?"

"He'll really kill us."

"If that's true, we need to know all the reasons you think that could happen, and me and my men will protect you and your wife. We will be very generous." I stood and grabbed my bag, shoving my razor and shaving cream back in it. "You have to decide now, Tommy. I'm on my way to talk to your wife, but I'm in communication with everyone here, so I'll know whether you’re cooperating or not. But I'll tell you this. Your chances of coming out of this alive are much better with me and my team than with George Pitney. I think you know that."

I turned and walked out of the room. Outside the door, Dax and two other men stood where they had been watching the interview on a computer screen.

Dax shook his head as he laughed. "Electrodes? That was a good one."

I shrugged. “I had to improvise somehow."

The two younger men looked at me. "Dude, that was awesome."

I shrugged. “I must've lost my touch a little bit. He still hasn’t pissed his pants."

I left them to finish questioning Tommy and had my car drive me to where our surveillance team had spotted Tommy's wife, Amiee, having lunch with some of her girlfriends.

I entered the fancy restaurant and made a beeline for her table before the host could stop me. "Mrs. Langhorne?"

She and her friends looked up at me.

"I need to talk to you about your husband."

"My husband?" She looked at her friends with an uneasy smile. "If you want to talk to my husband—”

"I've just finished talking with your husband and now I want to talk to you."

This time, she let the worry shine through. "Oh, God, was he arrested?"

"Arrested?" her friends exclaimed.

She realized what she said. "No, he can’t be arrested.” She tried to cover up her gaff with a laugh.