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"?Qué pasa?" he asked

"Perdone que lo interrumpa"

"?Qué quieres? Los bailes no coet it, the bartender gestured at a table tent on the bar that announced that the dances began at 4 PM

"Estoy buscando a Brian Fenelon," I told him

He pointed toward a booth next to an open doorway The neon sign above the door flashed VIP ROOM

"Gracias," I said

"Fenelon speaks lousy Spanish," the bartender said

"I’ll talk slowly, then"

Fenelon sat in the center of the booth There were two e He held a third shot glass filled with bourbon between his fingers and turned it slowly, expanding a circle of condensation on the tabletop

"Hi, Brian," I said

He looked up at me I could see the cut lip and the bruised chin even in the joint’s diht

"What do you want?" he asked

"Looks like you had a long night"

"Fuck you"

I sat doithout being asked "I’-out"

"Why couldn’t you keep your big mouth shut? Why did you have to tell hi with you to screw hilass to his lips but did not drink Instead, he set the glass back on the table and fixed my eyes with his "What the hell is that supposed toto happen After I risk life and li to rip uns as prooing to take it all for himself Then he’ll have Deputies Jaitive warrants so he won’t have to worry about retaliation As far as Jimmy and Josie and the rest are concerned, there won’t be a helluva lot they’ll be able to do about it, will there?"

"I don’t knohy you don’t just get the fuck outta here Go up to Canada like you said"

"Good question I have one for you Do you like it here, Brian?"

"Whaddaya mean?"

"Do you like it here? Up here in the frickin’ nowhere northland Would you rather be in the Cities? Chicago? New York? Would you like to take Claire somewhere nice? Get her away from that nitwit Jimmy?"

"She loves him"

"Seriously?"

"You sound surprised"