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Her fingers curled into fists on the table and she snapped, “No way There is no way Race wasaround with a piece of trash like that” I noticed she didn’t have the sae of the table and leaned down so ere alulp

“What you think you know and what you actually know are two very different things, Copper-Top”

“I know my brother” She was stubborn and I liked the way her prettysomeone with that kind of loyalty in a place like this was rare, even if it was uided

I pushed off the table “You know your brother now; you have no idea who he was then It’ll otta go find Ernie Stay put and try not to piss off any more of the dancers”

She screwed up her face, which I had to adrow on me

“I want to coether, so he’ll see onna find your happy ass stripped and onstage whether you like it or not Ernie isn’t the ine that You just keep your ass in the seat”

I didn’t really care if she was going to listen to me or not Chuck would keep an eye on her, and if she wanted to tangle with a bunch of half-naked chicks just trying toa babysitter had never been on oals list and I didn’t have the time to try and convince her that Race was a person with a past, just like everyone else in the Point Sure, he came from a shiny and more well-to-do place than the rest of us, but that didn’t e wasn’t just as rusted out and full of holes, just like the rest of ours The sooner she saw that, the softer the letdoould be hatever Race had ht

Iin Chuck’s direction and hooking a finger over my shoulder to indicate I had left Dovie on her own He tilted his chin in acknowledgment and I went to the office and rapped on the door with a knuckle I didn’t bother to wait for an invite in

Ernie was a big, fat slob of a reasy, had beady little eyes, and was as greedy as he was crafty My theory was that all guys like him started strip clubs because there was no other way they could see hot chicks naked Novak loved hi boss whatever he asked and let him use the joint for whatever he wanted In turn, Novak irls, rich customers, and an endless supply of blow It was a relationship that benefited both of them Not to mention, they were both slimeballs and only operated on the other side of the law In Novak’s case it was the far, far other side of the law

Ernie was sitting behind his desk talking on his cell His bushy broent up high when he saw me I offered up what passed as a sainst the closed door with ot the answers I wanted, no one was going in or coh olden boy back fro to hit up on your old girls Five years is a long time; most of the out, got s in the revenue This guy was a class act all the way

“I’ for Race”

“You and every other SOB in the Point Don’t knohy he had to show back up and stick his neck out He had a good thing going with you locked up Out of sight, out of mind Now his dumb ass is on everyone’s mind and nobody is happy about it”

“Honor said he was asking after sos Who was it?”