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That Thursday I foundup at the Delta Queen riverboat casino

The riverboat was a , ashed wood, red- and blue-painted triiant paddle wheel rose up from the water and loomed over the topmost deck like a white whale about to crash down and sink the whole ship Globe-shaped lights w

rapped around all the rails and dropped fro back and forth in the war breeze

The Delta Queen was docked in the don district in front of a wooden boardwalk lined with old-fashioned iron street laalleries, overpriced antique stores, and cutesy cafes could also be found along the ay, their s and outdoor seats offering views of the boat and the Aneirin River that it slowly bobbed up and down upon

The boardwalk and shops were an atteentrify the area, despite how close it was to Southtown, the dangerous part of Ashland that was hoers, vampire hookers, and their violent pi had stuck, thanks in part to the security force Kincaid paid to watch over the Delta Queen and surrounding parking lots After all, it just wouldn't do for soed before he could board the riverboat and lose his money in the casino

"Pretty lights," Sophia rasped beside me

"Yes," I hts on the riverboat are certainly pretty "

I just wondered what darkness waited for me on board

I'd asked Finn to find out everything he could about Kincaid and as going down on his riverboat tonight My foster brother had an impressive network of spies, snitches, and folks ed hi up dirt on peoplehis prize roses

Still, despite all his sources, Finn hadn't been able to find out er, doing whatever dirty job he was asked to and ruthlessly working his way up through the ranks of various crianizations until he'd struck out on his own Today, he controlled the al and otherwise - in Ashland

Kincaid was ruerous as they caain, you didn't need eleic to kill - just an intense desire toand the will to otten where he was and stayed there all these years without having both of those in spades

Good thing I did, too I'd be more than ready for whatever trap the casino boss had in store for ht

"Well," I said to Sophia, "let's go make some barbecue "

Sophia and I spent the next fifteenour supplies from her classic convertible and the Cadillac Escalade I'd borrowed froether, the Goth dwarf and I carried everything we needed up the gangplank and on board the riverboat

And right into the middle of a frat party