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“Right, thanks for the heads-up He’ll be going up to his room?”

“So you know about that?”

“I saw hio They’re not going to be in general pop, are they?”

“General pop?”

“Just a term I’ve heard used Should I just clear his whole party in without checking IDs? He seeht”

“Yes, just let theal,” she added with a smile tacked on

“Will Karl be in tonight?”

“He’s already here In the back”

“I’ll stop in and see hio on duty”

“Good”

He left her there and continued on to the back to see Karl The big ers saw no cane And Karl wore no sunglasses

Karl ers to take a seat He did so

“I heard about the ‘incident’ the other night”

“How?”

“Cop on the beat is an old bud ofto be a real problem”

“I can handle it”

“I have no doubt of that But the thing is, we don’t want that kind of trouble You kick the shit out of soood for business See what I mean?”

“I see And I won’t do anything to mess it up for the bar”

“Good man”

Rogers left him and went back into the bar area in time to see Myers ascend the stairs, unlock the door to the VIP rooo in He drew back and watched A ed and shut the door behind her In her right hand was the door key But she had so in her left hand that hadn’t been there before

He backed up and then ca from the back hall

They met at the bottom of the stairs

She said, “How’s Karl?”

“Like a newin her left hand, but he couldn’t see what it was

She looked back at hi else?”

“No I’o”

Chapter

38

ARE YOU GOING to tell ?”

Puller was staring directly at Knox

“I’ive you an efficient version,” she replied

“Where have you been?”

“Finding out things”

“And did you?”