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“And getting drunker by the enius I don’t knohere else to turn I’et out of it”

Phil gave an ironic laugh

Ben didn’t even hear it “I’ve been getting ency for years A couple of years ago it was taken over by another coreat, so I stuck with the it, they’d been sending als When I tried to break off the relationship, they tripled their prices and threatened to tip off the cops if I openedthe prices ever since I’ve sold off everything I can I’o bankrupt”

“You’ve got co for a loan, there’s no way…”

“I don’t want a loan I want a solution Because it gets worse Sloane’s boyfriend just left the factory Besidesquestions about Wallace and , he spotted the agency’s business cards onbankrupt for nothing I’ll end up in jail or dead on the street anyway”

“Did he actually say he saw the business cards or knew the agency is crooked? Or are you just overreacting because you’re wasted?”

“I don’t know…I don’t know” Ben dropped his head to his hands “But I’ dead on the street If Parker keeps poking around, the crooked bastards I’ an eye, they’ll cut o out for noodles”

“Slon, Ben Get a grip And let ht have an idea”

“What?”

“Give h I’ll call you back in a couple hours I o drink some coffee and sober up”

Ben flipped his phone shut He should be relieved And on some level, he was But the answer to all his probles that could never be fixed

He didn’t need coffee He needed absolution

Derek left Johnson’s gallery an hour later Theif Jeff hadn’t called right after the s But now he had two solid links

It wasn’t the whole picture

But it was enough to convince him that it was time Sloane knehat he was up to