the back was toward him. He always insisted it face front to give the impression of a throne waiting for him to fill it. Annoyed at the thought of having to track down one of his careless cleaning crew to fire them, he started across the room only to pull up sharply as the chair swiveled around.
Detective Charlotte Caissie smiled thinly in greeting. “Hello, Manny. Thanks for not keeping me waiting. I’ve spent quite enough time in this place. It takes days for the stench to wash off.”
“What are you doing here?” He flicked an impatient hand. “Get out of my chair!”
As she stood and came around the desk, keeping it between them, Cee Cee relayed, “I thought I’d let you know Genevieve Savorie was killed last night.”
Heavy brows lowered. “Who? Is that name supposed to mean something to me?”
“You and Atcliff should have done your homework before you had Brady killed.”
After easing his bulk into the wide-bodied seat, he grumbled, “I didn’t have anything to do with that.”
“Maybe, maybe not, but you certainly profit from having one less associate. Or is it both?”
Manny stared at her unblinkingly. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”
She shrugged. “If you say so.”
His broad chest heaved, expelling a labored sigh. “What do you want, Detective? If you’re here to reapply for a job working the pole, you’ve gotten a little bit . . . um, girthy, for my patrons.”
“I came to ask a favor.” As suspicion registered, Cee Cee continued. “It has to do with my former work on stage and, specifically in your back room with the man who is now my husband.” She pointed to a door off to the side of his spacious office where she, when undercover as one of his dancers had been instructed to entertain a potential investor, one Max Savoie. “I know you kept a copy of the tape. Not that I find it distasteful, but it’s not something I’d like shown at the annual police benefit, nor would I want my daughter’s friends to one day see it pop up on social media. Or held over my head at future date.”
He leaned back, tenting fingers above his massive girth. “Why would I want to do that kind of favor for you?”
“Because I’m going to offer one in return.”
Carmen pondered a moment, greedy wheels turning, then spun his chair toward the credenza behind him. One of the doors covered a substantial safe. Burdened leather and casters groaned in complaint as he bent down to enter the combination. Cee Cee got a glimpse of probable blackmail stacked and waiting. He selected one of the tapes and turned back to lay it on the desktop beneath one pudgy hand.
“That’s the only copy?”
A smile. “Cross my heart. And what do you have for me?”
“A head’s up. The Fed’s just finished deposing a very talkative protected witness. You’ll want to get your lawyer on speed dial. They should be here in about five minutes to read you your rights.”
All amusement wiped from pasty features. “What are you talking about? What witness?”
Cee Cee cued up her phone and turned the recently dated photo of a woman toward him. Her burn-scarred face was partially covered by a scarf and large dark glasses, but there was no mistaking the dramatic curves Blutafino had bought and paid for.
“Lena.” Her name fell from a mouth dropped open in disbelief. “Bu-but she’s dead!”
“You did your best. I’m afraid she was rescued by a member of my team who was transporting her when you tried to blow her up in that Memphis hotel room. It took a while for her to heal, but she just finished giving the most detailed statement.”
He shook off his paralysis to gasp, “And Paulie, my son?”
Dark eyes turned agate hard. “He wasn’t as lucky. So, you can be sure there’s no bribe, no threat, no amount of enticement that will keep her from shoving your murderous ass into prison. You might want to pack for Forty-to-Life. And if you just so happen to get out early, you’ll find me sitting in Atcliff’s office ready to welcome you home. Funny thing about that. He was supposed to meet his family in California yesterday but never showed. His bags are still at home. What do you think? He just cut and run to avoid prosecution? Or did he get cut up into little pieces to feed our natural wildlife?”
When he offered no comment, Cee Cee snatched up the tape. She cocked her