LITMIR.BIZ

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      Asa nodded, and his own smile turned patronizing, sarcastic. “I can see why you’d seek my help. You wouldn’t exactly be a prize to the ladies, would you? Not with that face.”

      Clint knew what he looked like: His nose had been broken more than once. A small scar cut through his left eyebrow, another across his chin and one over his upper lip. Too many fights had left his face craggy from abuse.

      He also knew that despite his appearance, women gravitated toward him because they liked the sense of danger. They were silly bitches, but when he only wanted to fuck, the reasons for their interest didn’t matter all that much.

      Cutting to the point, Clint said, “I want to return a certain woman to someone else, someone you supposedly stole her from. And I want to return her unharmed.”

      For the first time, the humor, the indulgent amusement, was gone. Asa turned livid. “I should kill you for that accusation.”

      Well, well, well. What a telling reaction. Clint leaned back in his chair and stretched out his legs in a deceptive pose, making it easier for him to roll away from the man closest to him, and to use the table for a shield if necessary. “Here’s the thing,” he muttered. “I don’t know you, so I have no idea what you’re capable of.”

      For a fat man, Asa shot to his feet with surprising speed. He flattened his beringed hands on the table and leaned toward Clint. “I’m capable of anything.” The hatred in his eyes, coupled with his growl, gave credence to that claim. “But I’m not a cowardly monster who would abuse a woman, any woman.”

      Clint contemplated him for a long time before coming to his own conclusions. Damn it, he believed him.

      Why had Robert been so sure Asa had her? “Here, in your element, you’re powerful.”

      Asa held up a large fist, squeezed tight. “Yes. I use my power to crush men who oppose me. I use my power to make a better life for my family.” The fist relaxed. “I have no need of hurting women, and any man who does is an animal who should be permanently removed from this earth. Point him out to me and I’ll gladly have him killed.”

      Clint narrowed his eyes. “I was hoping you could point him out to me.”

      Asa snarled, and Clint hurried to say, “It’s not that I don’t believe you. But seeing as you don’t have her as I was told, I hoped that given your influence and connections, you might have heard something else that’d give me a clue how to get her back.”

      “Who told you I had her?”

      “That I can’t say.” He didn’t want Robert’s death on his conscience.

      Asa straightened in thought. “But you want my help?”

      “I want information.”

      “What do I get in return?”

      Turning his own words back on him, Clint said, “The satisfaction of knowing I’ll take care of the man who took her in the first place.”

      Asa was thoughtful for long moments. “When was she taken?”

      “Twelve, maybe thirteen hours ago.”

      In question, Asa looked around at his men. They nodded, shrugged. A small, very private conversation took place, ending when Asa belted one man across the face. The man staggered, nearly fell, then straightened as if awaiting more punishment.

      Asa paced back to Clint, his expression livid. “I have information, though I didn’t realize until just now that it involved a woman.”

      Clint’s blood surged; his heartbeat quickened. “Go on.”

      “Unfortunately, it’s anonymous information. I fucking hate anonymity. It’s cowardly.”

      Thinking of Robert’s preferences, Clint said, “I agree.”

      Asa slashed a hand through the air. “Everyone knows I keep track of what happens in my neighborhood. Keeping information from me can prove…deadly.” He smiled and shrugged, as if such a penalty was to be expected. “I knew there was a kidnapping, but my man just told me that it was a woman taken. When I first heard of it, I made the mistake of assuming it was a local job, and that it was a man.”

      “She’s not local.”

      “Not if she’s still alive.” Asa worked his jaw.

      “No one around here can pay a ransom, so if anyone’s taken, it’s to be punished.”

      “She’s being ransomed.”

      “Which makes her not local.”

      Impatience thrummed inside Clint, so it was a good thing he didn’t have long to wait.

      Wearing an air of satisfaction, Asa faced him. “Normally such information would cost you dearly. But considering it’s a woman…” He held out his arms, a king filled with benevolence. “It would be my honor to retrieve her for you.”

      Clint declined that offer with a shake of his head. “Tell me where she is. I can take care of it.”

      “There’s more than one man.”

      Clint shrugged.

      “Yes.” Asa chuckled anew. “I believe you can handle yourself. But you see, I have a personal dislike of those who mistreat women.”

      Clint crossed his arms and frowned, ready to have an end to the meeting. “Yeah? Me, too.”

      There was no time for small talk. At this very moment, Julie Rose could be hurt, suffering abuse. Awareness of her, of her situation, flowed through Clint’s blood with every beat of his heart.

      Asa gave up with a good-natured shake of his graying head. “Fine. I’ll tell you what I know, which is the direction they were headed, and the area where they’re likely hidden.”

      It was too easy. The whole scenario seemed far too pat to allow Clint to relax.

      As if reading his thoughts, Asa said, “Yes, it smells like a trap, doesn’t it? I wish I knew the man who shared the details, but I don’t.”

      “Do you at least have a description?”

      Asa gestured to the man who still wore a hand-print on his left cheek.

      Military style, the man stepped forward. “A small guy. Wiry, and like a punk.”

      “A punk?”

      “Long, dark hair, earring. Maybe in his mid-twenties.”

      Asa dismissed the man. “If there was a trap, it was probably against me, not you.”

      Clint couldn’t argue that.

      “Likely, the informant assumed I’d go after her. And I would have, if I’d realized it was a woman. But understand, too, around here, anyone who finds out anything reports back to me. It’s not surprising that I’ve heard about it.”

      “Just tell me what you know and I’ll take care of the rest.” And if it was a trap, Clint would handle that, too.

      “Fine. But the information comes with a friendly warning—you punish the bastards or I will.”

      Clint nodded agreement. “I’ll hurt them.” And if they’d hurt Julie Rose, he might even kill them, as Robert probably wanted him to.

      Five minutes later, with descriptions and directions and a lot of haste, Clint reached for the door. His reasons were twofold—he felt pushed to get to Julie fast now that he knew where to find her and knew the caliber of the men who’d taken her. They were scum, without the slanted moral code to which Asa subscribed.

      Also, the likelihood existed that Red, having counted out the requisite twenty minutes, would be parked in the living room at any moment.

      Asa bid him farewell. “Trent will show you out. Next time you visit, it will be with a modicum of courtesy.”

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