Nathan removed the knife after going halfway through the second knuckle and started on the final knuckle. Within two minutes, Bridgestone had been reduced to a sobbing wretch. He was crying like a child and begging for Nathan to stop. He promised to tell Nathan anything he wanted if he’d stop cutting his fingers.

Nathan looked up at Harv. “What do you think?”

“I think he’s full of shit. We’ve got twenty-five knuckles to go. Let’s see how he feels in say…. twenty minutes or so.”

Nathan reached down and grabbed Ernie’s hand again.

“Stop!” Ernie screamed. “I’ll tell you whatever you want, man.”

“What makes you think we want information?” Nathan asked. “This isn’t about information, it’s about payback for James Ortega.”

“The Ortegas fucked me in Pensacola,” Bridgestone wailed. “It wasn’t my fault. I did my time. I was willing to let it go but they fucked me again. Ortega set us up. His grandson sold us the Semtex.”

“Is that why you burned him alive?”

“It was an accident, we didn’t mean to, I swear.”

“Save it for someone who gives a rat’s ass.”

“I’ll tell you where Leonard is, just don’t cut my fingers anymore. He took off for Montana around six o’clock tonight. I’m supposed to meet him up there tomorrow night.”

“We already know where he is, he’s being arrested right now. Do you think we’re stupid?” Nathan looked up at Grangeland, “He thinks we’re stupid.” Nathan grabbed his hand and forced it against the driftwood.

“Wait! There’s money. Over three million in cash.”

“I’m worth twenty times that. I don’t need your blood money.”

“It’s cash, man! Buried in ammo cans near the Canadian border.”

Nathan looked at Harv again. “What do you think, do you believe him?”

“Hell no.”

“I don’t either.” Nathan jammed the knife into the first knuckle of finger number two. Ernie screamed again, rawer this time. His voice was failing.

Grangeland turned away and threw up. Falling to her knees, she heaved in violent spasms.

Nathan grabbed Ernie’s hair and yanked his head back. “Where’s the rest of the Semtex?”

“My truck. Leonard has the rest.”

“How much is the rest?”

“Ten bricks. That’s it, man. I swear.”

“Does he have blasting caps?”

“Yes.”

Nathan looked up. “Grangeland, let your SWAT team know Leonard’s got ten bricks of Semtex before they take him down.”

She didn’t respond.

“Grangeland!”

“Yeah, yeah, okay.” She pulled her cell phone.

This is it, Nathan thought. She’s either with the program or she’s going to blow it. He couldn’t risk it. “Give me the phone.”

“What?”

“Give me the phone.”

She wiped her mouth and stepped forward. When she was close enough to see his face clearly, he winked at her.