The boys all burst out laughing. Nick laughed the hardest. “With every showgirl in Vegas is the rumor. He’s a ladies’ man. Everyone in Vegas knows that.”

“Rumor has it he lives in a ten-million-dollar condo. Where’s the money coming from?” Lionel asked. “Maybe he goes to Reno to gamble and maybe he made a killing,” he answered himself. “Of course, he’d have to go in disguise, since employees are forbidden to gamble. I know this because Mr. Cricket told me it was in Mr. Meadows’s contract. Well, he didn’t exactly tell me that. I overheard him talking to someone about it. No, he did not mention Mr. Meadows by name, if that’s your next question. It is my understanding that it’s up to each casino if they want to allow their employees to gamble in their off hours. Likewise the Commission. Don’t quote me on that, because I am not one hundred percent sure.” Lionel looked down at his watch, his eyes widening. “I have to leave now so I can get Dom to his class and head off to mine. If you want to talk more, we’ll be back here tonight by seven o’clock. I have to lock up now. I’m sorry we don’t have more time.”

“No, it’s okay, I think you helped us a lot. I can’t think of anything else at the moment anyway. If you think of anything, call one of us,” Jack said, writing cell phone numbers on the back of his business card. “Call us anytime, day or night, if you think it’s important. Don’t be shy about the time.”

“Will do,” Lionel said as he waited for his friends to replace the fold-up table and chairs. Eddie picked up the Coke bottles and stuck them in a trash bag he found under the sink. He carried them out with him.

Maggie wondered how it could possibly be hotter than it was before they entered the clubhouse, but it was. She mopped at her face and grimaced, knowing her hair was going to frizz to a fireball in the thick humidity.

Good-byes were said, hands shaken, then the boys were gone. The foursome, along with Cyrus, climbed into their respective vehicles for the ride back to Babylon.

“Nice bunch of guys,” Jack said. “I’d take them over Lomax and Meadows any day of the week. I was hoping for . . . I don’t know . . . maybe a bombshell, a smoking gun of some kind. We know less now than before we got here. I didn’t get the feeling they were holding anything back that would be pertinent to the shooting.”