Warned you, Jack thought.

He tried to stare down the guy on the Sam Adams sign. That didn’t work, so he made to move the conversation away from himself and into a more interesting area.

“This is the second time I’ve asked you this today,” he said, “but things have changed since this morning: What’s your next move?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Snatching you off the street was a risky and dangerous move. It tells me they’re getting desperate. And desperate people do crazy and stupid things. You might get hurt.”

“I don’t know if tonight had anything to do with desperation,” she said slowly. “Thomas told me that they were going to win, that it’s just a matter of time. I don’t think he was bluffing.”

“Maybe there’s a clock running somewhere.”

“Maybe. But I get the feeling that tonight had nothing to do with the legal battle. I heard something in Thomas’s voice… when he said, ‘If you ever, ever try to do harm to that house again’… he sounded as afraid as he was angry.”

“So you think this is a direct response to your hiring Benny the Torch. Seems a little over the top.”

“It does, doesn’t it. But I think it really frightened him. The thought of that house going up in flames seems to have just about unhinged Thomas.”

“And unhinged people are dangerous.” Jack pounded his fist lightly on the table. “But what is it about that house that would unhinge him?”

Something inside him was screaming for answers.

“I didn’t really care before,” Alicia said, “but after tonight, I want to know. Help me find out.”

Thought you’d never ask.

But he didn’t want to appear too anxious. There was still the matter of his fee.

“Well…”

“Look.” She leaned over the table, her expression intent, her voice low. “Thomas tried to frighten me off. I can’t let him do that. Whatever’s in that house has got to be valuable. Very valuable. I can’t pay you cash, but you can have whatever we find.”

“A contingency fee,” he said, nodding slowly, as if he’d never considered it. “I usually operate on a cash basis, but since I’m already involved in this, I’ll make an exception.”

“Great!” She gave up one of her rare smiles.

“But I can’t take it all. It’s yours by right.”

“I don’t want it.”

“I’ll take twenty percent.”

“Take it all.”

How could he take it all? He wouldn’t feel right. “You can toss your percentage in the river if you want, but we split or I’m out.”

He finally backed her into limiting his take to a third, and they shook on it.

“When can you start?” she said.

“I’ve already started.” He rose and threw a twenty on the table. “Let’s take a ride.”

10.

10.