When Win finished, he sat back and listened to Myron and Lex Ryder. He considered his options, but in truth there was only one. They had gone too far this time. They had brought themselves to the brink, and there was only one way to back away from it.

The security guard’s radio sounded. Through the radio static a voice said, “Billy?”

The voice belonged to Crisp.

Win smiled. That meant Crisp was near. Their big showdown was only minutes away now. Frank Ache had predicted that it would come down to this during the prison visit. Win had joked that he would videotape it, but no, Frank would have to settle for an oral recounting.

Win brought the radio over to the guard. As Win came closer, the security guard began to whimper. Win understood. He took out his gun and put it against the man’s forehead. Overkill, really. The man had already tried to be tough. It hadn’t lasted.

“You probably have a code word that tells Crisp you’re in trouble,” Win said. “If you use it, you will beg me to pull this trigger. Do you understand?”

The security guard nodded, eager to please.

Win put the radio to Billy’s ear and pressed the talk button. He said, “Billy here.”

“Status?”

“All clear.”

“The earlier problem was taken care of?”

“Yes. Like I said, it was the twins. They ran when I came out.”

“I have separate confirmation that they drove off,” Crisp said. “How is our guest behaving?”

“Still upstairs working on that new song.”

“Very good,” Crisp said. “I’m on my way up to the house. Billy?”

“Yes.”

“There’s no reason to tell him I’m coming.”

The conversation ended. Crisp was on his way.

It was time for Win to prepare.

Myron said, “Kitty?”

Lex Ryder nodded.

“How did she know Wire was dead?”

“She saw it.”

“She saw them kill Wire?”

Lex Ryder nodded. “I didn’t know about it until a few days ago. She calls me on the phone and tries to shake me down. ‘I know what you did to Gabriel,’ she says. I figure she’s putting me on. I say, ‘You don’t know squat’ and hang up. I don’t tell anyone. I figure she’ll go away. The next day she posts that tattoo and ‘Not His’ message. Like a warning. So I call her. I tell her to meet me at Three Downing. When I see her, I mean, wow, she’s bad, really wasted. I could have paid her off, I guess, but she’s a full-fledged addict now. Totally unreliable. Buzz ends up calling Crisp and tells him what she’s babbling about. Then you come barreling into the nightclub. During the commotion, I warn Kitty to get the hell out of there and not come back. She said she’s been doing that for sixteen years—since she saw Wire get shot.”