“I did, and obviously I’ll stand by it. Thing is, though, my brother didn’t have any money when you were with him. But you knew who he was, didn’t you?”

She twisted a strand of her long dark hair. “Maybe I did. Maybe I didn’t.”

“Cut the crap, sweetheart, and don’t insult my intelligence. You knew damned well whose son he was.”

She raised her eyebrows. “It’s not like he changed his name or anything.”

“He didn’t, but the Wolfes are hardly a household name in a small Montana town.”

“That’s true.”

“So how did you find out who he was?”

“I do my research.”

“On small-town bikers?”

“On everyone, Reid. Everyone.” She met my gaze, her eyes serious.

There was meaning behind those words, but I didn’t for the life of me know what it was. I had to make her think I did, though.

“Do you?” I asked. “Because the Wolfes do their research as well, Nieves, and I’m pretty sure our resources are far superior to yours.”

She looked away.

Good. That got her.

“What makes you think,” I continued, “that you know anything we don’t know already?”

“If you knew, why did you question Leta?”

Good for her. She was smarter than I gave her credit for. “We question everyone,” I said simply.

She stayed quiet for a few seconds. Nicely done, Reid.

Finally, “Show me the money.”

I laughed. I couldn’t help myself. “A grand. That’s what I’ll offer. It’ll get you home to Montana.”

“I could get a grand from any high roller here.”

“Yeah, but you’d have to work for it.”

Her cheeks reddened. I’d struck a nerve. Yeah, I was being an asshole, but she was being a first-class bitch.

“A grand,” I said again. “And you don’t have to get on your back.”

She huffed. “Fine. But if you find the information helpful, I get another nine grand.”

“Fair enough. I don’t have any cash on me. I have to hit the ATM. Let’s meet for a late lunch at one, and I’ll give you the cash then.”

“Fine. Then you’ll wait for the info.”

I nodded. I actually did have a grand on me. Two and some change, actually, from last night’s blackjack winnings. But I wanted to check in with Rock first. He knew Nieves a lot better than I did, and he might have an idea of what she had found at his place. If he did, I could save myself a grand. Not that a grand meant more than a penny to me, but I didn’t particularly want to enrich Nieves Romero.

“Good enough,” she said. “Text me with the deets.”

“I will. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have business to attend to.”