“Yes, of course I do. Natty, you’re a criminal by trade. You’ve got a thing for a guy’s wife. If the cops knew this you would be their only suspect. So I have to ask if you killed Pete.”

Natty looked down toward the table and shook his head. “No, I didn’t kill Pete.”

I leaned back in the chair, tipping it up on the rear two legs as I looked at my brother and decided I believed him completely. That didn’t change the fact that his relationship with the widow of his friend and business associate wouldn’t look good if word got out. Deep down I had a feeling I wouldn’t express right now: I liked the idea of my brother interested in a nice girl like Katie who wasn’t involved in a scam or part of his usual world.

As I was still considering this new information, the front door suddenly opened and the room filled with sunlight.

Mike Tharpe and another detective stepped in the doorway and made a quick scan of the bar. Tharpe walked toward us while his partner faced the bartender. I recognized the good tactical sense.

Tharpe kept standing as he looked at Natty and said, “You’re under arrest. You want to make it easy or do you want to make it fun for me?”

I was the one who said, “What’s the charge?”

The meaty detective didn’t even glance at me. “Homicide. We got some forensics back on a weapon we recovered. It was Pete Stahl’s gun.”

I said, “So why does that make my brother a suspect?”

“His fingerprints were on it and we think the DNA we’re testing now will come back to him. You wanted me to clear this up and this is how I’m doing it. Now you don’t have to worry about finding out who killed your friend.”

“You didn’t know any of this earlier today when we were talking?”

“You made me realize I had to do something, and when I checked with the lab, this is what came back. I want to thank you for doing your civic duty and motivating me.” He motioned for my brother to stand up and did a quick pat-down, then handcuffed Natty behind his back. In the big scheme of things, it was a fairly civil interaction, considering my big brother was going to jail.

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

AS THE TWO detectives led a handcuffed Natty out of the bar, he turned to the bartender and said, “Call Lise.” Then he looked at me and said, “Don’t worry, little brother. For once, I’m innocent.”