Ray stared at me for a moment before answering. "Don't really remember. Kinda blurs together out here. Every day is the same."
"You recall where you were yesterday evening?"
His suspicious gaze continued. "Why do I get the feeling I shouldn’t be answering any of your questions?”
Ray knew the drill, and he knew nothing good ever came from talking to cops.
"If you don't answer my questions, I'm going to get suspicious and think you're hiding something. You don't have anything to hide, do you?"
"I don't have much of anything anymore. But I was right over there on the boardwalk last evening," he said, pointing. "Then, I walked across the street to Surfside Pizza, grabbed a few slices, drank a beer, then went down to Ernie's and shot some pool. Is anything about that illegal?"
I shook my head. "Can anybody verify that?”
Ray smiled. "All the good people who gave me money. Good luck finding them.”
"When’s the last time you saw Nick Kingston?"
The mere mention of the name soured his face. "Part of me hopes I never see that son-of-a-bitch again. The other part of me hopes I run into him on the boardwalk. Better yet, in a crosswalk. I might just forget to brake.”
I shared a look with Jack.
"Why don’t you tell us how you really feel?" JD asked.
19
Ray just couldn't help himself. "I swear to God, if I see that son-of-a-bitch, he's a dead man."
"You don't say.”
"I do say. That prick kicked me and my family out on the street like it was nothing. I begged him. He wouldn't give an inch. I was one day late on the rent. One day.”
"That's not exactly the story I heard,” I said.
Ray’s cheeks reddened with anger. "Who'd you hear that from? Nick?” Ray shook his head in disgust. "I told him I was going to be a little late on the rent. Circumstances beyond my control. He assured me it would be okay. Some unforeseen expenses came up, and I was a little short. Then I lost my job, found another one, but there was a little gap in between. Could happen to anybody.”
"You lost two jobs,” I said. “You don't work at Randy’s Garage anymore."
Ray’s face twisted. "Well, look who’s got the big brain? If I had a job, I wouldn’t be out here. Why are you digging into my background anyway?”
"Where are your wife and kids?”
He looked at me like it was a stupid question. "My wife left. You think she was going to stick around and live in that car?” He scoffed. “Hell no. She’s got a new boyfriend. My son is 18. He's on his own. My daughter is 16. Want to know what she's doing? She’s selling her ass online on one of those fan sites."
It was a shocking admission.
"You realize that’s illegal.”
"Well, you can tell her that when you find her. She don't listen to me none. My whole family fell apart because of Nick. Forgive me if I’m not a fan of the guy."
"Nick's dead.”
Ray's eyes rounded with surprise. "Dead as in he ain't breathing no more?"
I nodded.
Ray couldn't help but smile. "Well, the Lord works in mysterious ways, doesn’t he?"
"Are you in possession of a firearm?"
