“You know I’ll do anything for you.”
He and Spencer lay in the tangle of bedsheets, and Wolf waited for his breath to return to normal.
“Just be with me, Spence.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
The car passed through the prison gates, and after showing his identification to the guards, he was taken to a room to meet with Kemp. Several minutes later, Kemp was led in and took his seat, facing him with a pugnacious expression.
“Yeah? What do you want? I been told you ain’t gonna be my lawyer much longer. What the fuck is up with that? You said you’d represent me.”
Wolf met his faded blue eyes. “Yes, I’ve got an application in to recuse myself from your case because I have a personal relationship with your son.”
Kemp’s jaw dropped. “My so—Spencer? You and him…Jesus. I didn’t think you was one of them.”
“Oh?” Wolf arched a brow. “Do you wonder if every man you meet is gay?” He allowed himself a slow smile, and Kemp paled, then grew red-faced.
“No, what the fuck. I was just sayin’ you look like…you know…a real man.”
“Trust me, your son is a real man too. I know for a fact.”
Kemp wrinkled his nose. “I don’t want to hear about that shit. I ain’t got nothin’ to do with him, and that’s fine by me. Always knew his mother ruined him by treating him like a baby. Just tell me what I have to do to get outta here.”
“You know, for someone facing spending the better part of the rest of his life in jail, you’re awfully cocky.” Even though he was livid over how little Kemp cared about his own son, Wolf held it together and calmly studied the man’s face. “You might want to rethink that attitude.”
“You’re supposed to be helping to get me off. That’s all I wanna hear from you.”
This was why he disliked most people. This fucking termite had the nerve to dictate to him? Time to set Kemp straight.
“I don’t get people ‘off’ as you so crudely put it, unless they help others. Tell me everything you knew about what was happening at the bar—names, dates, etcetera. If it’s worthwhile, the DA’s willing to make a deal. But trust me; if you think you can play games and string me along with a bunch of lies, don’t waste my time. I can leave you to rot here.”
Kemp blanched, and Wolf kept up the unwavering stare.
“I don’t—”
He slammed a hand on the table. “I don’t want to hear what you don’t know. Tell me what you do know.” He bared his teeth in a grin. “I’m sure the list is much shorter.”
As expected, the insult sailed over Kemp’s head. After a few minutes of chewing his lip and rubbing his hands together, Kemp nodded. “Okay, but am I gonna get protection? These guys will kill me.”
“Pity you didn’t think about that before you joined them in their sordid game.” Wolf clicked his pen. “I can’t make any promises, but I can see what the DA is willing to give. Now. What do you have to tell me?”
Kemp drummed his fingers on the tabletop, then began to speak.
Two hours later, exhausted, his fingers cramped from writing pages of notes, Wolf called the ADA on the car ride home.
“I think what he’s given us is critical, Jamal. He has not only names for Halliday’s, but information about other bars throughout the city where this is happening. It’s incredible what’s going on under our noses right now. It makes me sick.”
“I agree. I have our sex-crimes division on it as well. They’re ready to go and take the girls, if they’re willing. This info is just what we need. It brings us that much closer to the head of the snake.”
“So you’re willing to offer him a deal? Less time?”
Jamal hesitated. “I want to wait a little and make sure he’s given you viable information. Considering he’s lied to us before, if he’s making any of this shit up, he’s dead to us, and I can guarantee the DA won’t listen to another offer.”
“Fair enough. If he’s lied to me, he can rot. I’d rather be censured by the bar for refusing to represent him than have my name associated with his.”
“Understood. We’ll be in touch.”
“Talk to you.”
