I turn to the tall guy.
He raises his hands. “I didn’t know he was going to throw a knife at you. I was just trying to defend myself.”
I motion at the corpse. “Did he work for you?”
“He was one of my dealers.”
“I assume you’re the guy he was staying with.”
The man gives a terse nod. “I don’t know what your business was with him, but I know nothing about that.”
“He had a lighter pistol.”
“Yeah.” Sweating like a pig, the man glances over his shoulder at Ulysses. “It was some designer piece his wife got for him. He bragged about it a lot. He liked to joke around with it, offering the guys a light for their smokes and then shooting into the ground. It gave them the fright of their lives.”
I straighten and walk back to the guy. “Where is it?”
“Dunno.” He licks his lips in a nervous gesture. “I haven’t seen it on him for a week, maybe longer. He probably traded it for cash or liquor.”
“Do you believe him?” Ulysses asks.
The guy raises his hands higher. “I’m telling the truth, man.”
I let my gun hang at my side. “Maybe.”
“Look, the guy was a nutter.” The man wipes a hand over his sweaty brow. “We weren’t close. He didn’t even bring in that much money. He didn’t move more than a few grams between regular clients. I only gave him a place to crash because he had contacts in the bratva.”
I move closer. “Who?”
He shakes his head. “I don’t know. I don’t mix with those guys. I get my deliveries from a middleman. Gavril never mentioned a name. But he met them for drinks from time to time.”
“Where?”
“He didn’t say. And honestly, man? I didn’t want to know.”
I jut my chin at Ulysses, who lets the man go.
I put us chest to chest. “If I find out you lied to me, you’ll beg me to kill you long before I’m done with you.”
He holds my gaze without blinking. “I’m not.”
“I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.” My smile comes slowly. “For now.”
The man’s shoulders slouch as he blows out a breath.
Pointing with the barrel at the body, I say, “And clean up this mess.”
When we’re outside, Ulysses asks, “Are you going to let him handle the cleanup?”
“No.” I walk with brisk strides to the car. “I was just laying down the hierarchy.”
I trust no one but my own people to handle a cleanup.
He chuckles. “Meaning you say jump, and he asks how high?”
“Something like that,” I mumble. “Send in a team.”
He stops next to the car. “Do you think Kent told the truth?”
