One Deadly Sister - Page 42/211

Ray guessed Beau loved hanging around, thrilled to be on the inside of a big deal crime and chilling with the perpetrator. "Beau, can you fill me in on a few things?"

"Well, here's how it is, man. I'm not gonna make anything off your bail bond, you know, because like there won't be any. Gonna cost you if you want services. I'm not sure if the tabloids are gonna come through like they said and buy my story. Hey, that reminds me, they want me to sneak out a picture of you."

"Absolutely not!" Ray hoped the guy was joking about the tabloids. "How about twenty bucks to get a couple of things for me and fill me in a bit?" Ray wondered if the cops were also paying Beau to report these conversations.

"Are you one of those rich guys? You look like one of those trust fund babies."

"Getting poorer by the minute."

"Okay, twenty's cool," Beau said. "Now if in fact you really are a hit man out of Philadelphia, all my favors are free, no charge." He made a weak laugh. "Don't want my kneecaps shot off, know what I'm saying? Saw that in a movie."

"How do I pay you for things, they took my money."

"I'll keep track. Of course, I know a lot of inside police stuff from upstairs, can't give that out," Beau said with a slight swagger.

"Tell me how to find a lawyer on a Sunday."

"You might not find one on any day. Word upstairs is no lawyer around here is going to defend the perp of the Towson murder. They're afraid the lynching party will string them up alongside you." He chuckled. "Just a little jail house humor there."

"I know the judge will appoint one, if I can't afford it. But I want someone competent. I can afford it within reason anyway. Problem is I must find one."

"The judge will ask if you have counsel, and you tell him you need help to find one. What else?"

"Did Towson have enemies?"

"Sure, goes with the territory. A man of the common people, so he stepped on a lot of big toes. So those people didn't want to see him make Governor."

Ray guessed Beau hadn't thought up that cliché all by himself. "Who are those people?"

"You are those people, according to the talk upstairs."

"What about love triangles, jealous husbands and so on."

"Never thought much about that sort of stuff, I'm more into car chases, junk like that. Oh, I get it man. You're wondering who wanted him dead. So for twenty bucks I'm supposed to solve the crime for you?"