The man tilted his head. “As much as I’m fond of pissing people off, I have no idea who you are referring to.”
Ray frowned. “Her name is Augusta. She’s a short gal with blond hair and blue eyes. If you’ve harmed her, I’ll kill everyone here.”
“That could be anyone.” The guy sitting next to him said, rubbing at his throat. “But we aren’t fond of kidnapping people if that’s what you’re implying.”
Ray frowned. If they didn’t have her, then someone else did. He’d gone to the wrong location, but he didn’t know where De Lucas’s base was.
The old man frowned. “Just what is this about? I feel I should ask since you’ve broken a few pieces of my furniture and manhandled my men.”
Ray would rather leave and be on his way, but he knew it wasn’t that simple now. He went in bullheaded when he should have remained calm. He took a deep breath in. “There was a murder on Moretti territory. I’ve been looking for who committed the crime, but during this, I found Augusta, who happened to snap a photo of the killers.”
The man looked at Ray, interested. “Hmm, and you thought we were involved?”
“Don’t make it sound like you all have clean hands,” Ray said, “Does anyone know where she is?”
The old man scowled at him. “If we did, we wouldn’t be telling you. You know none of us are very fond of the Moretti family. So why should we get involved?”
Ray glared, thinking of how to work this in his favor. He didn’t know. To be honest, he just needed to know where Augusta was.
“If you don’t want me coming in here again and breaking more stuff, you will tell me what I want to know.”
He watched the man work his jaw before he scowled. “I think it’s time you leave.”
Ray growled. “I’m not leaving until you tell me what you know.”
“We know nothing,” the son barked. “Now be on your way.”
Ray couldn’t do anything. He wasn’t going to get anything he wanted out of them, no matter what he said. He scanned the group.
“Fine,” he said, “but when you have a crime on your hands, and you want a little courtesy in return, I’ll remember the kindness you shared.”
The old man smirked. “We know how to solve our own crimes, but good luck with yours.”
Ray turned, storming out. He slammed the doors shut behind him, glancing at the remaining guard.
Ray was pissed. He had gotten nothing, and he could only imagine how scared Augusta was.
He took a deep breath in when someone cleared their throat behind him. He turned, seeing it was one of the guards. “You’re looking for a girl?”
Ray narrowed his eyes, “Yes, and?”
“De Lucas,” he said. “One of the guys inside said something about how they caught a girl off the street.”
Ray’s hands went into fists. “And you heard this how?”
The man shrugged. “I’m just a guard. You hear a lot of things when you’re standing at a door all day long.”
Ray took a steady breath in. “Where is their hang-out?”
“They wouldn’t take her there,” he said, shaking his head. “Go down the main street and get to the Second Skin strip club. They don’t have a back entrance, but that’s where they would keep her. The music covers up loud noises when they conduct business in the back.”
“And you know this how?”
He gave him a smirk. “I have my ways.”
Ray wondered if he played for two teams but didn’t say anything. He was the only one willing to tell him anything.
“And I should believe you why?”