Hooked

place. The IRS found an offshore account, like I told you. The girl they fished out of the harbor called Walsh and mentioned Benny’s name, but that was hardly proof she worked here or that Benny had anything to do with her death. They gave me a choice. Prison or come here to find out whether Cooper killed her or had her killed. That’s all. You were never in the picture.”
    Mario looked weak and tired, his face expressionless. Tawny needed to convince him she hadn’t betrayed him, but more was going on here, and she couldn’t figure out what. Why would Mario care about Benny and a dead hooker?
    “Wait, wait!” Benny cried, facing Tawny. He flailed his arms in all directions, settling an accusing finger at her. “You came here to get proof I killed Serena? Why you…you Benedict Arnold. Traitor, that’s what you are. A goddamn traitor.” He spun around to Mario. “And I, the world’s biggest schmuck, thought I was giving you a present. The most beautiful woman in my establishment, and you knew each other all along.” He slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand. “Schmuck. That’s what I am. An A-number-one schmuck.”
    No kidding, Tawny thought.
    Eileen chimed in, directing her question to Mario. “You knew Tawny before Monday? Had a long-running affair with her?”
    Mario shifted his gaze to Eileen. His eyes were cold and narrow. For the first time Tawny saw the side of him she’d only heard about.
    “Did you think you were my one and only, Eileen? I hope I never gave you that impression. You were one of many. Only Tawny was special, which is why this is so…upsetting.”
    Eileen huffed and puffed and executed a series of Miriam Makeba-like tongue clicks.
    “Wait, wait!” Benny said again. “You fucked my wife? When was this, Eileen?”
    “Before we were married, sweetheart. Before you chose me to be the mother of your children. Then I never saw Mario again, did I, Mario?”
    “That’s right, Benny. She married you and took herself off the market. Now,” Mario said, turning his attention back to Tawny, “you were saying.”
    Tawny was hoping Benny and Eileen would get into it, distract Mario from probing further. No such luck. There wasn’t a friendly face anywhere. Other than Colin reaching for his partner’s hand, the two men stood like mannequins. Eileen glowered at her, and Benny coddled his dick, sneering whenever their eyes met. Mario, though looking more exhausted by the minute, remained as cool and composed as when he made his entrance. He waited.
    Her fate depended on Mario’s goodwill, which was in short supply tonight. “I never told the police anything because I never found out anything until tonight. As far as I knew, the dead girl didn’t even work here.”
    “What were you doing at Martell’s yesterday?” Mario persisted.
    Mario knew she went to Martell’s, and the only way he could is if Reggie told him. Reggie or one of the others in the room. She couldn’t tell him the real reason because if she ever got out of there, everyone in the room would tell the police. “I met with him to find out what to do with the money Benny was paying me.”
    “You could have called him for the answer.”
    “I had a few other questions too. I’d rather not say in front of these people.”
    “Why didn’t you call me?” Mario asked.
    Mario’s grilling turned Tawny’s mouth into desert sand. “I didn’t want to bother you. You have enough on your plate right now.”
    “Thoughtful.” His tone was anything but complimentary.
    Harnessing her fear had become a losing struggle. When she brushed a strand of hair off her face, she realized her hand was shaking. She met Mario’s gaze. Don’t flinch. Act like you have nothing to hide. “I thought Monday night was…business. How could I know you were friends with—” Tawny flipped her hand dismissively in Eileen’s direction. “Them. They’re not in your league.”
    “What?” Eileen popped a button on her blouse, and her left boob bounced half out. “That’s like saying we have no class. Why you’re nothing more than a little whore, sitting there like your shit doesn’t stink.”
    Tawny drew a slow bead on Eileen. “It doesn’t.”
    Mario blew out a giant guffaw and broke into laughter. “I love cat fights, and this could be entertaining if I were in a better mood.” The laugh vanished as quickly as it had materialized. “Unfortunately, I’m not.”
    Charles knocked and stuck his head in the door. Had he