“Since he was hurt doing a favor for Wyatt, Wyatt ought to give him a cut from his meth money. If Wyatt doesn’t take care of his people, he’s not going to have them for long.”
She blinked. It was a small thing, but I’d surprised her. She covered it up well, though.
“I know all about taking care of people. The folks in Hammer Bay look out for each other. We need each other. If one of us gets into trouble, all of us suffer.”
“Is that why the Dubois brothers are shaking down the local businesses for protection money? Is that why you’re running a casino? To help the good folks of Hammer Bay?”
“Emmett and I don’t get in each other’s way. That’s how it has to be. And this place does help the community.”
“By taking their money?”
Bobby returned to the table. He sat beside us without comment, his hand still in his pocket.
“And the money from people in Sequim, Port Angeles, and Port Townsend, too. Most of the boys who work here are on my construction crews. When there’s a boom time, the boys practice their trades: wiring offices, patching roofs, hanging Sheetrock. Frankly, during a boom this place is a pain in the ass. We’re understaffed and too busy. But during a bust this place keeps bread on the table for a lot of local men.”
“You convinced me. You’re a town hero.”
“I’m not a hero, smart-ass. I’m an employer. Communities need employers, no matter what you think of the business they do. When my husband passed, God rest his soul, this place was falling apart. No one was building. No one was playing the cards. The whores were walking petri dishes. You know what it’s like to sit in a room with a bunch of whores no one wants to touch? It’s depressing. They’re not typically great at the art of conversation. No offense, Tiff.”
Tiffany shrugged. She was still watching me. She looked like she wanted something from me.
“I turned this place around. Me. I rehired the men my husband, God rest his soul, turned out onto the street, along with a few Cabot let go, too. Do you know how I was able to do all that?”
“Do I have to guess until the food arrives?”
She ignored that, bulling on with her little speech. “Because of Charlie Hammer. Little Charles Hammer the Third opened up a plant and a big office and started putting people to work. Those paychecks went into home repairs and new builds. In other words, to me. And I put a bunch of that money into the pockets of my boys. So you’ll understand if I get a little squirrelly when some prick blows into town and threatens to ruin things.”
“Am I the prick?” I asked. “I hope so, because I was waiting for you to get to my part in this.”
“You had a meeting with Charles. Now your little girlfriend is stalking him, trying to follow him around. I know. You can’t keep secrets in a town like this.”
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. I laughed right in her face.
“What’s so funny?” she asked. “I know all the secrets around here. I know the mayor’s, the reverend’s, the chief’s-“
“You know Emmett Dubois’s secret?” I asked. I wondered if she meant that he was a shape-shifter, or that he liked to have Tiffany dress him in a diaper and spank him.
“I told you he leaves me alone, didn’t I?”
“If you know his secret,” I said, “you know he should be stopped.”
“If by ‘stopped’ you mean ‘killed,’ I’m not sure I can. I have a basketful of questions about him still, and I’m not sure I could take him out clean.”
Tiffany turned her gaze on Phyllis as if she was about to volunteer for the job. Phyllis spoke to her as if she could read her mind. “Now, Tiff, I don’t want you or Bobby or anyone else going near Emmett Dubois. You’re good people, but you’re not tall enough to ride that ride.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Tiffany said. Bobby sat quietly, serenely confident that he could do what ever Phyllis asked of him.
I shifted in my seat. My stomach grumbled. “So you know how he manages to take out his enemies with a pack of dogs when he doesn’t actually have a pack of dogs.”
She eyed me keenly. “I do. It’s pretty obvious to anyone willing to believe. It’s that willingness that most people can’t manage.”
I smiled at her. “I’m willing. For good reason.”
“Then I suppose you noticed the plants surrounding the wall out front?”
“I saw them, but I’m no botanist. Wait a minute. Are they wolfsbane?” The old woman nodded. I almost laughed again but I held it back. “Maybe we could help each other. We seem to have a common enemy.”
“That doesn’t make us friends. I want to know why you’re interested in Charles Hammer. Until we get that straight, you’re nothing.”
A man in kitchen whites entered with a tray. He set a plate with a turkey sandwich and an ice cream scoop of soggy cole slaw next to Phyllis. He set a second plate next to me. The sandwich was identical, but I had a tiny pile of supermarket potato chips. We each received a tall glass of iced tea.
Phyllis gestured at the food. “Tuck in, Nothing.”
We picked up our sandwiches. Mine was as dry as plasterboard and just as flavorful. It didn’t matter. I hadn’t eaten all day. The tea tasted like sour water, so I didn’t have more than a sip.
While I chewed, I thought about Phyllis. She was loyal to Hammer, and she had a lot of muscle and cash. One of her men probably had a brother-in-law who worked night security at Hammer Bay Toys, or a wife who worked in his office. She probably also had blackmail material on half the town. She was connected, and I had to figure a way to turn her to our side.
