Free Chasing the Lost by Bob Mayer Page B

unnecessary play among these men. “My husband said it was the Russians who took down SAS just two weeks ago.”
    “That’s what I’ve heard,” Riley said. “If there’s a way to make a buck, Karralkov will be in on it. I stay clear of them. What’s your plan?” he asked Chase.
    “Find Karralkov, see what he says.”
    “Finding him isn’t the problem. Seeing what he says is.”
    Chase arched an eyebrow. “What’s your take on the situation?”
    Riley rubbed the stubble of beard on his chin. It all grew out white now, a foreshadowing of what the burgeoning grey on top of his head would develop into. He glanced over at the wall, where a drawing of Xavier was mixed among the cluster of images of notable locals. Nefarious was more like it, but Xavier had boasted a full head of silver hair to the day he died. Riley hoped he’d be as lucky.
    “I’ve met Karralkov a couple of times,” Riley said. If you think you can take Kono and do a show of force to intimidate Karralkov, forget about it. Gators will be dining on you.”
    “I’ll ask him nicely,” Chase said. “Do you think Karralkov would kidnap a kid?”
    “Karralkov would slit his own kid’s throat if he felt it was to his advantage,” Riley said, ignoring the shocked look on Sarah’s face. He shook his head. “Kidnapping a kid. That’s family. Crosses some lines for some, but not for the Russians. They got a long, sad cultural history. Everyone has a cultural history, don’t they, Kono?”
    The Gullah didn’t respond.
    “Did Karralkov shut down this SAS gambling site during the conference championships?” Chase asked.
    Riley shrugged. “No one knows for certain except whoever did it. But word is, yeah, he did. And that he got a five-million payout to let it go back up. Problem with paying someone off is, they always come back for more.”
    “Your business interests don’t intersect with Karralkov or Walter Briggs?” Chase asked.
    Riley raised an eyebrow. “What business is that?”
    “Gambling. Making book. Whatever you call it.”
    “Where did you hear that?” Riley asked.
    Chase didn’t answer.
    Riley turned to Kono. “Are you talking about me to strangers?”
    “Chase isn’t a stranger,” Kono said. “I knew him here long before you show up, Riley. You the stranger to me.”
    “Was my uncle a stranger to you?” Riley asked.
    “Your uncle was a good man,” Kono said, as if the words were being pulled from him.
    Riley rubbed his dark skin. “Because he wasn’t a buckra ?”
    “You all that to me,” Kono said. “If you not one of us, then you aren’t.”
    That made sense to Riley in a strange way. It was the way he’d felt in Special Ops about those who weren’t.
    But he wasn’t in Spec Ops any more. Neither was the man seated across from him, but they shared the bond of prior service.
    Chase jumped into the breach. “Parsons said you knew Karralkov. That he was muscling in on people’s businesses, especially illegitimate ones.”
    Riley shrugged. “He hasn’t shown up here.”
    “Yet,” Chase continued.
    Riley laughed. “Hell, I just got offered more client referrals because people are leery of SAS after they lost some bets two weeks ago. But I don’t have any interest in expanding my business. And if someone comes here to muscle in, I don’t see a need to fight.”
    “You’d give it up?” Sarah asked.
    Riley shrugged. “I’m not tied to it. It passes the time. I’m not tied to many things in life.”
    “Are you tied to anything?” Sarah asked, and Riley met her eyes, his mind weakly casting about to come up with an answer and coming up empty.
    Chase stepped into the awkward silence. “Is there anyone else you think could be behind this kidnapping? Kono mentioned a fellow named Farrelli.”
    Riley snorted. “Tony ‘Can of Tomatoes’ Farrelli? It’s not his style. And I don’t think he’d go after family. The mob might be watered-down, their wives making shows on TV, but Farrelli is old-school.