Page 51 of The Best Trick

“Why would I?” she asked. “It’s not like I don’t still love him, but he got into bed with the mob. He destroyed our livelihood. How would you feel if you found out that your husband of twenty years had turned your business that you built together into a money-laundering outlet for a dangerous mobster?” This question she directed at me.

“Not great,” I granted her.

“Are you worried about being used as leverage against him?” Zeus said.

She sighed. “He put my life in danger, blew up our business, and got half our instruments seized. I’m left alone to run a shop that’s going down the tubes now because our customers are going elsewhere. He’s obviously not worried about what’s gonna happen to me. I think that’s probably clear to everybody, including his mobster friends.”

I nodded, feeling sorry for her.

“People keep asking me if he stashed the money or whatever, but I don’t know. Did he have a girlfriend? Did he have a gambling addiction? How bad did he throw me under the bus? I’m only just now figuring it out. So no, I won't be going into witness protection with him. Are we done here?”

“I guess I'd be mad, too,” I said, just to keep her going. I could feel that’s what we needed.

“Please don't get me wrong—I love him,” she said to me. “But there's only so much a person can take.”

I nodded.

“Is there anybody that might want to see him get out of this mess?” Zeus asked.

“Get out of this mess?” she asked, like the concept was somehow surprising.

“Besides you, who was closest to him?” he tried.

“Was I even close to him? That’s what I keep asking myself.” She gazed dolefully at the taken-down man art.

I bit my lip and looked over at Odin who narrowed his eyes at me.

“He played gigs with his friend Ferdinand a lot. That’s his best friend, orwashis best friend. He has a brother, Harold, and they were close. I know he’s taking all this pretty hard. Harold had no idea of any of this, and he’s absolutely shocked.” She paused to think. “And there were a few customers that he had close relationships with.”

Zeus got their names and then thanked her warmly. “We really appreciate your time.”

She ushered us back to the foyer.

“Was Wilson into the UFC?” Thor asked, nodding at the giant autographed photo of two men wrestling in skimpy shorts hanging in a place of prominence.

Clarice rolled her eyes. “Very. He was obsessed with it. He followed the fighters on social media. He never missed their fights.”

“Do you think that he could have been gambling on the fighters?” Zeus asked.

Clarice shrugged. “It's possible,” she said. “Aside from stringed instruments, the UFC was definitely his thing. Do you think that’s where the money went? To gambling?” She looked at us like she thought we had the answer.

I gave her a sympathetic smile, and we got out of there.

* * *

We headedup the Pacific Coast Highway on our way to see Wilson’s brother’s shop. The ocean shone bright gray out the window, and the sky looked huge.

“So, Clarice’s list of Wilson's people isn't really that different than the list Alfred gave to us. With one exception,” Zeus said. “I've got one more person to add to the list of people that might have Doris.”

“You do?” I asked, surprised. “I didn’t hear her mention anybody new.”

“Can I guess?” Thor grinned at Zeus. “I'm going to go with Wilson’s bookie.”

“Ding ding ding,” Zeus said.

“Wait, so you think she’s right about a possible gambling addiction?” I asked.

“It would explain a few things,” Zeus said. “You don’t turn to crime for the fun of it.”

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