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“Truth be told there wasn’t much dignity to it, but it was efficient. Henry managed to get the other three targets of opportunity and we got paid well” I stated.
“Wait.” spoke up Giant. “You guys killed four people in a restaurant and it didn’t make national news.”
“Oh, the trial and murder did. The others didn’t die until days later. You forgot Henry’s specialty.”
“But how could he possibly target only the three” asked Slim. “An even better question is how could anybody keep calm during the endless police interrogations?”
“What interrogations?” I asked. “His security team had ties to law enforcement. They had their guy. The only questions were for the occupants of the two tables. As to calm, you’ve never been in the kitchen at some high profile banquet have you? It’s all sweat, shouting and pure chaos. Everybody’s heart was pumping like a marathon runner. Even polygraphs won’t work that close to such an event. Everything they measure is pegged at eleven.”
“Oh, and the cops believed that guy just happened to have a kitchen knife to kill this guy with?” asked Giant.
“Who said it was a kitchen knife?” I queried.
“You did say you were in the kitchen” countered Slim.
“With a knife in the staff uniform I had picked up at a pawn shop three days earlier two states away” I responded. “Turned out he collected old knives like that. The trial pointed out he had several in his collection just like it. Dumb luck will keep you alive when all logic fails in this line of work. I bought that thing on a whim. We were in there because Henry was looking for some kind of old cooking equipment which was difficult to find now. Manufacturer went out of business a long time ago or something like that.”
“That still doesn’t answer how he could target only three” countered Slim.
“I understand. Had I not gotten the experience I would have the same doubt” I answered. “A kitchen at such an event is pure chaos. How more people don’t die from some food allergy is beyond me. After having been in the kitchen I never want to eat in a busy restaurant again. Someone could end up spilling whatever that substance is Mexican restaurants use and serve me the food without even knowing they killed me.”
“One thing every one of those kitchens has in common is some higher up in management barking at the chefs and cooks” I continued. “Make it perfect, this is for so-and-so. They are doing it to get more business from customers who can both pay and tip well.”
After a pause I uttered “Greed, it’s my favorite sin.”
“Isn’t it supposed to be vanity?” asked Stretch.
“Yeah, I know, I butchered that ‘Devil’s Advocate’ quote, but my version fits the evening. Hell, it even fits this lifestyle. Half a million in cash sitting at where we are supposed to be going. Whoever is behind this could reach out of house leaving no internal fingerprints with a payday like that. There is a reason it is illegal to bait both deer and bear. Getting them used to coming to a spot for food and water you provide. It’s considered rather unsportsman like. The reason so many people do it is they wish to make the kill without having to work for it. Thankfully this situation started on the other side of the law so no reason to play by any sporting rules.”
“Speaking of sporting rules, can we get back to the pump and dump to transfer more money than you have?” asked Giant.
“Let me guess. You have created a few accounts you would like to get money out of, but, it’s too traceable” I asked cocking an eyebrow.
“Maybe” he said rather sheepishly. The other two acrobats guffawed.
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