“Mr. Ruban isn’t my boss. He’s just the manager. Another man decides how much money I make.”
Now was Vic’s chance. “You mean Edgar Quarls? I heard he ran the whole Indian concession.”
“No, no. Quarls is in prison. Now Mr. Fisher is in charge.”
Bingo.
“I didn’t know that. I’d like to meet him, but I guess it’s not possible. Thank you for the message.” He reached in his pocket for some loose turquoise he could use for a bribe. “Here.” Three stones lay in the palm of his hand. “Pick the one you want. It is yours.”
“Ah... You would do this for me?”
“You have done me a favor, so I don’t waste any more time in this town. After I’ve finished my lunch, I’m moving on to the Kickapoo Casino in Eagle Pass.”
The man blinked. “You would give it to me?”
“I have spoken. Any one of these would make a nice ring. I see you don’t wear rings.”
“I can’t afford a good one.”
“Well, you can now.”
Jori hesitated before choosing the oblong stone. “I like this shape.”
“So do I. It will look good on your long fingers. Mine are shorter.”
The man laughed. “You’re right.”
“When you get it mounted, tell the person this is a genuine Lipan Apache turquoise.”
“You are most kind.” He plucked it from Vic’s hand and studied it before putting it in his pocket. “Where will you build your casino?”
“Just across the Texas border outside Hobbs, New Mexico. When I get it built and you need a job, come and see me.”
“What’s your name?”
“People know me as Big Mouth.”
Jori smiled. “That I will remember. The Apache with the big mouth and the short fingers.”
After he left the restaurant, Vic couldn’t get up to his hotel room fast enough. He pulled out the cell phone that connected him to the guys in the van. Kit answered. “What’s up?”
“While I was eating lunch, I had a visit from Jori. He’s the employee at the casino who introduced me to Mr. Ruban. I’m going to put the phone on speaker so you can hear our conversation on the digital recording. I’m starting it now.”
The guys listened, but it was Kit’s voice Vic heard loud and clear when the name Fisher was mentioned. The second the recording ende
d, Kit got on the line.
“You nailed it! Terrence Fisher is staff director of the House Administration Committee run by none other than Fred Waters. We’ve got the connection we’ve been looking for.”
“Yup, and just as we thought, this has gone straight to the White House.”
“Waters ordered Fisher to go after you. He did that by releasing Leroy early from prison, then hiring Jamison to set up Leroy in that custodial job.”
“Mr. Ruban must have contacted Fisher and told him that I wanted to meet with him. By now they’ve tried to figure out who I really am, and Fisher smells a rat. I’m pretty sure I’m going to have company later on when I leave town. His thugs will probably try to gun me down on the highway.”
“Do you trust Jori?”
“I don’t know. If he’s a good guy, then he’s in danger because he sat and talked with me. He should have left immediately after delivering the message. Anyone watching the two of us at lunch would report back to Ruban, who’s a sleazy character if I ever met one.”