Jay smiled grimly. “That’s what you think, but you don’t know anythin’. This is serious, Perminger. If you’re not ready to do somethin’ your wife’ll never be found.”
“What have I got to do?”
“I’ll explain things so you can understand. Do you know what Mendetta did for a livin’?”
Benny shook his head. “I know he’d got plenty of dough,” he said. “And I’ve heard he was mixed up with some rackets. What they are I don’t know.”
Jay nodded. “Well, I’ll tell you. He was runnin’ brothels.”
Benny blinked. “You sure of that?” he said.
“I’m sure.”
“Mind you, I wouldn’t like to earn my dough that way, but brothels are necessary, ain’t they?”
“Not Mendetta’s brothels. I’ve heard he fills them by Slave methods. I don’t want to scare you, buddy, but I think your wife’s in one of his houses right now.”
Benny stared at him. “What!” he said.