Benny shrugged. “I gotta live,” he said. “It’s a lousy job, but it pays for this.” He tapped the bottle and winked.
Jay got up and wandered to the window. “You didn’t turn up anything when I was away?” he said over his shoulder.
“Listen, I ain’t interested any more.” Benny’s voice was sullen.
“Lost your guts?” Jay said.
“Yeah, so would you.”
“Well, come on, let’s have it. Have you found out anything about your wife?”
Benny poured himself out another drink. “I haven’t got a wife,” he said.
Jay lost patience with him. He came back to the table. “Listen. Don’t be a heel. Your wife disappeared, didn’t she? She’s probably working for this Slave racket right now. I’m going to find her, and you’re going to help me.”
Benny’s face was white and his eyes looked wild. “No, you’re not,” he said, speaking through clenched teeth. “She wasn’t slaved. I’ve seen her. It was a trick. She’s livin’ with some guy at the St. Louis Hotel. I even spoke to her, but she cut me dead. Wouldn’t even look at me.”
Jay stiffened to attention. “You’re sure of this?” he demanded.