“He knew that,” Kerrigan said. “He knew it wouldn’t be no trouble to sell you a bill of goods.”

She was quiet for some moments. And then, in a lower whisper, “I came near spending more than the twenty.”

“Did he ask for more?”

“He wanted me to spend a hundred.”

He turned and looked at her. “Why didn’t you?”

Bella stared at the carpet. “I didn’t have it.”

“Did he tell you what a hundred would buy?”

“He said it would put you in a grave.”

Kerrigan breathed in slowly. He thought, This is worse than a grave, worse than hell.

Then gradually his mouth hardened. His arms were stiff at his sides. “All right,” he said. “Where is he?”