“Wait a minute, Hay-ner,” Aahz put in before I could respond. “What makes you think the people you’re looking for are here?”
“Because they were seen entering your tent less than an hour ago and haven’t come out yet,” said the largest of Hay-ner’s back-up team.
I noticed that unlike Hay-ner, he wasn’t smiling. In fact, he looked down-right angry.
“He must mean the ones who came in earlier,” Nunzio suggested helpfully. “You know. Boss, the two guys with the broad.”
Aahz rolled his eyes in helpless frustration, and for once I was inclined to agree with him.
“Umm, Nunzio,” I said, staring at the ceiling, “why don’t you and Guido wait outside while we take care of this?”
The two bodyguards trooped outside in silence, though I noticed that Guido glared at his cousin with such disdain that I suspected a stern dressing-down would take place even before I could get to him myself. The Mob is no more tolerant than magicians of staff members who say more than they should in front of the opposition.
“Now that we’ve established that we all know who we’re talking about and that they’re here,” Hay-ner said, rubbing his hands together, “call them out and we’ll finish this once and for all.”
“Not so fast,” I interrupted. “First of all, neither of us have laid eyes on those folks you’re looking for, because, second of all, they aren’t here. They took it on the lam out the back door before we could meet them.”
“Somehow, I don’t expect you to take our word for it,” Aahz added. “So feel free to search the place.”