Prodigal Son by Debra Mullins Page B

me again why you wanted to talk to me?”
    Rafe sat back in his chair and put on his trustworthy-guy face. “As I explained on the phone, I’m a bail enforcement agent. I’ve taken the Cangialosi case, so I’m talking to all the people who might have known Danny Cangialosi. Naturally you, as his ex-employer, are high on that list.”
    “Of course, of course.” Bartow nodded and steepled his hands. “But I’m afraid I don’t know much.”
    Lie .
    Years of practice made it easy for Rafe to maintain his polite expression. “A lot of times people know things they don’t even realize. The smallest detail can lead to an apprehension.”
    “I will, of course, cooperate in any way I can. I just want justice done.”
    Lie .
    Rafe pulled a small notebook and a pen out of his shirt pocket and clicked the pen. “I’ve met Miss McGaffigan, Danny’s stepsister. She mentioned you contacted her about Danny’s disappearance.”
    “He was my employee, Mr. Montana, even though I terminated him for obvious reasons. I notified his next of kin in hopes she could help us find him.”
    Truth .
    “And you offered her a room here at the hotel free of charge. That was very generous of you.”
    Bartow shrugged. “I’m a generous man.”
    Truth . At least as Bartow saw it.
    “I would think you would be angry toward Danny and anyone connected with him. After all, he stole from you.”
    “He did. But it was just a car, Mr. Montana. I’m more interested in Danny learning his lesson than I am about my car being … ah … borrowed without permission.”
    Truth . But an odd truth … perhaps a hidden meaning?
    “I wonder what made Danny take the car,” Rafe mused.
    Bartow shrugged. “Trying to impress a woman, I heard.”
    Truth .
    “Was anything else taken?”
    “No, just the car.”
    Lie .
    “Did Danny—”
    The office door opened. Bartow looked up and waved in the man who had entered. “Ah, Mr. Gray, at last. Do come in. This is Mr. Montana. He’s a bounty hunter looking for Danny.”
    Rafe stood and held out his hand. The guy was big, the mega-bucks suit a poor disguise for the military bearing. His black hair was cut in a way that said salon rather than barber, and one glance over Gray’s buff physique rated a sure ten on Rafe’s kick-my-ass scale. Went nicely with the don’t-screw-with-me attitude.
    His eyes were nearly black, and in them Rafe saw absolutely nothing. Just like Danny.
    What the hell?
    “This is Adrian Gray, my head of security. Mr. Gray, Mr. Montana.”
    Contrary to Bartow’s soft, pampered handshake, Gray’s was firm and strong. A guy who knew how to handle himself without posturing.
    “You’re here about Danny?” Gray asked. He didn’t sit, so neither did Rafe.
    “Yes. Mr. Bartow was telling me some of what happened.”
    “He gave the guy a job.” Gray’s mouth firmed in obvious disapproval. “Promoted him out of the parking garage to be Mr. Bartow’s personal driver. And this is how he thanks him.”
    “So he was your driver.” Rafe made a note on the pad, then looked over at Bartow but kept Gray in his peripheral vision. “I’m guessing he had access to the car keys.”
    “He had access to all my vehicles,” Bartow confirmed.
    Truth .
    Okay, his powers were still working … on Bartow, just not on Gray. Which meant the problem might not be with Rafe, but with the subject he was looking at. The mere possibility lifted his mood.
    “Makes them easy to steal,” he noted.
    “We trusted the wrong person,” Gray said. “It happens.”
    “And that makes the sting even worse, doesn’t it?”
    Gray narrowed his eyes. “I’m afraid it does.”
    “I have a copy of your statement to the police,” Rafe continued, turning his attention back to Bartow. “I’d like your permission to speak to some of Danny’s coworkers, see if any of them might have an idea where he is.”
    “Mr. Gray will see to it.”
    “I’ll set something up,” Gray confirmed. “We’d prefer you be