"Firsttimeshecameherefornoodles,Inoticedherrightaway.Woresomeoutdatedolddress.Fiwobowlsinonego—hungrylikeshehadenindays.Someguypaidherbill,awalkedoffwithhim.I''''vetalkedtoher.She''''sanorphan,livingwithherfosterfathernow."
"Youknow,aman,"Hesaidwithachuckle."Gothimselfagrown-upfhter,hehe."
Hetiltedthebottle,watgtheliquorslosh.
"We''''regivinggirlslikethatacethey''''reout,followtherightman,andaslongastheypytheircardsright,they''''lleatwell,livesoft.Thelues?Youcouldn''''tdreamofhavingtheirlife."
Thesonfellsilent.Theoldermanpattedhimontheshoulder.
"Gogetsomesleep.Weopenearlytomorrow."
Hepaused,aglintofcalcutioninhiseyes.
"Ifyou''''rereallyworriedaboutthatman,"headded,"I''''lltakehertothe''''shipment''''myselftomorrow.It''''sarush,Iknow—butnoseingthenightbreedtrouble."
***
Jundidn''''tsleepthatnight.Instead,hespentthehoursbingthroughthefilesofthetwomissinggirls.
OhemhadworkedatRedLanternforhalfayearbeforeshevanished—simplyfailedtoshowuponem.Herroommate,alsoanundotedimmigrant,wastooscaredtoreportit.
Theonlyreasonthecaseeveintothesystemwasbecauseamansheowedmoogotnervousshe''''dskippedtownandcalledthepolicehimself.
Whenthepolicequestioherestaurantowner—oldHessel—aboutwhyhehadn''''treportedhisemployeemissing,he''''dshruggeditoff.Saidthepcewasbusy,hedidn''''thavetimetochaseafterfkyworkers.pihatcash-paidstaffswereunreliable—thisonehadevenstolenfromhisregisterandrunoff,orsohecimed.
Thenthecopsaskedwhyhehadn''''treportedthetheft.
Hesseljustugheditoff."Notmuey,"he''''dsaid."Fetit."
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