Page 136 of Perfect Strangers

‘Yeah? And who told you that?’

Sophie met his gaze.

‘A little bird.’

‘Fuck that little bird, bitch. Gimme names.’

Sophie shook her head slowly.

‘You’re the one who needs to provide the names, Mr Connor. Or would you prefer to return our money?’

Ty grinned at her, showing a gap where a canine should have been.

‘You want to come and get it back?’ he said, pushing his crotch up.

Josh sat forward, his Scottish accent suddenly more pronounced.

‘No, pal,’ he said. ‘I’ll come and take it. Nay fuckin’ bother.’

Ty looked at him with surprise, then sat up slightly straighter.

‘I thought you Limeys had a sense of humour.’

‘No more jokes, Ty,’ said Josh evenly. ‘Tell us what you know about Asner’s hidden money. We know he talked to you about it.’

‘Yeah, he did.’

Sophie felt a flicker of hope.

‘What did he say?’ she asked.

Ty shrugged.

‘Mikey said too much in jail, that was his problem. But then it was his currency.’

‘Currency?’ asked Sophie.

‘I bet a pretty little lady like yourself has never been in the slammer,’ said Ty, recovering his swagger.

‘Really? You’d be surprised,’ said Sophie.

Ty looked up and gave her a half-smile. ‘Then you’ll know it’s not an easy place for someone like Michael.’

She thought of Michael Asner and his Brioni suits, his John Lobb shoes, his $500 haircut, every inch of him wiped clean of his poor Sacramento background.

‘Because he was rich?’ she asked.

Ty laughed.

‘Fuck, no. Half of those kids inside loved Asner, worshipped him because of his money. He made billions, man. He was like the king to those guys, a big-time thief who said fuck you to all that Wall Street bullshit. Asner wasn’t some small-time con – he pulled off the scam everyone inside dreams of but no one has the balls or the brains to do.’

‘So why wasn’t it easy for him?’ asked Sophie.

‘Because the other half hated him. They thought he was an arrogant sonofabitch, which I guess he was, strutting around the yard like Tom fucking Cruise.’ Ty stubbed his cigarette out on the top of a beer can. ‘Cried like a baby the first night, though. He was scared to death, man.’

‘Scared of what?’ asked Josh.

Ty shrugged.