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Basic shit.

This meeting felt different.

“You said you had some more questions.”

“We do.”

Detective Jones opened the folder in front of him.

“We’ve learned some additional information about your brother.”

“I figured.”

“Were you aware Xavier owed money to individuals connected to an underground gambling operation in Newark?”

“I knew he gambled.”

“That wasn’t my question.”

I stared at him.

“No. I didn’t know he owed them.”

“We’re looking at a debt believed to be in the tens of thousands.”

I sat back.

“Wouldn’t surprise me.”

“Why?”

“Because Xay gambled like he thought the next hand was always gonna fix the last one.”

Detective Clean watched me.

“Did you ever loan him money?”

“Yes.”

“For gambling debts?”

“He owed me money. What he did with it was his business.”

“How much?”

I told them.

Jones wrote it down.

“Did he repay you?”

“Yeah.”

“In full?”

“Yeah.”

“When?”