Chapter 7: Race Day
The Monaco Grand Prix had wrapped up the previous month. But the city occasionally hosted several other races throughout the year. The race Francesco LeBlake was participating in was technically for charity, although Knudsen suspected that the rich prick was not doing this out of altruism. Judging by the way he was smiling at every girl he passed he had baser motives.
At the very front of the groupie brigade was Phylidia, still pulling her mysterious and alluring traveler bit. Knudsen had to hand it to her, she was good at it. Next to her was Bascombe, who was now acting as her security chief after last night's incident. Meanwhile Knudsen and the others were stuck watching from the balcony seating area of a nearby restaurant.
"Une autre bière" he said to the bartender. Ordering booze was one of the few things he could do in any language.
The large man next to him at the bar gave him a glance. "Knudsen."
Knudsen turned to the six foot and change man. "Asa, you old son of a bitch, ain't you supposed to be in prison?" The two men shook hands warmly.
"Ain't you?" Asa laughed.
"Well not in Monaco."
"Yeah, hell of country." Asa sipped his beer. "Tax haven, you know that?"
"Yeah" Knudsen said, trying to hide his shock. "Tax haven." He hadn't talked with Asa much back in prison on account of the man being dumb as post. If was throwing around terms like Tax Haven it meant that he was working for someone much smarter than him. "So, who do you like in the race?"
"Oh, I think that LeBlake idiot has a good shot. He's a jackass but I've seen him drive." Asa stood up. "Listen I gotta be somewhere. It was good seeing you."
"You too Asa" Knudsen sipped his beer. "You too." Once Asa was gone Knudsen walked back to the table where the others were sitting, watching as the race began. He sat down and huddled into the middle of the table, signaling the others to do the same. "Did you guys see that big ugly son of bitch I was talking to?"
Marcy nodded. "Friend of yours?"
"Nah, he's a jackass. I got a pretty strong hunch that he's working with our boy LeBlake."
"So" Jacobo shrugged. "Asa's and idiot and LeBlake's and idiot, blind leading the blind dude."
"Yeah, except I got the feeling that there's a third party. Somebody ought'a catch up to him before he makes it out and tail him. Trouble is that he knows me and he knows Johnny."
Everyone turned to Gibby.
"Why are you all looking at me?"