Chapter 17

"Damn, Richard," I said. "I wish you'd told me this the other day."

"I didn't know it then," he said. "You sure you can't dump this case of yours on someone else? Maybe I could give you somebody."

"I can't do that," I said. "I gave her my word I'd protect her, so I have to do it." A thought occurred to me. "Look, if you give me a hand with this case I'm working on," I told him, "maybe I can wrap it up and give you a hand with yours."

"What do you need?" Richard asked.

"Everything you can get me on a guy named Billy John," I said. I gave him Billy's date of birth and other vital statistics. I'd gotten them from his employment file at the health club.

"You looking for anything in particular on him?" Richard asked.

"I need to know enough about him so I can figure out his weaknesses," I said.

"I'll see what I can do," Richard said. "You gonna help me with my case if I help you clear yours?"

"You can count on it," I said.

"I'