"Lemme get this straight: The East Indian told you to ship the merchandise to the alley behind the building?" Luger questioned. He was much more puzzled than he let on.

"Well, it wasn't right in the alley itself, Mr. Luger," Chuck explained nervously. "He opened up that brown door under the awning. The one where Shorty took that chick that one time."

"That door? The brown door? Chuck, that leads into Papagopoulos' Restaurant. Right into the kitchen."

Chuck gulped. "I know, Mr. Luger. I know. But it was dark, and it didn't look like no--"

"Like 'any'."

"It didn't look like any kitchen at all. We just brought in the goods after he paid us, and we left."

Luger looked up at him for a moment from his desk. "Did you go back?"

"No."

Luger frowned. "Donny, did you two go back and check the door?"

Donny shot a glance at Chuck and looked back at Luger. "Yes, Mr. Luger. We knew that was Papagopoulos's place. Chuck went in from the front and opened the door from the inside. No guns. This was just 10 minutes after the transaction. Plus the kitchen was busy. There's a large Christmas crowd there tonight."

"Would you like to explain exactly what went on, Chuck?" Luger asked with a facade of calm.

"It was the same door, Mr. Luger -- I swear it was!" Chuck said, exasperated.

"Donny?" Luger said, addressing the quiet man.

"Chuck's telling the truth this time, Mr. Luger. It was the very same door. But Papagopoulos swears that his cooks were in the kitchen the whole time, and that he never saw any of us, let alone the East Indian, at all when we did the transaction."

Luger stood up and looked out the bay window behind his desk, surveying his gambling empire below. He was quiet for several moments before finally saying, in a quiet tone, "It's all right, boys. I believe you."

Chuck wore an obvious expression of relief, while Donny remained emotionless.

"But there's something strange about that East Indian. I want to find out what it is."

"Yessir, Mr. Luger," said Chuck. "He won't be out of our sight."

"No, he's seen you. Knows who you are. I have in mind someone else."