The Kingdom of Killainâ
âthatâs the Duarte, a big-city hotel at the crossroads of the world.
The grifters, tough lads, girls on the makeâall learn to stay away from Hotel Duarte because Johnny Killainâs in charge there. Thatâs his turfâa flick of his fist makes broken guys and dolls.
So Johnny patrolled the dark corridors in peaceâuntil the night he rounded a bend and looked murder square in the eye.
The blonde lay on the bed in 609, her face a puffed, blue, strangled horror. Her name was Ellen Killain, and she was Johnnyâs ex-wife. His still beloved ex-wife.