"Lover At Last" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ward, J.R.)

тАЬThereтАЩs something going on in that house,тАЭ she said as she turned away. тАЬWhoever it is, is hidingтАФтАЭ

тАЬI donтАЩt want you going back there.тАЭ

Sola stopped and looked over her shoulder. BenloiseтАЩs voice was as mild as ever, but his eyes were dead on.

Well, this was interesting.

And the only possible explanation that held any logic was that Mr. Mysterious in that big glass house had warned Benloise off. Had her little visit been discovered? Or was this the result of the kind of hardball that routinely went down in the drug trade?

тАЬGetting sentimental on me?тАЭ she said softly. After all, she and Benloise went back quite a ways.

тАЬYou are a very useful commodity.тАЭ His slow smile took the sting out of the words. тАЬNow go and be safe, ni├▒a.тАЭ

Oh, for fuckтАЩs sakeтАжthere was no reason to bicker with the man. And she was going to get paidтАФso what the hell did she care?

She gave him a wave, strode to the door, and proceeded down the stairwell. Out in the gallery space, she headed into the back of the house, where the legitimate employees worked during legitimate business hours. Bypassing the file cabinets and the desks, which looked Barbie-size thanks to the industrial ceiling fifty feet overhead, she went into a narrow corridor that was marked only with security cameras.

Knocking on the door was pointless, but she did it anyway, the stout fireproof panels absorbing the sound of her knuckles like they were hungry. To help BenloiseтАЩs brother outтАФnot that Eduardo needed itтАФshe turned to the nearest lens so her full face showed.

The locks released a moment later. And as strong as she was, even she had to put her shoulder into opening the way in.

Talk about another world. RicardoтАЩs office was minimalist to the extreme; EduardoтАЩs was something even Donald Trump, with his gold fetish, would feel suffocated by.

Any more marble and lam├й in here and youтАЩd be in a whorehouse.

As Eduardo smiled, his fake teeth were the shape and color of piano keys, and his tan was so deep and uniform, it looked like it had been colored on him with Magic Marker. As always, he was dressed in a three-piece suitтАФa uniform, kind of like Mr. RoarkeтАЩs from Fantasy Island, except black instead of white.

тАЬAnd how are you tonight?тАЭ His eyes took a travel down her body. тАЬYouтАЩre looking very well.тАЭ

тАЬRicardo said to come see you for my money.тАЭ

Instantly, Eduardo went stone-cold seriousтАФand she was reminded of why Ricardo kept him around: Blood ties and competence together were a powerful combination.

тАЬYes, he told me to expect you.тАЭ Eduardo opened up a desk drawer and took out an envelope. тАЬHere it is.тАЭ

He extended his arm across his desk, and she took what he offered, opening it immediately.

тАЬThis is half.тАЭ She looked up. тАЬThis is twenty-five hundred.тАЭ

Eduardo smiled exactly like his brother did: facially, but not in the eyes. тАЬThe assignment was not completed.тАЭ

тАЬYour brother called it off. Not me.тАЭ

Eduardo put his palms up. тАЬThat is what you will be paid. Or you can leave the money here.тАЭ

Sola narrowed her stare.

Slowly closing the flap of the envelope, she turned the thing over in her hand, reached forward, and put it faceup on the desk. Keeping her forefinger on it, she nodded once. тАЬAs you wish.тАЭ