The Isle Of Sin And Shadows - Keri Lake Page 0,104
individuals listed on that spreadsheet are, or were, part of some cult. And that video. Even now, the thought of it has my muscles all twisted up, imagining those screams.
Perhaps the chip is what Julio wants with the girl. But, why? How is he involved with this group?
And how can I take advantage of this information?
A knock at the door interrupts my thoughts, as well as the fleeting seconds of regret over contemplating handing over Céleste and the chip for my freedom.
Very fleeting regret.
“Come in.” Tucking the last of my morning paperwork away, I ease back in the chair, and my muscles tighten beneath my skin when Aric pops his head in the door.
“Howdy. Got a second?”
No. “Only a second.”
Most men stride across a room, but this man shuffles, and the thirty seconds it takes to shuffle his ass toward the chair drives me nuts. When he finally slumps into the seat, the overwhelming odor of cheap cologne fills the office. With a punch-worthy grin stretched across his face, he leans back in the chair, resting his ankle against his thigh. Expectantly. “No drink?”
Without a word, I lean forward and reach for the decanter of bourbon, pouring two drinks. I could use one, too.
Amber liquor disappears down his throat as he swallows the whole thing back, and he pushes his glass toward me for another.
“Your second has already ticked away. What are you here for?”
“The girl from the card game the other night. Haven’t seen her around this island before.”
“And?” The air of boredom in my voice is hard to hide. Although, I had a feeling this conversation would eventually turn to Céleste.
“Thought I might’ve seen her at the hotel last night.”
Stupid connard must’ve been pissing and shitting flames when he found out she wasn’t there the next morning.
“And?”
“You seem to know her. So, maybe you can tell me who she is?”
“What is your interest in her?”
“My interest? Aside from the fact that she looks like a juicy piece of ass I want to pound, I think she might be the girl Julio’s been asking about.”
Staring at his slightly pointed nose, small mouth, and eyes set too close together leaves me wondering if he’d look like an asshole with hemorrhoids, if I punched him in the face right now and it swelled up. “This island is brimming with strays, and unfortunately, I tend to scare away the feral variety of cats. So I can’t help you.”
“I guess that’s the difference between you and me. If the pussy is young and pretty, I don’t mind taking in a stray. Or two, for that matter.”
“How very noble, for a man of the law.”
“Every man has a good side and a bad side, I suppose. What’s your good side, Bergeron?”
I don’t have one. The closest I come to benevolence is the care I put into my sister, but even that has its limitations. “Your time is up. I have a number of important matters to attend this afternoon.”
“If you know where to find this girl, I suggest you speak up. I find it awfully coincidental that you were at the same hotel last night. You have no idea who, or what, you’re fucking with.”
“Enlighten me.”
His brows wing up, as if he’s suddenly surprised by my apathy. As if we haven’t been playing this game of see-if-I-give-a-shit for the last six months that I’ve had to put up with this walking anal gland. “Maybe I’ll give Julio a call. Let him know you’re bullshitting him on her whereabouts.”
“Yes. Let’s call Julio. Allow me to set up the conference, as I, too, have something to inform him about. Namely, the cash you’ve been skimming. Only a couple thousand at a time, nothing to ring any bells, but I don’t need to remind you of the cartel’s response to stealing.”
Enough rounds of card games with the bastard has taught me the twitching thing he does is some kind of involuntary response to losing, and the guy is practically seizing right now.
Wearing a smug grin, Aric pushes up from his chair and taps his knuckles on the desktop. “I trust you’ll tell me if you see the girl.”
I don’t bother to respond to that. He knows I won’t.
“One more thing, Aric,” I say, stopping him on his way out the door. “If you ever lay a hand on one of my dancers again, I’ll break every finger to the knuckle.”
“You’re threatening me now?”
“A threat is oftentimes an empty promise. What I’m telling you is a blueprint for