“Yes, sir.” Hector’s voice shook. “Right away.”
Edward looked at Johnny. “Figure out a way to take that bitch and the cop out. I want them found and I want them to be history. I want to hear the plan before you do it. I don’t want mistakes next time. You see how well I handle people making mistakes that can ruin me.”
FIVE
YOU’RE JUST JEALOUS BECAUSE THE VOICES ONLY TALK TO ME.
Adam shook his head and leaned back in his chair in the Brooklyn Bagel Café as he looked at the saying on Olivia DeSantos’s black T-shirt. “And what voices are those?” he said to the former NYPD-officer-turned-private-investigator as she sat down in the chair opposite him.
“Wouldn’t you like to know.” Olivia handed him a sheet of paper. “Here’s a list of Edward Carter’s known hangouts; his three places of residence, including his new apartment in the city; and some of the key players in his drug business.”
She pointed to the name of a bar in Manhattan, Triumph. “That’s always been his favorite place, since the days before his jail stay, and where you can likely find him during the day. My source told me today’s a good day to do just that.”
Before Adam could get a word out, she extended another sheet. “As you know, the phone you found on the shooter was a prepaid job.” Adam took the paper as she continued talking. “The phone numbers you gave me—the last number called was to another prepaid cell phone in Manhattan.” She pointed to the information. “My sources show the phone call was taken while the receiver was in the vicinity of Carter’s penthouse.”
Adam nodded, impressed. Olivia went on before he could tell her so.
“Here’s the icing.” Olivia handed him the third and final piece of paper she’d been holding. “The shooter you identified this morning as Larry Cruz, a small-time drug dealer in Manhattan, has some distant ties to Carter, but ties nonetheless. Those links weren’t easy to find, but I tracked him down through another drug dealer and a snitch.”
Adam gave a low whistle of appreciation. “Olivia, I love you,” he said and Olivia raised her brows with an amused expression on her face. “I’m not even going to ask how you got all of this so fast.” Adam held the page and studied the information. “I gave the info to you, what, eight hours ago?”
“Seven,” Olivia said. “You owe me.”
He glanced at the sheet and back at her. “Big time. Maybe we can work out a payment plan. Just tell me what it will be.”
Olivia let her gaze drift over him. “Hmmm. Now that we don’t work together, Mr. Stud, maybe I have some ideas.”
Adam laughed. “Okay, okay, down girl.”
“I’m a little out there for you. Probably a lot more than you could or would want to handle anyway,” Olivia said with a teasing grin.
Adam leaned back in his chair. “I don’t know what that means and I think it’s safer not to ask.”
“Ya wimp,” Olivia said. “Okay, back to business. What’s this information for?” She gestured to the page. “Whatever it is that I’m busting my ass on.”
Adam gave her a quick rundown on the case and on all the zeroes he’d come up with until now.
“You and a ballerina?” Olivia smirked. You’ve got the hots for little twinkle toes?”
He cleared his throat as he thought about Keri and hoped his face hadn’t just turned red. “It’s just a case, DeSantos.”
With another smirk she leaned back in her chair. “Riiiiiight.”
Adam hesitated, then went for it. “How’s Nyx?” He was surprised it didn’t hurt like it usually did to ask about her.
“She’s all right.” Olivia tapped her fingers on the tabletop. “Business is picking up, but it was a little slow for a couple of months after the last big case. Thank God.”
“Tell her I said hello,” he said quietly.
Olivia studied Adam with her dark eyes. Eyes that were far more insightful than anyone would realize before getting to know her. “You doing okay, Boyd?”
He nodded and realized he meant it when he said, “Yeah. I am.”
“Good.” She gave him a look that was completely serious, totally Olivia. She had a model’s good looks but a cop’s bulletproof attitude and mouth to go along with it. “I’d have to kick your ass if you were doing nothing but moping around.”
This time he held back a smile. “Oh, is that what you meant by a little out there? I’ll keep that in mind.”
Olivia pushed back her chair and got to her feet. “There are some odd things going on that I need to get back to at the office. No big deal, just strange.”
Adam stood. He was a full foot taller than Olivia. “Anything you need help with?”
“Nah.” Olivia zipped up her New York Mets sweat jacket. “Anything we deal with at the agency is strange. I’ll let Nyx know you said hi.”
“Thanks.” He knew Olivia was just teasing on the payment plan. She was too close to Nyx to cross that line with Adam, and Adam with her. Olivia was a harmless flirt, he thought, a fun harmless flirt. Adam watched Olivia weave her way through the café and through the door before he looked back down at the papers in his hand. He had a little more to go on now.
Adam folded the papers and tucked them into the inside pocket of his jacket.
At the thought of last night, he ground his teeth. He intended to have a talk with Carter.
After
