He nodded at the purse in her hands. “Looks like you were on your way out. We can debrief in the morning.”
“Sounds good.” Didn’t have to tell her twice. Now if he would only take his own advice. “I hope you aren’t staying much later. You need a break, too.”
“Just wrapping up a few things.” He pushed up and rounded his desk to drop into his chair.
He looked beat. It was no wonder. Knowing him, he’d probably gotten to the office a little after seven, so it’d been almost a twelve hour day. In that time, he’d had to deal with catching a ferry and looking at a dead body.
Plus, he was probably still slightly on edge from her lack of honesty.
Oh, he hadn’t said as much, but she could tell. It was in the somewhat wary way he looked at her.
“I was going to slap a steak on the barbie for dinner. Toss a salad to go with it. Want me to throw on an extra steak for you? You can swing by when you finish up here.” She’d been looking forward to firing up her new bar-b-que all day. It’d be fun to break it in with a friend.
“Steaks, huh? You sure know how to get a guy’s attention.” A flush shot up his neck. “Uh, that didn’t quite come out like I intended.”
She laughed. “I know what you mean.”
What would it be like if he actually meant it the way it sounded? What would it be like to have someone like Dak interested in her?
Didn’t matter.
He was a friend, nothing more. A friend who didn’t even fully trust her, which was her own fault.
“Know what? A home-grilled steak sounds great.” Dak pushed up from his chair. “There’s nothing here that won’t wait until morning. Let’s go.”
₪ ₪ ₪
“We have a problem.”
Tio looked up as Russ popped into the room. A pasty hue waxed Russ’ usually tan face and he wrung his hands as though they were completely water logged.
Leaning back in his chair, Tio stared at Russ and waited for him to continue.
“The latest client.” Russ pressed his lips together briefly before exhaling a long breath. “There was nothing I could do.”
Tio steepled his fingers in front of his chest. “Are you saying she’s dead?”
A single nod. “I told you she was too weak.”
Yes, Russ had told him that. The client had insisted on pushing forward anyway.
At least they’d been paid. Too bad the client was dead, but that’s how these things went. There were never any guarantees.
Now they’d have to get rid of the body.
Bodies. The client’s husband knew too much to walk away. “Have you told the husband?”
Russ shook his head vehemently. “No. You’re always my first stop.”
Good answer. “Keep the body on ice until I sort this out. And get ready. We have another client due in tomorrow.”
Russ’ body slumped and relief washed his face.
Had the man really thought Tio would kill him over this? No way. Russ’ skill set was worth too much to lose over something that wasn’t his fault.
As Russ left the room, Tio texted Zane.
First, the husband would have to be eliminated. Then they’d have to make the deaths look like an accident.
A fiery car crash should do the trick.
Sure, it’d be easier to sink their bodies in the ocean and let nature take over, but these two would be missed. People undoubtedly knew that the couple had traveled to Seattle. Who knew what breadcrumbs the feds would find if they started digging into this couple’s life?
But an unfortunate car crash while the couple was vacationing?
Should be a case that the local PD would close pretty quickly.
They needed to get things set up tonight, while the bodies were fresh and they could act under the cover of darkness.
Thirteen
The alarm blared.
Dak groaned as he slapped at it. Six a.m. already?
The midnight bedtime was going to catch up to him today.
He rolled out of bed and headed for the shower.
He hadn’t intended to hang out at Kevyn’s place so late last night, but before he knew it, it was after eleven.
After dinner, she’d finally agreed to let him see the basement.
Why she hated basements like she did was a mystery, but he wasn’t about to turn down the offer.
A simple basement tour had turned into a lengthy discussion of the potential down there. Sure, the bare concrete floor, concrete walls, exposed beams in the ceiling and dangling lightbulbs sporadically placed were a bit rough. But the space was large and open, with a surprising amount of headroom.
The discussion had run from installing a wet bar and setting up a pool table to turning it into a home theater. The more they talked, the more he could see the gears turning in her head. She’d even joked about adding an exterior entrance and turning it into a rentable apartment.
At least, he thought she was joking.
She’d talked him through the space, pointing out various problems she’d have to address and outlining design ideas so clearly he could almost see them.
It would be a lot of work, but given all she’d done with the rest of the house, she could do it.
It’d be fun to help, if she’d let him.
He turned off the water and grabbed a towel.
He’d never owned his own place. Never had the joy – or struggle – of seeing the projects waiting and investing sweat equity into them.
Maybe it was time for him to quit apartment life and get a small house.
Especially since he now had a pro to help him.
It’d be fun to have a place like hers. A house with character
