But I know how to search for the crack in her armor. “Like you?” I volley back. Elmira is clearly more than just arm candy. Does she actually help run their empire?
She smiles. There’s something that looks like respect. Does she realize that she’s finally met her match?
That’s why her next words are so jarring. “You need to get him to back away from the deal.”
I swallow my shock. “Why?”
“There are things in play now. Plans that began some time ago, before Luke ever became involved, and when they come to fruition, there will be no room for Luke in them. The less involved he is, the better.”
My heart is pounding against my chest as I digest what I begin to realize is more warning than threat. “What things?”
The creak of a door introduces several ladies, chattering and laughing as they enter the pool area in their bathing suits. When I turn back, Elmira has begun her laps again. I guess our conversation is over, for now. I trail her in the next lane, using this time to process.
There are things in play? What plan? And who does it involve? Obviously Aref, but who else? Have Aref and Elmira figured out that there’s a full FBI investigation underway? Aref sure as hell isn’t playing on our side or I’d know. And she can’t know who I am, or he wouldn’t have gone through with this deal to begin with.
I almost wish I had worn a wire today, so that I could talk through this with Warner. Then again, nothing would have been captured while in the pool.
It finally dawns on me.
This meeting spot was a very intentional choice on her part.
I eye her black-capped head as she glides over the water with a smooth breaststroke. Elmira suspects that I’m wired. Or she’s at least afraid of it.
We continue our laps for a good twenty minutes, until my arms are sore and my breath is ragged, and I still haven’t figured out what angle she’s playing here, what benefit there is for her in warning me.
“Hey,” I call out as she pulls her lithe body out of the water and grabs her towel. The only sign that she’s tired is a slight pant. She peels off the cap to let her long black hair cascade over her shoulders, and then crouches down beside me as I hold myself over the side of the pool with folded arms.
“If you care about Luke, get him to back away from this deal. It won’t end well for him otherwise,” she says, her words hard and slow and unmistakable. “Aref likes Luke. But he loves money, and he’s a businessman who keeps all of his doors open.”
My mind begins spinning with possibilities. “Is one of those doors Vlad?”
“Enjoy the pool.” She stands. “And trust that I’m saying this for your benefit. And Luke’s.” I watch her stroll toward the change rooms.
Trusting that woman is the last thing I see myself doing.
I wait five minutes before ducking out, hoping that I might tail her.
She’s already gone.
“Come on, just one episode!”
“Why do you like this show so much? You don’t even get to see anything. They blur all the good stuff out!”
Luke’s brow spikes. “The good stuff?”
I roll my eyes. “You know what I mean.”
“I don’t.” His fingertip tugs at the V at my T-shirt, exposing the lace on my bra. “Why don’t you show me.”
I smack his hand away with a smile and point at the screen.
“Fine . . . Maybe there’s a good movie on. One without aliens.” He scrolls through the pay-per-view channels, taking a second to check his phone screen. He frowns.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, just . . .” His frown deepens, and he moves to set his phone back down on the end table. “Nothing. I was just expecting a call.”
“Oh yeah? A work call?” The dragonfly pendant hanging around my neck weighs ten pounds tonight.
Elmira’s words weigh ten times that.
I’ve replayed them all afternoon, twisting and turning them, trying to read between them. Unable to figure out her motives. Aref’s wife wants Luke and Rust to back out of the deal. She can’t know I’m investigating him; otherwise she’d never bother trying to get me to steer Luke away from business with Aref.
Unless she knows that I’ve already been sabotaging the case so far.
I’m torn between doing my job—or at least, making it appear like I am—and relaying Elmira’s warning, something I can’t do with ears on me.
“I’m just waiting for Rust to call me, to sort something out.”
Perfect intro. “How is he after last night? Did he and that Vlad guy work things out?”
He snorts. “I doubt it. That guy’s an asshole.”
“I’m sure your uncle wouldn’t want to lose his business, though, right?” I choose my words carefully so as not to repeat anything we’ve shared in our private moments, going off only what’s been captured on the wire. But it’s getting harder to distinguish the conversations; there have been so many private moments now.
“No, not yet anyway. Not until he has things up and running with Aref.”
I curl up into his chest. Hating myself for setting him up like this. “How long will that take?”
“Well, we’ve got a deal with Vlad next week and one with Aref in about a month, so we’ll see how that goes.”
I close my eyes against the sound of that “we.” “Big ones?” I hear myself ask.
He sighs. “Yeah. One of them’s worth—” A phone rings and Luke’s hand jumps, his words dropping off. But it’s not his phone ringing. It’s mine. There are only two people who have that number besides Luke: Sinclair and Warner. But neither would be calling me while I’m meeting with my target.