Redemption Song (Daniel Faust #2)(39)

“If she gets in over her head,” Jennifer said, “we can always turn this from a blackmailin’ into a kidnappin’. Or just ventilate the son of a bitch. He can’t help Lauren with a bullet in his skull.”

I looked to the monitor. Gary took a slow walk around the parking lot, head swiveling, looking antsy. I needed to make a decision before he got spooked and left.

“Go,” I said. “Do your best. And if things get hairy, we’ll be on top of it before he knows what hit him.”

Pixie gave us a thumbs up and jumped out of the van. I sat down next to Jennifer at the console.

“I almost feel bad for him,” Jennifer said. “Poor critter’s trapped between a rock and a hard place, and now he’s about to fall into the hands of some real professional troublemakers.”

I shrugged. “On the plus side, if he does what he’s told, he might actually live through this.”

A quiver of feedback squealed through the speakers. Jennifer went to work, fiddling with the audio dials until faint, echoed voices filled the van.

“—Kemper?” Pixie asked.

“Jesus, a little louder, tell the whole neighborhood my name!” Gary snapped. “Did she send you?”

“No. I’m psychic and I read your mind, that’s how I know who you are. Duh. Calm down.”

On the screen, Gary’s shoulders slumped.

“I’m sorry. Sorry. It’s been…hard. I’m juggling too many faces, too many names. Hard to remember what lie I told to who.”

“Relax,” Pixie said. “She sent me to get the manuscript. You brought it, right?”

“There was, um, a complication. I don’t have it anymore.”

“Where the hell is it, then?” I muttered at the screen. A heartbeat later Pixie echoed my exact words.

“Sullivan called me into an emergency meeting late last night. I couldn’t put him off. He saw the pages, and he took them away from me. He thought I was bringing them to him. I know, I know, this screws up everything, but there was nothing I could do! If he thinks for one second that I’m Lauren’s inside man, he’ll skin me alive. And I’m not even exaggerating about that.”

I looked over at Jennifer. “We’re definitely recording, right?”

“Oh yeah,” she purred, bringing the camera into tighter focus.

Pixie was a natural. She put her hands on her hips and stared the taller man down.

“Lauren’s not going to be happy. What about the task force? Anything to report?”

“Yeah. Black’s breathing down my neck. She’s not just a fed. She’s got…shit, I don’t know, magic powers. Swear to God, she’s some kind of witch. She suspects something, I know it. I just know it.”

That answered the question of who the magician on his team was. Good to know.

“Meanwhile,” Gary said, “after I stuck my neck out, leaked Agnelli’s phone call, and pretty much held Sullivan’s hand while he planned the entire kidnapping, f*cking Daniel f*cking Faust escaped somehow. So that’s one more person who’s going to shoot me if they find out who set them up.”

“No one’s going to find out. Keep on as if nothing is wrong,” Pixie said. “I’ll report back for you, and you’ll get further instructions from Lauren.”

“No, hey, I need help now! I can’t keep doing this! I don’t care about the deal, I don’t care about the cash. I cannot keep doing this!”

He paused, suddenly frowning as he stared into Pixie’s face. The back of my neck bristled. I knew a cop look when I saw one.

“Wait a second. Don’t I know you from somewhere?” he said. “I’ve seen you before, I’m sure I have.”





Twenty

“Maybe at the office,” Pixie said, keeping her composure.

“No. No, I’ve never set foot in that office.” Gary shook his head. “Something is seriously hinky about this whole situation. Maybe you and me should go see Lauren together.”

I tensed. Jennifer shot me a look.

“Against her orders? And endangering both of you? Yeah, great idea you’ve got there,” Pixie told him. “You’re stressed out, and it’s making you jump at shadows. Go home. Go home, call everybody, and tell them you’ve got food poisoning and have to stay in bed. Get some sleep and wait for our email.”

He held his stare for two more heartbeats, then deflated.

“Yeah,” he said. “Yeah, you’re right. Okay, fine, I’ll sit tight.”

She turned to leave, and that was when things went wrong. I could have kicked myself for not seeing it coming.

Her tattoo.

Gary saw the ornate wings on her back, reached out, and grabbed her shoulder in a vice grip.

“Now I remember. You don’t work for Lauren. You’re some goddamn hippie chick! What’s this all about, huh? You’d better tell me everything I want to know, now!”

I jumped to my feet. Jennifer shook her head.

“Not yet. Give her a chance,” she said.

“But she’s in trouble—”

“Trust her.”

Of all the reactions Pixie could have had, backhanding Gary across the face wasn’t one I saw coming.