speaking of Nicky,” I said.
“More useless than nipples on a bull.”
“You’ve gotta stop baiting him, Jen. You’re pushing too hard—”
One eyebrow shot up. “More like I spent years
gettin’
pushed when I never shoulda let him get away with it in the first place. You’ve got an ear to the ground. You know well as I do that Nicky’s on his way out one way or another. Either he’s gonna cut his losses and run to Rio with a suitcase full of cash, or one of his own guys is gonna take him for a ride before Nicky can talk to the feds.”
“Then let it play,” I told her. “If you’re so sure, then cool your jets and
let it play
. You know what Nicky’s like. When he gets nervous, bodies drop. And he’s plenty nervous right now. You need to pull over into the slow lane, keep your head down, and see what—”
The door jingled. I turned, expecting to see Bentley and Corman rounding the corner.
“Well, look who we have here,” Harmony Black said with a smile.
Margaux pursed her lips and rested her hands in her lap, under the table. Jennifer narrowed her eyes to razor slits.
“What are
you
doing here?” I asked. Harmony walked over, dropping into an open chair at our table. Amar swooped in, his tray bearing a can of Diet Coke, a glass filled halfway with ice, and a paper-wrapped straw.
“Having a drink, obviously.” Harmony took the can and glass and tossed a couple of singles onto Amar’s serving tray. He bowed deeply and faded into the kitchen.
“This is a private club,” Jennifer said.
“Right. A private club for magicians only. I’m a magician.” Harmony cracked the can open and poured her soda over the ice. The silver bangle on her wrist glittered. “So. Jennifer Juniper. Haven’t seen you since, oh, your last arrest. How’s the narcotics business?”
“Who, me? I’m a florist.”
Harmony’s gaze swung my way. “Have fun in Texas today, Faust?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
“Sure you would. You flew in and out of Henderson Executive on Cameron Drake’s private jet. You are so predictable, you know that? Drake’s some rube who wins the lottery, and not even a year later, he’s spending money like it’s his full-time job. Perfect target for a grifter like you. What kind of scam are you running on the poor schlub? Worthless real estate? Bogus stock investments? Or maybe you’re playing up the magic-man angle. Let me guess: his money is cursed, and only you can cleanse it.”
I almost protested my innocence. Then I got a better idea. I shrugged. “You’re just not gonna cut me a break, are you?”
“Not until you’re behind bars where you belong.” She looked over at Margaux. “And you are?”
“Leaving,” Margaux said, pushing her chair back. “Danny, call me. I’ll send you off with a goody bag. For that thing we talked about.”
Jennifer followed her out, glaring daggers at Harmony the whole way. The door jingled behind them. I sipped my drink.
“I like this place,” Harmony said, taking a long look around the empty restaurant. “Nice ambiance. I think I’ll start coming here
every
night.”
I fished in my wallet, pulled out a five-dollar bill, and tossed it on the table between us.
“What’s this?” she asked, eyeing the bill.
“A bet. You think you’ve got it all figured out, huh? Put your money where your mouth is.” I leaned in toward her and lowered my voice. “Five bucks says I get my hands on Cameron Drake’s money, and you can’t stop me.”
She mirrored me, getting nice and close.
“Just try it. You won’t even make it on the flight to Austin.”
“Five bucks.”
She hesitated for a moment, then smiled.
“I don’t gamble when I’m on duty, Faust. And I’m always on duty. Keep your money. You’ll need it for buying cigarettes in the prison commissary.”
I left the cash on the table and walked out, letting the world fade as I neared the door, whisking myself out in a blur of mental static. Suddenly I was on Fremont again,
“More useless than nipples on a bull.”
“You’ve gotta stop baiting him, Jen. You’re pushing too hard—”
One eyebrow shot up. “More like I spent years
gettin’
pushed when I never shoulda let him get away with it in the first place. You’ve got an ear to the ground. You know well as I do that Nicky’s on his way out one way or another. Either he’s gonna cut his losses and run to Rio with a suitcase full of cash, or one of his own guys is gonna take him for a ride before Nicky can talk to the feds.”
“Then let it play,” I told her. “If you’re so sure, then cool your jets and
let it play
. You know what Nicky’s like. When he gets nervous, bodies drop. And he’s plenty nervous right now. You need to pull over into the slow lane, keep your head down, and see what—”
The door jingled. I turned, expecting to see Bentley and Corman rounding the corner.
“Well, look who we have here,” Harmony Black said with a smile.
Margaux pursed her lips and rested her hands in her lap, under the table. Jennifer narrowed her eyes to razor slits.
“What are
you
doing here?” I asked. Harmony walked over, dropping into an open chair at our table. Amar swooped in, his tray bearing a can of Diet Coke, a glass filled halfway with ice, and a paper-wrapped straw.
“Having a drink, obviously.” Harmony took the can and glass and tossed a couple of singles onto Amar’s serving tray. He bowed deeply and faded into the kitchen.
“This is a private club,” Jennifer said.
“Right. A private club for magicians only. I’m a magician.” Harmony cracked the can open and poured her soda over the ice. The silver bangle on her wrist glittered. “So. Jennifer Juniper. Haven’t seen you since, oh, your last arrest. How’s the narcotics business?”
“Who, me? I’m a florist.”
Harmony’s gaze swung my way. “Have fun in Texas today, Faust?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
“Sure you would. You flew in and out of Henderson Executive on Cameron Drake’s private jet. You are so predictable, you know that? Drake’s some rube who wins the lottery, and not even a year later, he’s spending money like it’s his full-time job. Perfect target for a grifter like you. What kind of scam are you running on the poor schlub? Worthless real estate? Bogus stock investments? Or maybe you’re playing up the magic-man angle. Let me guess: his money is cursed, and only you can cleanse it.”
I almost protested my innocence. Then I got a better idea. I shrugged. “You’re just not gonna cut me a break, are you?”
“Not until you’re behind bars where you belong.” She looked over at Margaux. “And you are?”
“Leaving,” Margaux said, pushing her chair back. “Danny, call me. I’ll send you off with a goody bag. For that thing we talked about.”
Jennifer followed her out, glaring daggers at Harmony the whole way. The door jingled behind them. I sipped my drink.
“I like this place,” Harmony said, taking a long look around the empty restaurant. “Nice ambiance. I think I’ll start coming here
every
night.”
I fished in my wallet, pulled out a five-dollar bill, and tossed it on the table between us.
“What’s this?” she asked, eyeing the bill.
“A bet. You think you’ve got it all figured out, huh? Put your money where your mouth is.” I leaned in toward her and lowered my voice. “Five bucks says I get my hands on Cameron Drake’s money, and you can’t stop me.”
She mirrored me, getting nice and close.
“Just try it. You won’t even make it on the flight to Austin.”
“Five bucks.”
She hesitated for a moment, then smiled.
“I don’t gamble when I’m on duty, Faust. And I’m always on duty. Keep your money. You’ll need it for buying cigarettes in the prison commissary.”
I left the cash on the table and walked out, letting the world fade as I neared the door, whisking myself out in a blur of mental static. Suddenly I was on Fremont again,
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