Tek Net by William Shatner Page A

informant.”
    Corky’s chair made small groaning noises as she shifted her weight and rested a plump elbow on the desktop. “I just came across some information that pertains to you and that reckless partner of yours,” she said, lowering her voice some. “It has to do with this case you’re working on.”
    His left eye narrowed. “What case would that be, carat ”
    â€œHey, you don’t have to be cute with me, honey. I know you’re trying to find that hot-pants bitch that you used to—”
    â€œWhat do you know about Jill’s kidnapping?” He left the rocker, moved closer to her desk.
    â€œThe most important thing I know,” Corky said, “is that some people are going to do their damnedest to throw a spanner in your works. They want you to quit—and if they have to they’ll do you some serious harm.”
    â€œHow serious?”
    â€œYou might end up graveyard-dead, dear.”
    Perching on the edge of the pink desk, he leaned toward her and studied her plump face with narrowed eyes. “Who are these pendejos ?”
    Corky’s voice dropped even lower. “You’re messing with a big Tek cartel here.”
    â€œI already know that—a combo of European outfits who seem to—”
    â€œNope, that’s not what you have to worry about, Gomez,” she assured him. Then held up a hand in a wait-a-minute gesture. “Well, let’s amend that. Sure, you’ve got to worry about them, because they want to get their hands on your ex, too. But there’s danger much nearer to home.”
    â€œSomebody else got to her first, somebody local?”
    Corky nodded, her chair jiggling. “Way I hear it, honey, it’s that runt who calls himself Johnny Trocadero.”
    â€œ Sí , the little hombre who runs the San Diego Sector Tek cartel,” said Gomez, frowning. “So what do we have here, Cork, Teklords going up against each other?”
    â€œAll I know is that dear little Jill must know something that several nasty bastards are anxious to find out about.”
    â€œTrocadero grabbed her?”
    â€œHe hired the goons who did the job.”
    â€œAnd they are?”
    She glanced toward the closed door of her office. “I think it was a weasel named Dunkirk. He usually works with a rumdum robot that he built himself.”
    â€œSkinny pendejo who doesn’t even know how to grow a decent moustache?” Gomez fingered his own moustache.
    â€œThat’s him, hon,” she answered. “And before you bother to ask—no, I don’t know where they took her.”
    â€œThis Dunkirk—is he also the one who’s planning to do me and Jake harm?”
    â€œThat’s what I’ve picked up, kid.”
    â€œAnything else you’ve come across that I ought to know?”
    Corky said, “You better watch out for a lady called Yedra Cortez. Very nasty critter from your homeland who is the brains and the muscle of Trocadero’s whole setup.”
    â€œI’ve seen that puta before,” Gomez said, standing up. “How much do I owe you for this wealth of information, Corky? It’s enough to make a paranoid of any man and ought to be worth a tidy fee.”
    â€œSo far it’s on the house, lover. For old time’s sake and as a little gift to a damned good customer.” She stood, too. “If you want any more—it’s going to be a thousand dollars.”
    â€œTop price, huh?”
    â€œIt wouldn’t take much for any and all of these lowlifes to put my name on their shit lists right next to yours, Gomez,” sheexplained as she came around her desk and took hold of his arm. “If I’m going to get killed, I ought to make as much as I can off it.”
    â€œSound business philosophy.” He allowed her to escort him out of the toyshop.
    The small bald man smiled sweetly as he tightened his grip on Eleanor Monkwood’s