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Listening for any telltale signs of the man lying. I wait. But not long. He says, “God, no. No way. I mean, I told him about the security camera on the door because that’s how I knew his girl had gotten scared and taken off. I called him the minute the security system notified me of someone knocking on the door.”
Scotch watches my face as I listen. When his friend and I fall silent, Scotch says, “Will, meet Simona. The girl from the videos.”
“Jesus. You finally found her! I know you were going apeshit.”
“I did. Now, we have a lot to talk about, but you’ve helped clear up one problem.”
“Shit, I hope so. And I’m sorry if the cameras freaked you out. I hide them so Mindy doesn’t look at them while we’re having sex. We get a lot more likes and make a lot more money off the videos when they are more… authentic.”
Scotch shakes his head. “You’re fucking rich already. Why the hell are you selling bedroom porn?”
Will laughs. “Because it’s fun. Our sex is hot as hell. Why not make a little play money at it.”
“I’m going now,” Scotch says and he disconnects.
“Weird friend.”
“He is. Don’t let that be a representation of the kind of person I am.”
I reach for him, grab his hand. “Thank you for calling him. It makes more sense now.”
“Good. Now let’s get back to the important topic of cutting off body parts and putting that bastard down the garbage chute.”
I close my eyes and count to ten. “No. We are not.”
“Weren’t you going to kill him anyway?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve kind of lost my taste for blood. I don’t know why, but I haven’t decided yet what to do with him. I’ll tell you later. Now, help me up. I’ve got some interrogation to do.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Simona, small, but stronger than she looks, rolls Pavel onto his side. She jerks on his ear as she shakes him. “Wake up!”
Pavel blinks and groans. “Who the hell?”
“It’s me. Remember? The one you shot!”
His eyes pinwheel around, then land on me before he jerks them away. Simona snaps her fingers right in front of Pavel’s face. “Hey, buddy. Right here.”
I drop down on my haunches. “You almost killed her, you son of a bitch. And you’re going to pay.”
The ugly sucker’s face blanches whiter.
“Why did you shoot me?”
Pavel swallows, clears his throat as I give him a murderous glare.
“I… I didn’t want your team to get the hostage. She was very valuable.”
Simona crosses her arms. “Same slimeball you always were, huh? Working for the highest dollar, be damned of the consequences.”
In a rough voice, he says, “I need the money.”
He scowls at her as if his answer justifies any horrible thing he might do. “Me mum. I take care of her. She needs a surgery that cannot be done here.”
Simona pushes up to her feet. “That’s so nice, Pavel. I’m sure she’s real proud of you. Now, let’s cut through the chase, I know you’ve been trying to find me. I accessed your internet searches and didn’t like what I saw.”
He instantly replies, “I wanted to see if you lived.”