Page 31 of The Handyman
Pulling back my seat lever, I sighed in contentment only to have my phone ring shrilly, and my lips twisted as I debated ignoring it. Reaching for the device in the cupholder, I swiped the ‘Accept’ button without bothering to see who was calling.It’s just Vanessa. She’s the only one that calls me.“Hey, what’s up? You got an update for me on that cunt and her shady secret?” Settling into my seat, I inhaled deeply even as a frown dragged my mouth. “Vanessa?”
“I’m not Vanessa.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and I sat up as stiffness gripped my muscles in a vice. “Mr. Santino— I apologize. I was expecting Vanessa. What can I do for you?” Clearing my throat roughly, I pulled a face at my own stupidity as anxiety curdled in my gut. Carlyle Santino never called me personally unless it was a job, and we both knew what a clusterfuck that last one was. “I’m currently—”
“I’m aware. We need to talk. Considering you’ve been sitting outside a fashion boutique for the last half hour, I take it that Delilah decided to bury herself in a mountain of clothes.”
What the fuck.I jumped when a soft knock sounded on my passenger window before reaching to slap the lock button.
Carlyle fucking Santino slid into the passenger seat, hanging up his phone to catch my eyes, and the air became frigid. “Let’s chat. I want to know what you think you’re doing misusing resources for personal gain.”
Panic slammed into my gut, but I managed to keep a straight face by the grace offucking God!Why did Carlyle Santino come here personally? What the fuck was going on? Did this have nothing at all to do with Delilah and Darren? If not, he couldn’t send me a fucking email and not make me regret not wearing my brown pants?Shit.“Someone put a hit on my girlfriend. I have grounds to pursue a recon period.” My voice didn’t waver.
Carlyle’s eyes narrowed on me as he cocked his head like a viper readying to strike.
Being under his scrutiny waskillerin itself, and a cold sweat broke out under my jacket even as I cleared my throat roughly. “I’m doing my due diligence with surveillance, and the client hasn’t agreed to anything, yet.”
“Vanessa isn’t your secretary— she’s mine. Since you’ve got plenty of time doing nothing for the next 3 months, take it upon yourself to do your own research on your client.”
I nodded curtly.
Carlyle frowned under furrowed brows as he straightened. “Darren Willians is the biggest arms dealer in the world. Delilah’s safety is more important than whoever is trying to kill your girlfriend. That being said…she knowseverythingabout his operations, so I’ll be inviting her to my home in the next month. I suggest you take that time to sort your own issue, but you’re not to act on anything until she’s safely within my walls.”
“Of course, sir.” Discomfort lodged like a stone in my chest, and I held my breath.
Carlyle’s expression drew into thoughtfulness. “…It’s strange, isn’t it? Years ago, my wife was sent a package bomb that could’ve killed her.” Everyone knew this story…he tore his intense eyes off me to stare at the dash. “I sympathize with your need to find who is doing this, Reece. Now, it’s a faint, cloudy memory compared to what came after, but I didn’t handle myself very well at the time. I don’t begrudge you, but I do want to warn you that these things have a habit of coming back to bite you in the ass.”
“Uh…I’ve killed a lot of people under contract, Mr. Santino, but I’ve never had someone close to me be requested. It is strange, yeah. Did— did you come here just to have this conversation with me?”It could’ve been a phone call. A beeper page, for fuck’s sake.But no— Carlyle Santino was in my car, having tracked me down, for seemingly no reason other than to tell me not to screw up.
“Partly, yes. I have a meeting with Vanessa today and I haven’t actually met Delilah yet. I thought it’d be prudent to establish something with her before I try to interrogate her. To be honest, I didn’t have to intervene on Darren’s behalf. He could’ve simply closed up shop, and I would’ve been happy with the outcome and allowed him to stay in the States. He’s handing over his black book, but it doesn’t have any information in it that I don’t already know. The issue then becomes…can I get these people to do business with my brother on my behalf, or will I have to contract in Darren to make transactions?”
Carlyle didn’t expect me to answer him, and I couldn’t, anyway. I didn’t know jack shit about the arms trade— or any trade outside my own.
“You were fortunate to be fielded this job, Reece. Chances are I’ll be keeping Delilah up north until Darren arrives, which will free you up completely. Making her sleep on your sofa was an amusing concept.”
“Darren didn’t provide any instructions, and I’m not obligated to go out of my way for her comfort. My job is to keep her alive, not make her happy…although, from what I know, he doesn’t do even that much. All she does is bitch about him being paranoid and Aleksander Makovich can’t get her here, and blah, blah, blah.” I couldn’t help rolling my eyes in annoyance.
Carlyle actually chuckled in bemusement.
“So, I need permission to take appropriate action once I find out who’s trying to kill Riley.”
“I take it that you’re running out of people to investigate.” His wasn’t a question, as he reached to scratch his stubbled jaw. “I’d expect it to be a similar process to any other kind of investigation. Her parents and significant other would be the top suspects, no? And considering you can rule yourself out. . .”
“She knows. I’ve hinted at meeting her parents, of course, but I don’t know if she’ll bite. Even if she doesn’t, killing them will be an entirely different issue all together. There’s no way she wouldn’t have some doubt, and I don’t want to lie to her. Until I know more, I’m not entertaining the idea of contracting someone else, either. Riley has given up on her mother, and I don’t blame her. ”
“I remember when you were just some long-limbed hick from some place with no name. You hated your life, so you ran away.”
My brows twitched at the reminder of events over a decade ago.
Carlyle stroked his chin thoughtfully. “You’re one of my longest-running employees. I suppose some appreciation is in order.”
So cringy.Carlyle Santino spoke like a nervous 8thgrader making a speech for perfect attendance sans stuttering and wonky pitch, but that wasliterallyhow he always talked.
Pursing my lips thinly, I turned my gaze to the wheel and inhaled deeply. “Thank you, but I honestly can’t see myself doing any other job.” Killing people, extorting, kidnapping or rescuing— it was so commonplace now, but even when I started 7 years ago… “Maybe, I do this job because I can’t kill the people I really want to kill.”
“I know the feeling. Doing it didn’t help me, but I didn’t have as much reason. In the end, Valerie was just hurt by someone else. But that’s what makes it good business— most people don’t realize that getting rid of one problem just allows another to fill the gap.”
“The sister just up and skipped out, right? That must’ve sucked.” All I knew about it were rumors, but I honestly didn’t care about Carlyle’s wife’s relationship with her twin. I’d never even met either woman— just suffered through Vanessa’s gossip mongering. “Are you worried about Makovich?”