Page 27 of Wild Fever

"Name your price.”

"My skills are in high demand, and qualifications are few and far between.”

"Give me a number.”

She did, and it was reasonable. Piper probably thought she was coming in high, but it's all relative.

"There's a catch. You need to come to Coconut Key.”

"What for?”

"For reasons mentioned. I don’t have time to drive up there, and I can’t send it to you. This is high-level stuff that requires absolute secrecy.”

"This is sounding interesting.”

“Can I count on you?”

She scoffed. “You wouldn’t have called otherwise. You know I’m solid.”

I knew Piper was loyal and committed to causes she believed in. She’d helped Savannah and me in the past.

“I need gas and meal expenses, plus a per diem,” she added.

I laughed. "That's fine. Just get your ass down here.”

"When do you need me?”

"Yesterday.”

"Give me an address.”

I told her where she could find theAvventura.

I hesitated, then asked. "How’s Savannah?”

Piper didn’t respond right away. "You know I can't discuss other associates.” After a pause, she added, "But she's good.”

There was an awkward silence, and I thought it best to leave it at that. Savannah and I had parted ways amicably. We both thought it was the right thing to do given our current trajectories, which were sometimes diametrically opposed to one another.

"I can be down there in an hour and a half,” Piper said.

"Call me when you're twenty minutes out.”

"Copy that.”

I ended the call and slipped the phone back into my pocket. Then we set out to talk to the waiter who served Kara the day she took the job.

18

We headed up to Swashbucklers. It was one of the many pirate-themed restaurants on the island. Decorated to look like an old galleon, the interior was adorned with rat lines, fake cannons, and oil paintings of pirate ships. Cute girls pranced around in skimpy pirate costumes. A statue of a peg-legged pirate greeted all who entered.

I flashed my badge to the hostess.

The cute brunette stiffened.

I motioned to Kara. "She was in for lunch two days ago. Do you have a record of that transaction? Can you tell me who her server was?"

Kara scanned the restaurant.