Page 11 of Wild Temple

We clasped hands like brothers and grinned.

“I’m fantastic. You?”

“Can’t complain.”

“Nice place you got here,” I said.

“Living the dream,” he said, stretching his arms wide. “What brings you to this part of the world?”

My face tightened. “I’m afraid it’s not good.”

His cautious eyes narrowed. “Goddamn, Wild. What kind of trouble are you bringing my way?”

“No trouble.”

“I am not going back. You hear me? I’m not doing that shit anymore. They can suck my big fat dick.”

I laughed. “Relax. It’s nothing like that.”

He leaned in and spoke in a hushed tone. “Are you still a spook?”

“No.”

“No?” he said, full of doubt. “I guess you couldn’t tell me if you were.”

“I’m out of the game. Mostly.”

“Mostly?”

“I’m looking for a friend. She went missing.”

I gave him the details, then showed him a picture of Isabella. “You seen her around recently?”

“No, but she’s cute. Who is she? Girlfriend?”

“No.”

His eyes narrowed again. “So, she’s a spook?”

“I can’t go into detail.”

Rex just shook his head. “Look, I don’t want any part of that. My life is simple right now, and I want it to stay that way. I’m done killing. I’m not a gun for hire anymore.”

“I’m not asking you to get involved. I just need a little intel, and maybe some supplies.”

“I can’t tell you what I don’t know. And I don’t have the kind of contacts that can get you what you need.”

I knew better. Rex was dialed in. He was the kind of guy who could get his hands on just about anything. He hadn’t always been on the straight and narrow. For all I knew, he wasn’t.

Rex looked around to make sure none of his customers needed anything. Then he whispered, “I’m sorry about your friend. Girls go missing around here all the time. They come out here with their heads up their asses, thinking they’re going to be some kind of influencer or the next tech billionaire. But they’ve got no clue. There’s a bad element around these parts—drugs, human trafficking, you name it. This place is a hub for the Golden Triangle. Heroin moves through here like candy. You get on the wrong side of these people, you’re gonna get yourselfunalived. Plenty of places to dump a body around here. A corpse could rot in the jungle for an eon before anyone found it. And don’t bother going to the police. They’re all on the take.”

I didn’t like what he had to say, but it didn’t come as a surprise.

“I don’t know what your friend was doing here, but if she got on someone’s bad side, she’s either dead or trafficked. She’sa good-looking woman. Granted, these traffickers like ‘em young and fresh. But your friend would command a certain value. American girls are always in demand.”

“See, you’re more helpful than you realize.”

“Where’s Jack?”