“Could it have been Leo who had a thing for her?” Nico asked.
Frankie scoffed. “Leo? Maybe, but I doubt it.”
“Why?” Mal asked.
“He has a fiancé back home. While it’s definitely an arranged marriage, she takes fidelity very seriously. And she has a temper. If he was stupid enough to cheat on her, she would chop off his balls and wear them for earrings. And then she’d tell his father.”
“Who else could he have been warning? Someone has to know what happened to her.”
Frankie sighed, his expression conflicted.
“Do you know something you’re not telling us?” Nico pressed.
“I don’t know anything,” Frankie assured them. “But…he could have been talking to Jason. Wouldn’t be the first time.”
Nico’s breath hitched. “What do you mean?”
“My brother has a nasty habit of…in China, we call itgongsi bù fen.You guys say it differently. Dipping your pen in company ink?”
“You think your brother could have had a thing for Amy?” Nico asked.
Dipping his pen. More like a power imbalance. Was he the pig?
Frankie shrugged. “I have no idea. If he did, he wouldn’t tell me. We’re not close.”
Nico looked to Mal, hoping his big brain was putting the pieces together faster than he was. Something wasn’t right. Someone was clearly lying.
“You’re not?” Mal asked.
“No. He’s not a fan of my ‘lifestyle,’” he air-quoted, eyes rolling.
Well, that would explain his quip back at the restaurant. Homophobic douchebag.
“But we heard that the only reason you’re even here is because Jason refused to leave without you. That you were a package deal.”
Frankie gave another humorless laugh. “Is that what he’s telling people? I’m not surprised. But that’s not the case…at all.”
“Then what is the case? Why did you come here if it wasn’t at Jason’s request?” Mal asked. “Especially if you don’t get along.”
“Because my mother was terrified of what Jason might do if left on his own,” Frankie said.
“Left on his own?” Nico’s heart dropped into his stomach at Frankie’s casual statement. “What do you mean?”
The man sighed. “He…has a temper.”
“Hehas a temper?” Nico asked.
Frankie looked at Mal, giving him a flat stare. “Is he just going to repeat everything I say back to me?”
Nico huffed, glaring at Frankie. “Look, we’re just confused. Our source said you were a psychopath. Their word, not ours. And when we talked to Jason less than an hour ago, he saidyouhave a bad temper and a whole stable full of women just lining up to be your next punching bag.”
“You met with Jason?” Frankie asked, lips quirking up in a barely-there smile.
Mal nodded. “Yeah, we talked to him at the restaurant.”
Frankie looked back and forth between the two of them. “I know you don’t know us well, but after talking with each of us, who seems like the liar?”
“This might seem like a weird question, but do you know who or why someone might refer to you and Jason as the ox and the pig?” Nico asked.
