“I want to talk about that li’l exchange we all had down by the jetty, Piers.”
He doesn’t take his eyes off mine.
“The exchange I had with my old ex-girlfriend before she climbed onto the back of your Harley and then rode off.Is that the exchange you’re talking about?”
“Yep.”
Piers folds his arms.It’s a deliberate movement to let me know he’s willing to humor me with a certain amount of politeness.
“Amelia and Aila O’Hara are a couple of con artists, Hunter.But I suppose with you being a biker and all, you’re okay with that.”
“What has me being a biker got to do with it?”
“I mean that you probably have nothing to lose.”
I’m listening.But I’m also watching Piers closely, trying to suss out the veracity of what he’s saying.
“Pretend I’ve got plenty to lose, Piers.What would you be telling me then?”
He sighs and looks around the bar as if it will inspire him.Then his focus comes back to me.
“You’ve got your defenses up to intercept anything I say that runs counter to your beliefs, Hunter, but I’ll do you the courtesy of saying it anyway.Amelia and Aila O’Hara are pros.Professional heartbreakers and swindlers.They’ve been on the game for years.Money, furs, jewelry.Not necessarily in that order.Anything which is transportable and easy to stuff into a suitcase, that’s their grift.And I can tell from that cunt-struck look on your face that you’ve already sampled the stuff they offer a man in exchange.”
Inhaling, I wait for some words to come out of my mouth.But the air stays in my lungs, because I want to hear more of what Piers has to say.
Nodding, Piers gets it.
“What has Aila asked you to do for her, Hunter?No offense, but you don’t come across as her usual target.”
Finally, I can breathe.“Well, so long as we’re being truthful here, Piers, Aila asked me to protect her from you.”
The wrinkles around his blue eyes get deeper when he laughs.
“Ha!That’s funny.You’re a funny guy.But that’s typical Aila O’Hara.The girl sure knows how to play the cards life dealt her.”He leans forward with his elbows on the booth and lowers his voice.We are literally seeing eye to eye.“You have to believe this when I tell you.It’s me who needs protecting from the O’Haras.”
His confession over, Piers sits back again, playing with one of the booth cushion buttons with his finger as he sees a loose thread sticking out.“MaybeIshould hireyou.”
The more Piers talks, the more uncomfortable I feel.I came in here like a man with a plan, but this guy is all about the strategy.I feel—no, I am a caveman compared to him.
He leaves the air empty between us, content for me to process what he just laid down.With a measured motion, he picks up his glass and takes a small sip.
I end up saying the first thing that comes to mind.
“Why are you here?”
“It’s no secret, but I bet the O’Haras have been acting all double-oh-seven about my arrival.They are all about that Oscar-winning performance when they need to be.”
For the first time, I see a flicker of annoyance on his face.Piers continues.
“I’ve been trying to hunt down those two elusive ladies for a very long time.”Leaning forward again, Piers lowers his voice.“I want to pay them off.I’m here to give them money.Lots of it.”
“That’s very fucking generous of you, Piers.Why?”
He smiles and shrugs, looking all rueful and embarrassed.
“I did some stupid things when I was a kid.Unacceptable, really.”Placing his hand over his heart, Piers lifts his other hand like he’s swearing an oath.“I’ll be the first to admit that.But that’s what being in love with a con artist does to a man.It is so frustrating—and humiliating—when you realize you’ve been suckered.”
His hand comes down.“Hunter, I’m going into politics.And that means I have to wipe the slate clean.It’s something I always wanted to do, serve my country in the capacity of a statesman.That’s why I’ve never been into social media and shit like that.It’s death for anyone who wants to be taken seriously, to post something they might regret later.”
