“Um…Tyson Gray’s father paid twenty million dollars to charter an expedition vessel to hunt for the Loch Ness Monster.”
“Hilarious, but not of interest to the Triumvirate.”
“Okay, then… you’ve got Cleo’s friend, Daphne Ballantyne. Her father got into some trouble three years ago. He had a gambling problem, was embezzling money from clients to pay his debts, all the usual stuff. The whole thing came out in the media and he committed suicide.” George grins. “Supposedly.”
A faked death. That’s perfect.
If this bastard had gambling debts in Emerald Beach, I know exactly who he owed money, and who would have been hired to ensure those debts are paid.
“George, you genius. You got proof?”
“Always.” George taps her phone screen a few times, then hands it over. A video plays, timestamped over the summer, showing Daphne embracing a man who I’m guessing is her father.
“This isn’t good enough. We need to know where this guy is hiding out.”
“I don’t have that information…”
“Can you get it?” I tap my chin. “Never mind, just get me in a room with Daphne, away from school, away from prying eyes and security cameras, and I’ll get it out of her.”
“Daphne’s going to be at that Stonehurst Prep alumni party Noah’s going to this weekend.” George taps her phone. “You’re already on the guest list, but I’ve just added me and Gabriel. It’s one of those things where we need to attend in pairs.”
I tap my finger on my chin. “How convenient that the event is at Vault. I’ll make sure Eli leaves one of the private suites available for us. We’re going to need a soundproof room. And I’ll have to figure out how to get my knives past Nero’s security.”
George’s face collapses with panic. “Wait, what do you needknivesfor?”
“What did you think I was going to do, tickle the answer out of her? We need to find out where Daphne’s hiding her father. If Constantine can collect on this job, he’ll be happy. It’s a win-win.”
“It’s not a win for Daphne,” George frowns. “I thought we were just going to, I don’t know, blackmail them. I’m not sure I’m happy giving up her dad to be slaughtered by Constantine Dio.”
I wrap my arms around George. “And that’s why you’reCSI: Emerald Beachand I’m the crime lord. Now let’s go home. Who needs last period when we’ve got to find outfits for this party.”
14
Eli
Claws and George disappear last period. Claws texts to say that they’ve gone home to find outfits for the alumni party. I’m not sure why George thinks she’s getting in, since she’s a scholarship student at Stonehurst Prep, but I don’t bother questioning it. I trust Claudia, especially after our talk.Especiallyif George is involved.
After school is indoor track practice. Noah’s given up the team, thank fuck, so I’m no longer spending all my time trying to coach him out of mediocrity, and I can focus on my own times. I’ve been so distracted this year that I’ve missed opportunities to be scouted by the Ivies, but my performance as team captain should give my college applications the boost they need.
For two hours I focus on nothing but my stride and my breathing. As I unlace my running shoes and joke with the other guys on the way to the showers, I can almost pretend I’m a normal teenager with boring concerns like getting into the right college, instead of worrying about my dad’s upcoming appeal and whether my girlfriend will be gunned down by her psychopath estranged twin sister.
But that all changes when I drop my gym bag into the passenger seat and pull the Porsche out of the school parking lot. My fingers tighten on the wheel as I drive the ten blocks to Vault and my other life as Eli Hart, tribune to the notorious Claudia August and assistant to an entertainment kingpin.
I don’t know what’s waiting for me beyond the gilded doors of the old bank building. Last time I was here, I tricked Nero into selling Claudia his entire collection of exotic animals. Another lucrative business line that’s been stripped from him. If he’s watching Malloy Manor, he has to know we have the animals, that the whole thing about the parasite was a ruse. As I wait at the last set of traffic lights, I touch my fingers to the gun strapped beneath my suit.
Am I driving to my death?
I park up in Vault’s underground parking and head up to the main bar. I’m relieved to see Livvie standing on a table in the VIP area, arms raised above her head as she directs her dancers through a new routine.She’s alive. That’s got to be a good sign.
Tension fizzes in the air, and I notice there is double the number of security wandering around the building. One of the girls misses a cue, and Livvie barks a reprimand with an unusual venom. We may still all have our heads, but something’s afoot in the land of Lucian.
“Nero’s not happy,” Livvie whispers to me as I grab drinks for us both and join her at the table. “He’s been on the warpath all week, so watch your back. I don’t even think the Golden Boy will be immune.”
My stomach drops into my shoes. “So he knows, then?”
“Nope. He forgot about those animals the minute we took them away. I told you he wouldn’t give a shit. He’s having trouble with the snooty British duke who—”
“—deals Grey Death?”
