Make a plan.
Move on.
With just enough money to get myself an apartment, some furniture, and a few nice dresses.
Ever since then, I hadn’t had more than a couple hundred spare bucks to my name at the end of each month when bills were paid.
Twenty grand could help me move to a bigger city. Or record an album. Get a degree so I could teach music. Something, anything different.
That said, this was my ass on the line.
And everything about Milo said he had a lot of money.
I had nothing to lose by demanding more.
“Twenty-five and twenty-five.”
“Ten and forty.”
He wasn’t quibbling about the amount, just how much I got if I didn’t produce anything. I had to respect that.
“Fifteen and thirty-five.”
“Done.”
“And protection if things go wrong.”
“Okay. What kind of protection?”
“Get me out of here if things go south. Frank is connected in this town. I don’t think I’d last an hour if he found out I was working against him.”
Milo sat up, then leaned forward.
“Trust me, sweetheart, Frank isn’t the only one connected in this town. If something goes sideways, I could have you packed up and on your way out of the area before he even knew you were found out.”
God, he sounded like a mob boss.
And it was kind of hot.
“Okay then,” I agreed, reaching for my wine again.
If he noticed the tremble in my hand, he made no comment on it.
“So, give me specifics. If you want information, I need to know what you’re looking for.”
“Fake books would be a big one. Records that don’t line up. A casino is a great money-laundering operation. If he’s cooking the books so the government doesn’t know what he’s really making, that would be helpful. Evidence of any debts. Both legit or otherwise.
“On a more personal level, any information about Frank’s close connections would be helpful. Especially if they are local businessmen.”
“I know a lot about his friends from all the private parties. I can try to write you up a list of everything I know about everyone.”
“That would be helpful.”
“I wish I could draw you pictures, but stick figures are outside my talents.”
“Once I have names, I can track down pictures.”
The food arrived then, and I nearly moaned at the scents of tomato, cream, garlic, and basil that met my nose.
