“You didn’t think I knew who he was? He’s been on this island for at least seven years.” He took his cigarettes from his pocket and offered me one.
I took it, using my own lighter. I was never fucking sure that Colm’s wouldn’t explode in my face.
“So he doesn’t have the cash for Lebedev?”
“No, but his missus does.”
I took a drag, feeling the immediate hit on my lungs. It wasn’t that often I smoked now, probably only before, after or during a visit to Colm, which said it all.
“She’s big news. Roping her into this would be as bad as Lebedev setting up gun shops on every street corner, with a free girl with each sale.”
“I may be old, but I’m not thick, Tommy. And Livi knows more than she lets on.”
I remembered her visit toCòctels,her demand to watch Marcus, that she knew he was involved with something more than playing at being an entrepreneur.
“She does.”
Colm nodded, blowing smoke circles. “What’s your plan?”
“We need a bargaining chip.”
“What’s to stop Livi from going to the police?”
“They bury scandal. The police being involved brings them notoriety they don’t want. If Lawrence senior’s up to something dodgy, they won’t want the police involved.”
He nodded. “How do you protect yourself?”
I laughed. “Like you’ve ever given a shit about that.”
His teeth clenched. “Like Livi, I don’t want the fucking scandal.”
At least he was honest.
“I have an in with the family.”
He looked interested for a few seconds. “What do you want out of this?”
“Out. Properly out. No more favours, no more baby-sitting Ash, no more of this shit talk about family. The money I should’ve had when granddad died. This is the last thing I do.”
“What if this goes wrong?”
I’d been asking myself that all the time it took to get here. “I have some leverage. I need something from you though.”
“Depends what it is.”
“It always depends what it is. Who’s Aubrey Chad Baker? I want to know everything there is about him.”
Colm shrugged and pulled a face that made him look like he was constipated.
“Sorted. Give me a day.”
“Good.”
I left before the shock of him agreeing to at least one thing had me falling to the ground.
I’d beenat parties on yachts before, just not in the capacity of a bartender. Being the hired help was a new role, and one I found I didn’t mind.
Blending into the background wasn’t always easy: I’d inherited my mother’s genes, an exotic darkness that women seemed to be drawn to, but when I played the part of the wallflower well, I could keep away from the limelight.
