“Of course he will, but now there’s a paper trail.”
I try to look on the bright side. “Good. That helps.”
“Good?” She laughs without humor. “It’s not good, Aurora. He’s investigating a murder and using it to stalk you. That’s criminal, and the only reason he’s getting away with it is the badge.”
She’s right, and I don’t argue because there’s nothing to argue about. Eric will keep pushing until something stops him, and the only things that will stop him are Adrian’s countermeasures or Eric’s own overreach. I’m betting on both.
That afternoon,Adrian gives me a big hat and a black coat. I stare at them. “What’s this?”
“I’m taking you somewhere, and I don’t want you to be recognized going in or out.”
I frown. “Where?”
His enigmatic smile is annoying. “You’ll have to come if you want to know.”
Curiosity gets the better of me, so I don the ridiculous hat and coat. We drive for about an hour before stopping outside a venue called Azimuth. It’s located in a converted warehouse on the waterfront in Marathon. Adrian has spent most of it on the phone with Viktor coordinating security for the visit but now hangs up.
I’m amused when he reaches into the backseat to grab a fedora. We’re already wearing sunglasses, and as we slip out of the SUV, there’s a surreal awareness of how absurd we look. It’s like we’re playing spy.
I’m also ridiculously happy to get away from the Key Largo estate even under these circumstances. “So, what is this place?” I slide my arm through his as I ask.
“It’s a nightclub I own. I thought you might be interested in seeing how it’s run versus Dominic’s place.”
“Oh.” I’m intrigued. “That explains an afternoon visit.”
He nods. “It’s too risky to bring you in here when the club is open.”
Azimuth is immediately distinct from Echelon. Echelon ran on Dominic’s charm and my management. I know almost immediately this place is handled much differently.
Adrian gives me an overview of Azimuth’s infrastructure as he conducts the tour. The staff are vetted more carefully. Security communicates through earpieces with constant check-ins, not walkie-talkies and guesswork. The VIP sections have visible sightlines to the exits, and the private rooms don’t have hidden ventilation panels where someone could install recording equipment without detection.
I notice all of this within the first five minutes. “This is solid.”
Adrian grins at me. “You’re auditing my club.”
“I’m assessing your operation.” I run my hand along the bar surface and check the speed rail organization. “Your bartenders pre-batch their signature cocktails, which cuts service time by forty percent. Your floor layout gives security coverage of the entire room from two positions instead of three, and your VIP host rotation is staggered so no single host manages a client for more than ninety minutes, which prevents relationship dependencies.”
The club manager, with short blonde hair and a muscular build, who looks like she could run a military operation, stops in the middle of bundling silverware to look up at me. She seems impressed and a bit wary.
Adrian almost smiles. “Reina, this is Aurora. She managed the VIP floor at Echelon for six years.”
Reina looks at me with the evaluating expression of a professional recognizing another one. “You noticed the host rotation in five minutes?”
“I noticed it because it’s smart. Echelon didn’t do it, and it created problems. Clients would request specific hostesses, and the hostesses had no leverage to refuse.”
“That’s exactly why I implemented it.” Reina looks at Adrian. “Where did you find her?”
“She found me.” Adrian’s almost-smile becomes a real one, and the pride in it makes Reina raise one eyebrow and wisely doesn’t comment.
Instead, she says, “I hope she isn’t here to take my job.” Her smile makes it a lighthearted comment, but that explains the air of caution.
Before Adrian can answer, I say, “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
That seems to relax her, and she sets aside her tasks to join us. We spend hours touring the facility. I ask questions about the booking system, the security vetting process, and the vendor management protocol. Reina answers every question directly and without condescension, and by the end of the tour, she’s asking me questions about how Echelon handled overflow nights and high-security clients.
Adrian watches the exchange, but he looks pleased with himself.
By the time we’re ready to leave, the club is about to open. I frown up at him. “Shouldn’t we get out of here?” I don’t want to be caught on camera or recognized by someone, though I don’t know anyone in the area. Call me paranoid, but I prefer being alive.
