She smiled brightly and sounded cheerful when she asked, “Do you have an appointment?”
“I do not.”
That smile immediately flipped upside down.It was a dramatic flip, the kind one might use when talking to a small child.“I’m so sorry.Mr.Gallagher doesn’t take meetings without an appointment.”
Baz kept his smile in place, though he knew it didn’t reach his eyes.“He’ll need to make an exception today.”
“I’m sorry, but—”
“Lacey?”
“Hmm?”
“Could you please get Mr.Gallagher?You can tell him I’m here to discuss Kylie Walker.”
“Is she scheduled for a funeral?”
Baz considered pushing past her, but maintained his cool.“Please.Mr.Gallagher.Now.”
It was obvious that it pained her to do so, but Lacey turned and walked away.She disappeared down a long hallway, then through a door on the left.Because he wanted to ensure Mr.Gallagher didn’t make a run for it, Baz stood at the mouth of the hallway and watched the exits, both the one he came through at the front and the one at the end of the hallway.
Lacey appeared a moment later, nodding her head as she backed out of the room.She hurried toward him, her smile long gone.
“He’ll see you.”She pointed down the hall.“First door on the left.”
“Thank you.”
Not wasting time, Baz followed her directions and ended up at the doorway to a large, elaborately decorated office.And byelaborate, he meant ugly.
The older man—he presumed Walter Gallagher—pushed back his chair and slowly got to his feet.His nearly snow-white hair was brushed back, his thick eyebrows ungroomed.His dark blue suit had thin silver pinstripes that matched the silver shirt beneath.His silk tie was slightly askew, but a perfect match to the suit.
“I’m Walter.How can I help you today?”
Baz stepped forward.“My name’s Sebastian Buchanan.I work for Sniper 1 Security.Your name came up during one of our investigations.Would you mind answering a few questions?”
“I can certainly try, but I can’t promise I’ll know anything.Lacey informed me that you want to talk about—” He waved a hand.“I apologize.I’ve already forgotten the name.”
Baz watched Walter’s face closely when he said, “Kylie Walker.”
There.The way his eyes squinted and his jaw ticked.It told Baz that he recognized the name.It also told him that the next words out of Walter’s mouth would be a lie.
“I’m sorry.The name isn’t familiar.”
Baz gestured toward one of the chairs.“Mind if I sit?”
He didn’t wait for Walter to answer before stepping around him and sitting in the chair closest to the door.It forced Walter to come around his desk.
“What is it you need to know about … is Kylie a female name?Or male?”
Baz sighed as he leaned back and propped his ankle on his knee.“You can cut the shit, Walter.We both know you’re well aware of Kylie Walker.Or maybe you just remember her name because it came with a rather large sum of money into your bank account on January 9, 2021.”
Walter’s bushy eyebrows snapped down.“I beg your pardon.”
“Beg all you want.I know you received the money.And I can likely assume you’ve got a business card in that desk of yours.It’ll be from an FBI agent who asked you to do something for him.”
Walter stared at him for a moment, his light blue eyes skimming.He was buying time, probably trying to figure out if he should keep lying or give up the ghost.
Baz knew which he preferred.
