Page 42 of No Lies No Promises

“Yeah. Pierre brought it to my office.” My boss shakes his head. “Don’t get your hopes up, though.”

“I won’t. I’ll see you soon. Stay frosty.” When I hold out my fist, he bumps it.

“You know it, brother.”

Alone now, I return to the chair beside my sleeping woman. By the time the doctor signs off on the paperwork, the sun has come up. Thankfully, Dante had team members willing to drop me off an SUV, so I can drive her back to the warehouse. There, I tuck her into bed and jog to the elevator.

I’m only halfway down the hall when my grandmother pops out of her room. “I need to discuss your fath—”

My kiss on her cheek cuts her off. “I will. I promise. Right now, I want to catch the rat bastard who drugged Lil.”

“Okay, but don’t sit on it long. It’s important.” Her weapon of choice remains in her apron, so I’m guessing it can wait.

I have enough on my plate. “Get some rest. Remind me in the morning. By the way, I appreciate how you were there for us last night, especially your spoon.”

Her ancient, wise eyes study me. “Someday, Sean James, you’ll explain how an accountant manages to stir up so much trouble. Good night, dear.”

“Night, Grams.” No doubt she knows a lot more than she lets on. If I weren’t in such a hurry, I’d ask.

Turning, I trot downstairs to the conference room where Dante and Mace glance up from the table. An old reel-to-reel tape recorder, the one we asked Pierre to stash beneath the bar, sits between them.

Mace flips the selector to rewind. As the mechanics click, the brown metallic strip lifts off the magnetic head. The plastic reels spin in reverse. With most of the tape wrapped on the left, he stops the machine, switches to play, and leans back into his chair.

A second later, Lillian’s voice crackles through the speaker. “…this crazy bitch tried to run us off the road. When it didn’t work, she blew herself up and almost took us out with her. Sean said he didn’t know her, but I know he did.”

That’s my girl.

On the recording, Pearson catches his breath. “How so?”

You’ve hooked him, Babe. Give him a little slack….

“She mentioned demonical holiday balls.” Lillian pauses so long I wonder if something jammed. “Mine and Sean’s stupid little joke. Our moment. Not hers.”

From there, the audio dissolves into garbled static.

“You got to be fucking kidding. That’s it? That’s all we got?” No matter what I do, I can’t catch a break.

Dante scratches his beard, scowling at the vintage player. “I’m sending it out. May take a few hours, but my guy knows his stuff. If something was said, he will separate it from the noise.”

Chapter 21

Lillian

Adrenaline surges through my veins as I cling to Sean, zooming my motorbike beneath the thick jungle canopy. Why am I here again? My thighs squeeze the seat while the largest of my father’s dogs bursts through the underbrush behind us.

“Faster, Big Balls.” I kick at the closest snarling muzzle until it tumbles back, but nothing I do matters. More of its kennel mates appear. Their sharp teeth burn as they clamp onto my ankle. When a branch whips across my face, I lose my grip and fall backward into the frenzied canines.

“Sean! Come back.” I don’t want to die.

“Babe, wake up.” A far-off man calls to me.

Eyes open, my mind begins to separate reality from nightmares. The primal forest dissolves into a bedroom. Fitting the pieces together, my gaze shifts to washboard abs, to broad shoulders, to a worried face.

“Bad dream?” Sitting next to me, Sean brushes a tear from my cheek and tucks a lock of hair behind my ear.

My pulse, already fast from the nightmare, races more when I realize there’s a hole in my memories. Last night should be there, but I can’t access it.

Let’s see… I met Jeff in the bar. Woke up in the emergency room. There is nothing in between. Eyes stinging, another thought takes hold. What if I have permanent brain damage? How much is missing?