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I glanced at Sephie, who met my gaze, but we both immediately looked to Misha for confirmation. He had the faraway look in his eye, but looked at both of us shortly after. “Oh, it’s a go.” His upper body shuddered. “Yep, definite go.”
Sephie laughed at Misha’s response. “I like it when it’s strong enough I can see it, Misha.”
“I might also have the cherry on top for all this,” Stephen said. He was trying not to smile when he said it, but a devious grin stretched across his face. We all looked toward him, curious as to what else he could add. “I was in the gym with Keith last night when they got back from Armando’s house. It seems Giana has a problem,” he said, tapping the side of his nose.
“How does Keith know that?” Ivan asked.
“He’s been suspecting she has a problem for a while now. She dropped her bag at some point, spilling the contents, and a very suspicious vial of white powder fell out. Keith saw it as he was helping her gather her things from the ground. She grabbed it from his view quickly. He didn’t say anything about it, but he’s been keeping an eye on her since. She’s not supposed to go to the lobby by herself, but he said she has been. He started to suspect that she was. He said she would say she was going to Ms. Jackson’s apartment, then she would sneak to the lobby. He caught her once, but she didn’t see him. He asked the guys in the lobby to let him know anytime she was down there and what she was doing. Apparently, she meets a guy in the lobby, gets a package from him or a food container or something that looks innocent enough and would need to be paid for, then goes back upstairs. Since the guys downstairs didn’t know she wasn’t supposed to be in the lobby by herself, they never paid super close attention. After Keith started asking questions, they went back over the security footage. She ditches whatever container she gets before she gets on the elevator, after she removes something from it. You can’t tell what it is on the footage, but it’s small enough to put it in her pocket. She meets this guy like clockwork, twice a week. Always the same guy. Always the same time,” Stephen said.
“Okay, so for one? RUDE. But it explains why she would accuse me of being an addict. People always accuse others of what they’re doing. And two? Just to play Devil’s advocate here, what if it’s not just drugs she’s getting from this dude? What else could she be getting from him? What else could she be giving him? Why do I sound like a completely paranoid person right now?” Sephie said, chewing on her lip.
Ivan cracked his knuckles. “I love a good mystery,” he said, grinning. “This could actually be fun.”
“I’m almost scared to ask where your mind is going on this one, Super Squish,” Sephie said.
“Pickpocketing is a highly underrated skill, princess. He doesn’t even need to know we know who he is. She doesn’t need to know we’re on to her either. We get our answers and they’re not any wiser,” Ivan said.
“Devious. Efficient. Orchestrated. Choreographed, even. I’ll allow it,” she said, grinning at Ivan. He simply looked at Misha, who thought for a minute, then nodded in agreement.
“Yoden, do you know when that guy will be here next?” she asked. “I feel like this is going to be a present for me. I need to know how long I have to wait for it.” I laughed at her, putting my arm around her, and pulling her to me.
“Keith said the guy comes every Tuesday and Friday. Always in the afternoon because Giana uses the excuse of having tea with Ms. Jackson in the afternoon as her cover,” Stephen said.
“Puta,” Sephie said quietly. I couldn’t help but laugh now that I knew what that word meant.
“I completely agree. I wonder if Ms. Jackson knows she’s being used?” I asked.
“Let’s find out what’s going on for sure and then I’m happy to put a stop to that,” Ivan said. “I can’t believe she would use her as a cover for this.” He was visibly angry.
“Super Squish. You’re going to break so many hearts at the Bingo Hall once they find out about this,” Sephie said.
Right on time.
Chapter Eighty-Four
Sephie
Ivan, Viktor, and Misha went to the lobby that afternoon to look at the security footage of Giana meeting with the mystery man. They were hoping to be able to formulate a plan to grab everything the next afternoon, so we could get answers as quickly as possible.
“You really think you can make it happen that quick?” I asked Ivan before they went downstairs.
“People are creatures of habit, princess. My guess is she does the same thing each time because it’s worked for her before. We just have to learn the pattern, so we know where to interrupt it to get what we need,” he said.
I squinted my eyes at him. “I don’t know how I feel about loving your devious side this much,” I said.
Adrik asked me to stay for his first meeting of the afternoon. “You’re going to be happy you did,” he said, smirking at me. He wouldn’t give me any more details than that.
“That means I have to put shoes back on. Is it going to be worth that?” I asked.
“I think so, but I promise to rub your feet later if you think it’s not,” he said, his eyebrow raised.
“You have excellent negotiation skills,” I said.
Stephen walked in the office as I slipped my heels back on. Vinny was behind him, along with his wife, Anna. Adrik caught my eye, with a clear “I told you” look on his face.
“Vinny!” I said.
“Ciao, bella!” he exclaimed as he opened his arms for a hug.
