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Laughing, I say. “Honestly, she’s a temp. I have another week. Probably two. James told me today when I called him on that very topic. She waylays me every time I come into the office. I haven’t exactly been as direct with her as you have been, but …” The words die under my laugh. Charming looks annoyed. He is always so polished and arrogant. It would do him good to laugh a little more, I think to myself. If I didn’t have a murder to solve and avenge, I’d take him out into the rougher parts of Cloverdale and show him a good time, how to live like a commoner.
“It’s just James’ little joke. He knew it would piss me off. Never mind the pixie. Let’s hear it. Why are you here this time?” I ask. Charming looks like he wants to spit rocks the way he is clenching his jaw.
“Nice friend you got there.” He doesn’t sound like he thinks James is nice at all. He’s actually never met him, but I don’t know that they’d get along. James is an acquired taste. Charming aims another annoyed look my way. “Fine, whatever. I just prefer not to be molested when I come for an appointment.” Charming picks invisible lint off the sleeve of his suit jacket. “I have some information for you Dalmatius.” His eyes narrow on me for a moment of consideration.
I sit back in my chair, elbows resting on the arms of the chair, linking my hands together. “Let’s hear it.” I prompt.
“The supplier we use for potion ingredients has mysteriously gone missing.” Charming’s fingers tap on the arm of the chair.
“Really?” I already know this information. James notified me last week that many of the legitimate Cloverdale sources for potion ingredients have dried up mysteriously. We have always been cautious with our smuggling operations, leaving the original legitimate lines open. For Gallegos, ithas been about not wanting to attract the wrong attention. The palace typically orders legitimate source materials. It has also been that it was more lucrative to allow purchasing for things like potions from people who can’t buy from regular avenues. However, if someone was taking out the legitimate lines of supply … and it wasn’t me… Who is it?
A flash of irritation lights Charming’s eyes. “Yes, I figured that you already knew about it, but I wanted to open the dialog with you about two things.” He drums his fingers some more, a habit I find extremely annoying.
“You want to open an account with me then?” I guess. He nods curtly, obviously not happy about it. Charming is pretentious about certain things. He disapproves of criminal activities, which is ironic because he hires through BB Solutions for assassinations. I’ve asked him before about that very topic, but he doesn’t seem to think that what he uses BB Solutions for is unjustified. Apparently, for him, that makes all the difference.
“Apparently I do, with the Gallegos Syndicate.” He lays it out plainly. While Charming and I do some of our business under the auspices of my BB Solutions moniker, the Gallegos Syndicate is clearly the criminal arm of my enterprises. “I won’t claim that I’m pleased about it. Just so you know there have been inquiries made regardingthe individual that has cut down the supply routes from the coastal regions. Apparently, it isn’t just potions that are affected.” The distaste on his face is plain.
“We’ve had disruptions in operations. Minor at first.” It pains me to admit. “James and I plan to head to the Picmond momentarily, actually.” I admit. “We also have seen some attacks in the forest that are uncharacteristic. Even a murder of an old friend.” I add the last one as a personal note. Charming could have information regarding the last bit.
His fingers steeple together, touching his chin, but he isn’t surprised. So, he already knows. “Is this a personal attack then?” he asks.
That is the question that James and I have posed. I am not totally sure if I am being honest. Until this incident with Lillian I would have said no, but now I wonder.
“Well, the incursion into territories would show yes. Lillian was previous head of the Syndicate. Whoever murdered her will answer for it.” I reply honestly and without mincing words. There is no use in pretending he doesn’t know who the victim was.
He nods. “As I mentioned, there were inquiries.” His hands come to rest on the arms of the chair and after a moment, he leans forward. “What do you know of a man named Marco?”
For a moment I am stunned as things collide together in my brain. Lillian immediately threw Marco out of the Syndicate’s circle after the incident with Rowan more than a decade ago. I explained what I saw when she asked me — that filth pawing at Rowan when she was just barely growing old enough to date, still in her schoolgirl skirts. Lillian was livid, and I was sure she’d have him killed for daring to touch her like he did. It had complicated things that Rowan had denied anything happened. However, I understood. She didn’t know Lillian then and perhaps, even now wouldn’t be willing to sign over a man’s life like she would surely have been doing by explaining what had happened.
“I won’t ask if you’re sure,” I say. “I am surprised.” Sebastian has an uncanny spy network that I’m not sure he needs or in what capacity he uses. His spies within the kingdom are legendary. “If you say that is who is involved … I’m sure you are right. Your information has never failed me before. I know of him.”
“He’s been imprisoned several years and was released recently. Since then, he went into a new venture that I think you wouldn't appreciate.”His lips curve into what I can only describe as a smile, but sinister. “We hadn’t realized the lengths that he was going to.”
“Well,” I approach the topic cautiously. “That’s interesting. I wouldn’t have thought that I’d cross paths with him again. Is the palace going to intervene in this matter?”
“We are not currently planning to.” Sebastian’s gaze is assessing. “I thought perhaps you would prefer to handle it covertly.” His fingers take up the light tapping again. “However,” his hand makes a wave into the air. “If that isn’t the case?” He leaves it open. Obviously, it is up for me to decide. Fight for the business and clear the riffraff that is clogging up the legitimate lines of traffic or lose it all.
“I would prefer to handle this myself.” Sebastian knew this would be my answer for many reasons. I am not the type of man to allow threats to the business to go unanswered. “Marco and I have history prior to his imprisonment.” I give the information grudgingly, but I’m sure he already has it.
“Fine.” Charming repeats. “I don’t really want to know the details.” He stands slowly, brushing the creases from his trousers before handing me a slip of paper. “Here’s the current location that Iknow of. Thank you for your time, Riven.” Just as he reaches the doorway, he stops his hand on the handle. “If you need my help …”
“I won’t,” I bite out.
“Of course.” He inclines his head slightly before finally exiting without a backward glance.
Charming is a decent sort. The information really is invaluable. Knowing that it is Marco behind these attacks on the business. Well, revenge is sweet is all I can say. That he killed Lillian is part of it. Well, it all makes sense in the big picture. Marco is trying to take out the Syndicate by killing Lillian. Too bad for him I suppose Lillian has stepped back from Gallego and appointed me as her successor a long time ago. Thinking of Lillian though makes me think of Rowan and the danger she is in.
It is like I conjured her up. My personal phone rings.
Chapter Seven
ROWAN
Ican’t seem to pull myself together. All day I’ve been trying to remind myself that Lillian is dead, but the hours are just sliding by, piling on top of each other and then disappearing like stones in a pond. The images of them removing her body, taking evidence, and questioning me are just glimmers of a nightmare, fuzzy in their shape. Eventually I stumble to the bedroom where I can break down and sob, the familiar verbena scent she wore still in the blankets, bringing with it images of my life here at the cottage. It wasn’t all great, but Lillian made sure that she did her best for me. She taught me how to defend myself, how to make a mean blueberry muffin, and how to pop out someone’s eyeball with my thumbs if I needed to.
When I wake, it is painful to look around the home I had. My body feels worn down to the very marrow of my bones, depleted. I’m not sure how that could be, because I obviously didn’t clean earlier. Nobody really mentions to you that when someone you love is murdered, the police leave you to clean up the mess and gore. I’m not sure that I can face it if I’m being honest with myself. Flopping back on the bed for a moment, I give myself another few seconds to stare at the ceiling and take a few breaths. “Nobody is coming to help you.” I say out loud to reinforce that now I truly am alone now. My parents are gone and the woman that I consider a grandmother is dead now, too. “Get it done Rowan.” Heaving myself up, I head out to the other room.
There really is nobody I can call except Riven. I had thought of him last night and fell asleep thinking of him. Our brief fling was just that - a fling. He dropped me quick as could be when Lillian dangled a business opportunity in his face. She wasn’t perfect, but she wanted a man for me that would put me first. Lillian put Riven to the test, and he failed. But he needs to know about this just for Syndicate reasons. It’s a threat against the Syndicate for someone to come kill her. I think he will want to help too. The Riven that I knew back then would come to help. I chew on a fingernail for a moment and then hit ‘dial’. I almost cancel the call when his voice comes on the line.
