Part 40 (1/2)

”Mind your own business,” Landis said aggressively.

”Some things cannot be acted.” He kept his focus on Heather.

”She didn't have a moment of hesitation or need explanations. The way she...handled you...a true pro.”

”I did my homework,” Landis said through gritted teeth.

She didn't understand why Landis was getting so worked up.

”If your homework includes buying s.e.x, then you've been quite studious.”

”What are you trying to do?” Landis unbuckled her belt and got up, hands curled into fists.

”Tell me I'm wrong.” He smiled, clearly happy he was pus.h.i.+ng Landis's b.u.t.tons. ”No reason to be ashamed for your choices...or is there?” He rubbed his hands. ”You see, I may be a lot of things, but I'm not a hypocrite. I may have to pay to f.u.c.k, but I at least have the b.a.l.l.s to admit it. How about you? Are you so ashamed of yourself, so spineless, that you can't admit you like to pay for p.u.s.s.y?” Shocked, Heather stared at Dario. Though she now knew the true nature of his loathsome business, he had always rigidly maintained a veneer of polite decorum and control. She had never heard him use such language, and although he was outwardly calm, the hate was clear in his eyes.

Without warning, Landis crossed the plane in a blur and grabbed him by the throat.

* 304 *

”The truth too ugly to bear?” he managed to say while choking.

”You thought f.u.c.king wh.o.r.es was fun until you fell for one?” He started to cough.

She tried to pull Landis away, afraid she would kill him right in front of her. ”Let him go.”

Landis relented and released her grip, but she wasn't done with him. She leaned into him with menace in her eyes, fiercely gripping his armrests. ”You're right. I pay for s.e.x. But I have the spine to show my face and do it myself. I don't need to hide behind gla.s.s and jerk off while some joker in reindeer underwear does it for me.”

”Reindeer underw...” Her mind clouded with Landis's admissions. She hires call girls. And worse-there was only one way she could know what that john she had been with the other night had been wearing.

Landis let go of Dario and turned to her. It was clear from Landis's face that she didn't immediately realize what she'd just said; she was still enraged with Dario. But when she saw the expression on Heather's face she put it together pretty quickly. Her rage faded, replaced by shock and regret.

”You watched me while I...” She stuttered. ”You said you never...” She didn't know where to start. ”You pay for s.e.x?” Flabbergasted by the revelations and lies, she sat back down and covered her face.

”Is there a problem?” an unfamiliar male voice asked.

She looked up. A young man in civilian clothes but with a military stance loomed over them.

Landis straightened after giving Dario a final threatening look.

”We're fine now,” she told the man, dismissing him.

When he'd returned to the c.o.c.kpit, Landis sat beside her again but didn't look at her. ”I was going to tell you.”

”Which part?”

”Both, all.”

”When?”

”After we-”

She waved her hand. ”You know what? I actually don't give a d.a.m.n about what you have to say because you clearly have a problem with the truth.”

* 305 *

”I'm sorry, I-”

”The two of you are just a different shade of evil.” She tried to keep calm, but her emotions were all over the place, and she was close to losing any trace of composure she had left. She felt so ashamed and...used. ”Only difference between you is he's a greedy, murdering b.a.s.t.a.r.d, and you're a lying, ruthless one.” She got up and walked to the rear of the plane and sat by another window, facing away. When she was sure Landis didn't intend to follow her, she let the tears of betrayal and pain fall.

* 306 *

ChaPter thirty-three.

Ma.r.s.eille, France 10:15 p.m.

Chase dialed Jack's number as soon as they landed and asked her to meet them at the Villa Ma.s.salia Concorde, where Reno had found two available rooms one floor apart. Three miles from the city center in a quiet, residential neighborhood, the four-star hotel offered panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea, a few blocks away, and the adjacent Borely Park. The drive getting there in the rental van was tedious and deadly quiet-Heather was still angry at the whole situation, and Dario was either pouting or scheming.

Jack was outside, her bag at her feet, when they pulled up to the curb. She pushed herself off the brick exterior when Chase emerged from behind the driver's seat. Glancing inside, she asked, ”What's up with the tourist group?”

”I'll explain later, but it was necessary.”

”This'll be fun.”

”What have you been up to?” Chase asked as Heather got out the other side.

”No luck with tracking Rozsa,” Jack replied benignly. She had a calmness about her that didn't make sense.

”Anything else?”

”Yeah. Later.”

”Is someone going to help me out?” Dario asked.

* 307 *

Jack glanced his way. ”Looks like your carry-on is getting impatient.”

Chase removed the wheelchair from the back of the van and wheeled it over to the pa.s.senger side, while Jack helped Heather get her suitcase. ”Welcome to the screwed-up world of intrigue,” Jack said to her. ”How are you enjoying it so far?”

”Let's see,” Heather replied drolly. ”I've been lied to and misled by you and your friend, arrested because Dario planted cocaine in my bag when he found the wire, thrown in jail, and was about to become spare parts.”

”I can't vouch for the other two,” Jack said, ”but I never lied to you.”

”You said there were no cameras in the brownstone.”

”Oh. That.” Jack looked down at her feet.