Read Online Getaway by Lisa Brackmann - Free Book Online
Authors: Lisa Brackmann
Tags: Suspense
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the downtown Vallarta tourist galleries.
On the table was a pizza in a box, a salad in a plastic take-out container, and an open bottle of wine.
“Thought you might be hungry,” Gary said. “I know this isn’t exactly haute cuisine, but these guys do a pretty good job on short notice.”
“Thanks,” Michelle said, sitting down at the table. Pizza wasn’t generally her thing, but she really was hungry. She helped herself to a slice and a scoop of salad. Gary poured her a glass of wine.
The pizza was good, and so was the salad. The wine was drinkable, which was good enough under the circumstances.
“You know, I can’t find my passport,” she finally said.
“Anything else missing? Oh—” He made a show of patting his chest, as if he’d stashed something in a nonexistent pocket. “I have your phone and your jewelry. Almost forgot about it.”
“What about my passport?”
“Well, that’s a little complicated.”
“Complicated how?”
He took a slow, deliberate sip of wine. “They’re dropping the charges, for now. But they don’t quite trust you, Michelle. They want to keep their eye on you a little bit longer.”
That doesn’t make sense! she wanted to scream, but she didn’t.
“I guess I don’t understand,” she said. “Somebody planted a little bit of—what was it, coke?—in my purse. Not enough for anyone to really even care about. Otherwise you wouldn’t have gotten me out so easily. Right? But you’re telling me they care enough to hold on to my passport?”
Gary smiled and served himself another slice of pizza, cutting the dangling strings of cheese with his knife. “I knew you were smart. It’s always a pleasure, finding someone like you. A diamond in the rough.”
“Look, Gary …” How was she going to get herself out of this when she didn’t even know what she’d gotten into? “I’m really grateful for the help. But right now what I need to know is, when do I get my passport back? I have a lot on my plate, and I’ve got to get home.”
“Oh, yeah.” He seemed to find this doubly amusing. “I imagine you do. I did a little checking into your situation—no place to live, a pile of debt, a lawsuit or two hanging over your head—I’m sure you can’t wait to get back to all that.”
Michelle felt her cheeks burn red. “I have obligations to deal with,” she managed.
“Husband dies, leaves you holding the bag …” Gary shook his head. “And all this time you spent … well, what is it you’ve been doing the last ten years, Michelle? Entertaining? You’re capable of so much more.”
How the fuck did he know all this? “Thanks for the compliment.”
Gary reached over to grasp the wine bottle, ready to refill her glass. Michelle put her hand on his and gave him a little squeeze. “What about my passport?”
She wanted to see if the gesture would rattle him at all. It didn’t.
“Like I said before, this is about us helping each other. Here’s your chance to help me back.”
“What if I just went to the consulate, told them I lost my passport?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t do that, Michelle.” His eyes widened ever so slightly, bloodshot beneath the puffy lids. “I really wouldn’t.”
[CHAPTER EIGHT]
He made it sound so simple .
“All you have to do is keep an eye on Danny for me a couple weeks. Let me know what he’s up to, who he sees.”
“Why?”
“Danny’s involved in some sketchy stuff,” he said. “And it’d be real helpful to us to have a better idea of the specifics.”
“ ‘Us’ being …?”
“Well, it’s really better if I don’t say.”
Great, Michelle thought. “You can’t ask me to get involved with something when I don’t even know who you are,” she said.
“Actually, I can.” He laughed, his cheeks rounded like a baby’s. “I just did.”
She almost got up from the table. What would happen if she just walked out the door?
“Now, come on, don’t be mad. I’m a consultant, just like I told
On the table was a pizza in a box, a salad in a plastic take-out container, and an open bottle of wine.
“Thought you might be hungry,” Gary said. “I know this isn’t exactly haute cuisine, but these guys do a pretty good job on short notice.”
“Thanks,” Michelle said, sitting down at the table. Pizza wasn’t generally her thing, but she really was hungry. She helped herself to a slice and a scoop of salad. Gary poured her a glass of wine.
The pizza was good, and so was the salad. The wine was drinkable, which was good enough under the circumstances.
“You know, I can’t find my passport,” she finally said.
“Anything else missing? Oh—” He made a show of patting his chest, as if he’d stashed something in a nonexistent pocket. “I have your phone and your jewelry. Almost forgot about it.”
“What about my passport?”
“Well, that’s a little complicated.”
“Complicated how?”
He took a slow, deliberate sip of wine. “They’re dropping the charges, for now. But they don’t quite trust you, Michelle. They want to keep their eye on you a little bit longer.”
That doesn’t make sense! she wanted to scream, but she didn’t.
“I guess I don’t understand,” she said. “Somebody planted a little bit of—what was it, coke?—in my purse. Not enough for anyone to really even care about. Otherwise you wouldn’t have gotten me out so easily. Right? But you’re telling me they care enough to hold on to my passport?”
Gary smiled and served himself another slice of pizza, cutting the dangling strings of cheese with his knife. “I knew you were smart. It’s always a pleasure, finding someone like you. A diamond in the rough.”
“Look, Gary …” How was she going to get herself out of this when she didn’t even know what she’d gotten into? “I’m really grateful for the help. But right now what I need to know is, when do I get my passport back? I have a lot on my plate, and I’ve got to get home.”
“Oh, yeah.” He seemed to find this doubly amusing. “I imagine you do. I did a little checking into your situation—no place to live, a pile of debt, a lawsuit or two hanging over your head—I’m sure you can’t wait to get back to all that.”
Michelle felt her cheeks burn red. “I have obligations to deal with,” she managed.
“Husband dies, leaves you holding the bag …” Gary shook his head. “And all this time you spent … well, what is it you’ve been doing the last ten years, Michelle? Entertaining? You’re capable of so much more.”
How the fuck did he know all this? “Thanks for the compliment.”
Gary reached over to grasp the wine bottle, ready to refill her glass. Michelle put her hand on his and gave him a little squeeze. “What about my passport?”
She wanted to see if the gesture would rattle him at all. It didn’t.
“Like I said before, this is about us helping each other. Here’s your chance to help me back.”
“What if I just went to the consulate, told them I lost my passport?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t do that, Michelle.” His eyes widened ever so slightly, bloodshot beneath the puffy lids. “I really wouldn’t.”
[CHAPTER EIGHT]
He made it sound so simple .
“All you have to do is keep an eye on Danny for me a couple weeks. Let me know what he’s up to, who he sees.”
“Why?”
“Danny’s involved in some sketchy stuff,” he said. “And it’d be real helpful to us to have a better idea of the specifics.”
“ ‘Us’ being …?”
“Well, it’s really better if I don’t say.”
Great, Michelle thought. “You can’t ask me to get involved with something when I don’t even know who you are,” she said.
“Actually, I can.” He laughed, his cheeks rounded like a baby’s. “I just did.”
She almost got up from the table. What would happen if she just walked out the door?
“Now, come on, don’t be mad. I’m a consultant, just like I told
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