Read Online The Body Market: A Leine Basso Thriller by D.V. Berkom - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: D.V. Berkom
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the Blue Manatee, with several tables full of diners.
She walked over to a man standing behind the counter wearing a white linen guayabera and a pair of khakis. Tortoise-shell glasses perched on top of his head.
“Is Guillermo working tonight?”
“Who wants to know?” the man asked with a disarming smile. He reminded Leine of a younger version of an actor she’d seen in movies from the 80s named Raul Julia.
“My name is Lana Turner. Jorge at the Blue Manatee told me that I would be able to find him here.”
The man’s smile widened into a grin, revealing even white teeth. “I am Guillermo. What can I do for you, Lana Turner?”
Leine returned the smile and pulled out the photos.
“I’m looking for someone who remembers either of these two people. They were at the Blue Manatee last Saturday night.”
Guillermo slid his glasses down and leaned in to take a closer look at the photographs. His cologne had a deep, exotic scent.
After a minute he nodded, tapping the picture of Elise with a well-manicured fingernail. “Yes, I remember her.” He leaned back and smiled. “She was a vision in a white beaded dress and fabulous shoes. Christian Louboutin, if I’m not mistaken. He wasn’t so bad, either,” he added with a wicked grin.
Bingo. “Do you remember if they were with anyone?”
Guillermo nodded. “I do, because he was so striking. A big man with an accent—maybe Russian? Tall and muscular with white hair and light blue eyes. He looked kind of like an actor I’ve seen before.” He paused for a moment, frowning in concentration. Frustrated, he shook his head. “I can’t remember who, now. He and the boyfriend took off and left her alone at the bar.” He made a tsking sound with his tongue. “Poor thing. She waited a long time. When he didn’t come back, she became angry and walked out.”
“So she didn’t leave with him?” That complicated things.
Guillermo shrugged. “I don’t know. The boyfriend returned to the bar not long after she left and asked me if I knew where she’d gone. I told him no, but that she looked angry and had only left a few minutes before. After that he disappeared into the crowd.”
“Was the Russian man still with him?”
He shook his head. “I didn’t see him.” Guillermo watched Leine for a moment, an unreadable expression on his face. “They are missing, yes?”
“Yes.”
“Then I hope you find them.”
Leine reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded fifty-dollar bill and a business card. She placed them on the counter, covering the money with the card. “Thank you, Guillermo. If you see them or hear anything, would you give me a call?”
Guillermo smiled and nodded as he pocketed the cash. “My pleasure, Lana Turner.”
Leine walked out of the Gypsy and into the warm evening air, thinking about what Guillermo had said. Obviously, Josh had caught up with Elise and talked her into going with him to the party. What Leine didn’t know was the part the Russian played in their disappearances. It was possible he had nothing to do with it. It could have been a cartel kidnapping.
The noise on the street had increased and the growing energy was palpable. Leine stood on the busy sidewalk watching the human carnival drift by, absorbing the place. Normally, she would have changed her appearance in order to blend with her surroundings, but the trip had been unexpected and she hadn’t felt the need. She would have liked to have been a bit more anonymous. As it was, people glanced at her as they passed but didn’t engage.
Worked for her.
Not wanting to attract attention, she headed back to the secure parking lot and her rental. Lou had made hotel reservations a few miles out of town at a place called the Vista Inn, which wasn’t far from the abandoned housing development where they’d found Josh’s phone. An early night followed by an early start meant better odds of being home in time for dinner.
But first she wanted to connect with the DEA
She walked over to a man standing behind the counter wearing a white linen guayabera and a pair of khakis. Tortoise-shell glasses perched on top of his head.
“Is Guillermo working tonight?”
“Who wants to know?” the man asked with a disarming smile. He reminded Leine of a younger version of an actor she’d seen in movies from the 80s named Raul Julia.
“My name is Lana Turner. Jorge at the Blue Manatee told me that I would be able to find him here.”
The man’s smile widened into a grin, revealing even white teeth. “I am Guillermo. What can I do for you, Lana Turner?”
Leine returned the smile and pulled out the photos.
“I’m looking for someone who remembers either of these two people. They were at the Blue Manatee last Saturday night.”
Guillermo slid his glasses down and leaned in to take a closer look at the photographs. His cologne had a deep, exotic scent.
After a minute he nodded, tapping the picture of Elise with a well-manicured fingernail. “Yes, I remember her.” He leaned back and smiled. “She was a vision in a white beaded dress and fabulous shoes. Christian Louboutin, if I’m not mistaken. He wasn’t so bad, either,” he added with a wicked grin.
Bingo. “Do you remember if they were with anyone?”
Guillermo nodded. “I do, because he was so striking. A big man with an accent—maybe Russian? Tall and muscular with white hair and light blue eyes. He looked kind of like an actor I’ve seen before.” He paused for a moment, frowning in concentration. Frustrated, he shook his head. “I can’t remember who, now. He and the boyfriend took off and left her alone at the bar.” He made a tsking sound with his tongue. “Poor thing. She waited a long time. When he didn’t come back, she became angry and walked out.”
“So she didn’t leave with him?” That complicated things.
Guillermo shrugged. “I don’t know. The boyfriend returned to the bar not long after she left and asked me if I knew where she’d gone. I told him no, but that she looked angry and had only left a few minutes before. After that he disappeared into the crowd.”
“Was the Russian man still with him?”
He shook his head. “I didn’t see him.” Guillermo watched Leine for a moment, an unreadable expression on his face. “They are missing, yes?”
“Yes.”
“Then I hope you find them.”
Leine reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded fifty-dollar bill and a business card. She placed them on the counter, covering the money with the card. “Thank you, Guillermo. If you see them or hear anything, would you give me a call?”
Guillermo smiled and nodded as he pocketed the cash. “My pleasure, Lana Turner.”
Leine walked out of the Gypsy and into the warm evening air, thinking about what Guillermo had said. Obviously, Josh had caught up with Elise and talked her into going with him to the party. What Leine didn’t know was the part the Russian played in their disappearances. It was possible he had nothing to do with it. It could have been a cartel kidnapping.
The noise on the street had increased and the growing energy was palpable. Leine stood on the busy sidewalk watching the human carnival drift by, absorbing the place. Normally, she would have changed her appearance in order to blend with her surroundings, but the trip had been unexpected and she hadn’t felt the need. She would have liked to have been a bit more anonymous. As it was, people glanced at her as they passed but didn’t engage.
Worked for her.
Not wanting to attract attention, she headed back to the secure parking lot and her rental. Lou had made hotel reservations a few miles out of town at a place called the Vista Inn, which wasn’t far from the abandoned housing development where they’d found Josh’s phone. An early night followed by an early start meant better odds of being home in time for dinner.
But first she wanted to connect with the DEA
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