Page 83 of Blue Moon

“Not so much right now, but I hope to someday. My nephew is sick, so I have to stay near Tbilisi to help my sister.”

When she told the story to Ron Hill, it had been her grandma who was sick. Did she even have a sister? She sounded convincing, and if Ryder had been Hill, single and gullible and faced with a sob story and a pretty face, he’d probably have flown to Georgia too. But he wouldn’t have stolen Luna’s money to do it.

“I hope it’s nothing too serious.”

Mack spoke through Ryder’s hidden earpiece. “If she’s telling the truth about the weather, she’s not in Tbilisi. She’s somewhere on the coast if she’s in Georgia at all.”

“She definitely has a Georgian accent,” Khatia put in.

“The doctors think it’s a genetic problem,” Elene said. “Misho is getting treatment, but…” She sniffed, and her eyes actually glistened. Damn, she could have made a fortune in Hollywood.

“A genetic problem?” Mack said. “That’s too vague to be of any use, if the kid even exists.”

Fifty bucks said he didn’t.

“It’s nice that you’re close to your sister,” Ryder said to Elene. “You have any other siblings?”

“Only Mariam.”

Another name, most likely fake.

“Are your parents nearby to help?”

She shook her head. “My mama passed away, and my father was never around.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. I think my dad’s in the Caribbean with my stepmom, and my mom’s in Paris with her boyfriend.”

“They got divorced a long time ago?”

“When Cammie and I were kids.”

“That must have hurt. I’m sorry.”

“Hey, they’re both happier without each other. At least the yelling stopped. Mom chilled out, and some of Dad’s girlfriends were fun. There was one, Loretta…” Ryder chuckled. “She was, like, nineteen, and she didn’t give a shit if we ate candy and ice cream for dinner, and one time, Cammie ate so many Peanut Butter Cups that she puked on the couch.”

“I did not.”

Ryder jumped at the voice from stage left and cursed in his head. Fuckin’ Marcel. He’d nominated himself as director in this little performance, and apparently, that included casting an admittedly stunning blonde as Ryder’s sister.

“They were Butterfinger bars,” she said as she bent to look at the screen. “Are you the hot Texan girl?”

“Cammie…” Ryder’s groan was genuine. “Don’t you have a cliff to go jump off?”

“Not right now.”

“Cammie” squashed onto the seat beside Ryder, and for the first time, Elene looked less than composed. Who the fuck was this woman? He had no idea, but he could feel her concealed carry piece digging into his hip.

“I’m from Georgia,” Elene said, eyes narrowed.

“Wait, really? Your accent’s weird.”

“Georgia the country, not Georgia the state,” Ryder told her.

“No way! Isn’t that on the other side of the world?”

“Yeah. And Jamie was the girl from Texas. We went on one date two months ago, that’s all.”

“Well, it’s a good thing we have a jet.” Fake Cammie leaned closer to the screen. “I do need to give you the mandatory warning—if you hurt my brother, I’ll kick your ass. Got it?”

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