Page 93 of Sinner's Secret

I found your bartender.

That was suspiciously non-specific. He knew a lot of bartenders and Yvgeny knew that.

Shit, he really was as paranoid as the rest of them. He glanced at Nika, sleeping like the dead. Nika who’d been kidnapped and shot. Nika who trusted him even though she shouldn’t.

Eh, maybe paranoid wasn’t so bad. He texted a response.

Which one?

The reply took almost a minute before it landed.

How many of your bartenders have gone missing?

Well, look at that, he’d caught a nibble. Or his cousin was fucking with him. Only one way to find out, see if he could get the nice fishy to bite?

I don’t tag them like cows. They get to do what they want. Sometimes that means going on vacation, or even moving to another city.

Seconds ticked past. Hmm, time to let out the line.

Do I need to come get my barkeep, or can you take him home?

If I get any closer to him, he’s going to piss his pants.

WTF? Did you out yourself?

No, but poor Joe saw something that has him freaked out.

Finally, the right name.

He picked up a gun somewhere and is threatening to shoot anyone who comes near him with it. He isn’t going to trust me.

What makes you think he’s going to trust me?

You’re his lucky charm, remember?

So, it was Yvgeny texting him and not someone else. Still...

Location?

50 floors down. I found him sitting in the bar.

Well, that was odd.

In public?

He’s not actually waving the gun around. Could you please come and get him before I have to call the cops?

Fine, I’ll be right there.

Baz stood, but discovered his feet had no interest in moving. Smart feet. He found Nika’s cute backup gun and shoved it under her pillow where she could reach it in a hurry. There, she had a weapon.

Paranoid, he was getting so paranoid.

Even worse, he was starting to act like his mother.

Chapter Sixteen

Baz took the elevator down to the lobby level. When the doors opened, the hotel manager was waiting for him with a weak smile and a sweaty brow.

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