Page 13 of Scripted for Love and Poison
“This place. The traffic is horrendous. If you want to walk, you need to drive first to a walking-friendly area. Everyone looks like they’re out of a TV show ...”
“And that last is a problem because ...?”
“I guess you’re right, and that last thing is not necessarilya problem. But I swear I’ve not seen a single crooked tooth since we’ve landed.”
“Again, what are you complaining about?”
“I’ve forgotten that you had a sweet spot for Americans,” Luke said, as Divya had been dating a Texan TV staffer called Moon whom Divya had met during the same case that brought Luke and Sol together.
“Should I remind you Sol has an American passport on top of her Spanish one?”
“No need,” he said, defeated. “But I’m a bit homesick, and the Americans have threatened to give us a job.”
“What, seriously? What job?”
Luke relayed the events of the previous night and how the publication Travis Wise worked for had expressed their interest in hiring private investigators. He also explained the facts surrounding the disappearance of Simon Smith and how he thought both occurrences were somewhat connected. It was too much of a coincidence, and at the Bakshi & Contadino Agency, they didn’t believe in those.
“I hope you’ve said yes,” said Divya when Luke finished talking.
“I was waiting to talk to you first, and to be clear, we’re only getting officially hired and paid to investigate the poisoning of Travis.”
“Yes, yes, let’s take it,” Divya said.
“Argh,” Luke growled. “Really?”
“Luke, we’ve got nowt on the books right now. That’s why I said it was a good time for you to head off for a couple of days and spend some time with Sol in LA. Honestly, this couldn’t’ve come at a better time. We needed clients, and somehow, you’ve gone and found them.”
“But I found them in bloody Los Angeles!” Even hecould hear how ridiculous he sounded. The truth was that the Bakshi & Contadino Agency needed cash urgently. He’d been worried before traveling to Los Angeles because of that. He’d almost told Sol that he couldn’t join her in the end because of how short on money he was, but he’d feared she would see it as one more reason why they weren’t a good fit.
“I’m sure you can survive wearing board shorts and drinking kale juices for a few more days,” Divya teased.
“You’re joking, but you don’t even realize. I haven’t been able to read a restaurant menu where all the dishes didn’t feature either kale or avocado—if not both. You ask a waiter to suggest something to order, and they always invariably say the brussels sprouts or the asparagus!” And yes, he’d almost told his romantic partner he wouldn’t accompany her there not only because he was broke but because he was a consummate reluctant traveler.
“Still not understanding why you’re complaining.”
“Alright, aren’t you going to join me in the ingestion of kale and avocado?”
“Are the clients willing to pay for my flight there?”
“Shit, probably not.”
“Then I’ll have to help you from here. And, if you need some help there, you can ask Sol,” Divya said.
Luke’s jaw was tight as he spoke. “I’m not getting Sol involved this time.”
“The way you told me the whole story, Sol is already quite involved,” Divya said. He knew that, but hearing it out loud didn’t help. “The last time she was involved in a case wasn’t that bad. You got a detective agency and a relationship out of it.”
“There’s a missing critic whose apartment is bloody. And another one who only made it alive out of an awardsceremony because he has a nut allergy. This isn’t like the last time Sol was involved.”
Divya’s tone sharpened as she spoke. “Careful she doesn’t hear you. Last time, her reputation and career were at stake. Not sure she sees it as nothing.”
“And I’m not saying it was nothing! You always take her side, even when she’s not here.” He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
“Don’t get jealous, will you?” Divya teased him.
“I’m not jealous. I’m just saying that I have the feeling this case may be dangerous, and I don’t want her near danger.” Saying it out loud helped him realize how much he didn’t want Sol getting involved in the new investigation.
“Absolutely, but so far you just have a gut feeling that this may be dangerous and you know those?—”
