Page 34 of Pursuing the Egoist
Gustavo hesitated for a split second then slowly moved his chin to his left shoulder. “No. I’ll do it.”
Yugo wasn’t sure it was a good idea, given Gustavo considered Gaston his friend, but he didn’t argue. “If you need help with rechecking what he said, go ahead and use the security team.”
“Don’t worry; Greg is already on it. About the damage... I’ll compensate for it, so don’t touch his family,” Gustavo said, his eyes serious, hard.
Yugo scowled. One ton of heroin was a shitload of money to repay even for Gustavo. Despite Yugo managing to buy the product for one thousand dollars per kilo from the farm gate, the product’s cost grew each step on the way, and upon entering Austria the price reached forty-eight thousand per kilo.
“I’m serious.”
“It’s forty-eight million.”
“I’ll manage.”
Yugo knew that once Gustavo decided on something, it was nearly impossible to change his mind, so before his friend put his foot down, Yugo said, “You don’t really think I’m ready to give up a ton, do you? I’ll retrieve everything. You cover the forfeit.”
“Retrieve it?” A skeptical twist of Gustavo’s mouth told Yugo he didn’t believe him. “How?”
“Well…” The idea occurred, but Yugo didn’t have time to process it. “Once the case is closed, the police will release the heroin from the evidence vault. It takes up too much space, so they would want to get rid of it sooner. I’ll make a deal with the department’s evidence vault director to substitute it before they destroy it.”
Yugo almost cringed. It all sounded better in his head.
Disbelief in his every gesture, Gustavo opened his mouth then closed it, before he said with a poorly controlled smile, “He is known for his incorruptibility. How are you going to do that?”
“No one is incorruptible. Everyone has a price. Those who tried before just didn’t find the right thing to offer. Find out who paid Gaston, and I’ll take care of the cargo. Arrange another delivery before we lose territories.”
Yugo slapped Gustavo’s shoulder and hurried upstairs. Things were easier to say than do. He needed all the help he could get to execute this plan. He stopped before his hand reached the handle.
“Yugo…” Gustavo’s voice reached him from below.
“Don’t worry, I won’t touch his family. They are yours to do as you please.”
His palm landed on the cold door handle when the gunshot echoed through space. The loud sound restarted the thinking process in Yugo’s mind, bringing together all the pieces of information.
“I don’t believe the part Leiris played in this is coincidence. Someone is doing their best to undermine the S-Syndicate’s authority, and I need to know who the motherfucker is. Turn everything inside out, and find out who moved the pawns.”
“Got it.”
“Put surveillance on everyone who knew about Leiris’ involvement. Find those who spread the rumor about Gaston. And tell Rudolph to run an audit of the money laundry companies.”
“Do you think we have a mole?”
Yugo winced. “I don’t like guessing; I like knowing. Check the competitors. Maybe something will come up, and arrange a room for Gustavo. He will be staying overnight.” Yugo pulled the door and stepped out of the basement. “Also, do me a favor, drive Mio home. He’ll be ready in an hour.”
GREG INFORMING YUGOof a new message arriving from an unregistered number to Leiris’ cell phone two days later didn’t come as a surprise. The same hotel but another room booked in cash was fully wired a few hours before the visit. Sitting behind the desk, Greg manipulated the cameras as Yugo perched himself on the windowsill.
On the screen, Lena paced the room, waiting for Leiris to arrive. Unlike the last time, she looked refreshed and impatiently happy. Her face glowed with hope, so did her dark eyes. The clattering of her heels filled the air as she made another circle, her white, smart dress shifting with every move. Her long hair, tied at the crown of her head in a pony-tail, whipped the air. Today, she didn’t wear a ring.
The knock stopped her pacing. Without hiding, she swung the door open and threw herself into Leiris’ arms.
Angry heat pierced the back of Yugo’s head as he watched the cause of his problems walk into the room and return the welcome kiss. Clean-shaven, dressed in a leather jacket, black button-up, and plain jeans, Leiris exuded the same calm attention.
A memory misted in front of Yugo’s eyes, reminding him how uncontrolled, how needy Kuon had been in his dream.Nothing like reality.
The comparison was disappointing.
“I missed you,” Lena smiled against the kiss. Stepping back, she clutched his hand in hers and tugged him into the room. “I still can’t believe he’s been arrested.”
When she spun on her heels to face Kuon again, her eyes shimmered with bliss.
