Page 24 of PortCity Killers

“You would not be lying to me, would you, muñequita? Come now,” she motioned with her hands as if for me to get on with it.

I sputtered, “Collin is working for Vosco. He uh-he has access to some of his safe houses, overheard him talking about it.”

Don’s eyes narrowed on me, “You are sure he said this?”

I nodded, flushing, “He said he had to pick some stuff up from one of them, that Vosco would send someone to meet him there.”

“Collin is a fool,” Valentina laughed, “But he is not a traitor.”

“Isn’t he? He’s the one who stole from you in the first place. He’s been skimming off the top for months for this. I’ve seen it myself. I just didn’t know what he was doing.”

“What do you mean?” Don asked, straightening.

I shifted in my seat, the fabric of my dress shifting up. I tried tugging it down, but it was useless when I was sitting on most of it, so I shrugged, more to do something than anything else.

“He’s been rerouting shipments for months. I don’t push product often, so I don’t know all the regular routes, but he’s been giving me smaller packs for months.” That much at least was true, and I wondered how much of what we had pieced together was closer to the truth than we could have imagined. “He’s been pushing me more and more to take deliveries, especially ones that aren’t going to regulars. Some of the other movers have been making noise about it.”

“All our employees must be willing to move product.” Don said, stating one of the only reasons why I ever did touch the stuff. “Why would Collin have hired you if you were unwilling to do the work?”

“I’m not unwilling; I just don’t prefer it. Collin needed the people, and I’m a good worker. I just don’t like to do any of the outside deliveries. I don’t care about moving shit from the bar to the tables.”

There was commotion in the hallway and a knock on the door that made me jump.

Valentina’s smirk made me stiffen, the light in her eyes entirely too troublesome to be anything good, “Come in.”

The door swung open, revealing the man who had brought me in earlier, but behind him was another, taller man carrying a kicking and screaming Jaymes, blood dripping down his nose.