Page 56 of Secret Weapon

“Go easy on the vodka—I’ll be back soon.”

As I strolled along the corridor, I took one of my two wedding rings off my necklace and slipped it onto my finger.I didn’t always wear them because, with my lifestyle, they’d only end up getting destroyed, but I didn’t want to give Nico the wrong impression tonight.He struck me as a bit of a womaniser.Both of my rings were from the same man, I hasten to add—we’d just had two wedding ceremonies.

Nico was waiting at a table in a quiet corner of the bar, a bottle of Beluga and two shot glasses in front of him.As I approached, he rose to greet me with a kiss to the cheek.Yup, definitely a charmer.

“Have you been back for long?”I asked.He was wearing the same suit he’d been in earlier, but he’d undone an extra button on the shirt.

“An hour.”

When he tapped the bottle, I nodded, and he poured.

“How are Ottie and Leona?”

“No change in Ottie, so the doctors say.Leona’s blaming herself for leaving Ottie alone.”

“It’s not her fault.”

“I know.”Nico drained his glass and poured himself another.“Maybe it’s mine.”

“Yours?”

“I hired Rodrigo.Took a chance on a man that perhaps I shouldn’t have.”

“You said earlier he had a record—what was it for?”

“Assault.But who among us hasn’t stepped in when a reprobate decides to bother a young lady?”

I took a sip of the vodka.Not bad, but I’d have preferred a gin and tonic.

“His only mistake was getting caught, huh?”

“So I thought.”

“Your instincts were probably right.”

“Based on your PI skills?”

“That and Ottie’s movements.Someone poisoned her dog and lay in wait for her when she took the mutt to the veterinarian.Rodrigo stopped him from intercepting her on the way, but he got her on the way back.”

“Poisoned?You think this was pre-planned?”

“The evidence so far suggests it could have been.”

“I see.And you’ve told Deputy Mendez this?”

“Not yet.He was otherwise engaged this evening.A hostage incident, apparently.”

“A hostage incident?In Baldwin’s Shore?”

“A lady named Elda Tucker had a disagreement with her husband.”

“Oh, those two.I’m surprised he’s still breathing.If Elda doesn’t shoot him, liver failure will do the job.”

“I’ll chat to Mendez in the morning.”

“Ditto.And I’ll speak with the rest of the staff too.I can’t believe nobody saw a thing, especially if the dog was harmed deliberately as you say.”

“Can I make a suggestion?”

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