Page 71 of Secret Weapon

“Possibly.The powers that be would like to keep the events here quiet, which is difficult when Leona’s upset and you’ve been questioning your staff.”

“Let me guess—you want me to tuck Leona out of the way and spin a story to the staff?”

“You’re more than just a pretty face, Nico.Would you mind?”

“What would I get out of the deal?”

“That’s a question I’ve been asking myself.I get the feeling that bunging you a few quid under the table wouldn’t work?”

He just laughed, as I’d expected him to.

“So how about a favour?I don’t give those out easily, and I always pay up.”

Nico took a sip of his coffee and walked to the window.He had a nice view of the gardens.Not as nice as the view from the other side of the house—the great room looked out over the ocean and his private dock—but there were definitely worse places to live.

“And when would this favour be available?”

“Anytime after I’ve finished dealing with the Marquette mess.”

“Emerson Black… I looked at hiring Blackwood Security once, but I wasn’t sure the company would be a good fit.”

“Really?And why was that?”

“I thought a big firm like yours would be too rigid.Too black and white.But now that I’ve met you, I’m not so sure.You’re fifty shades of grey, Mrs.Black.”

“I’m not into spanking, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“A shame.It can be extremely pleasurable.”He took a sip of coffee.“I’m looking for a woman.”

“Can’t you just open your little black book and pick a number?”

“A particular woman.Her name is Kaylin.”

“Is this the favour?You mislaid one of your harem?”

“Kaylin and I were never involved, not in that way.She was more of a…a sister, I suppose.”

“You suppose?”

“My father had a relationship with her mother.She was his mistress.He had a lot of those, but Renée lasted longer than most.A model, an American model, and she had a child.I guess that when she gave birth, she couldn’t have been much more than a child herself because she was in her early twenties when she was with Papa, and Kaylin was eight.”

Nico Belinsky was full of surprises.He’d cared enough about a child that he wanted to use up a diamond of a favour on looking for the woman she’d become?

“How old is she now?”

“Eight years younger than me, so twenty-six.I’ve had a man searching for the past year, but he hasn’t gotten anywhere.”

Interesting, but where was the grey in this case?

“Isn’t this a straightforward missing persons enquiry?Any number of good agencies would have taken it on.Unless of course she’s wanted for murder or something.”

“Funny you should say that.”Nico smiled, but there was no humour in it.Ah, shit.“I’ve only spoken to Kaylin once since my father got rid of her mother.”

“When you say ‘got rid of,’ are we talking literally or figuratively?”

“I see you’ve googled Papa.She fell out of a window, and truthfully, I have no idea whether he was involved.”But Nico didn’t say it wasn’t possible.Maybe Zacharov had made a rare good call when he added Belinsky Senior to his shitlist.“I read a news report online.Model dies in midnight accident.The article said Kaylin had gone to live with her grandmother in Virginia.”

“My home turf.”

---