Page 20 of A Real Good Bad Thing

The details were adding up—the name of Eli’s nightclub, the bling on the woman, the tint of the diamonds, and the timing of the jewel trade.

Was Eli ferrying something else entirely?

As I walked down the street, I called Andrew and asked if his team had managed to recover any more documents. They were still working on it, he said, so I ran my idea past the client.

“I’m looking at the email now,” Andrew said in a focused tone. “This deleted one is from Eli to Constantine Trevino.”

I growled.That guy. Needed art moved illegally? You called Constantine. Hankered for some ivory tusks? Constantine was the middleman.

“The luxury-goods trafficker,” I bit out. “I know of him. He can move anything.”

“Like diamonds,” Andrew said. “And if that’s what he took, they’d be the rightful property of the Eli Fund.”

“Let’s get ’em back, then.”

“Let’s do it.”

I hung up then found the shop Montez mentioned. International Diamonds sprawled over a huge street corner. The sign saidOpen tomorrow.

Looked like my afternoon had opened up, leaving time for a rendezvous with a mermaid. And I planned to find out what the hell she was doing with the guy I was investigating. Starting now. I called Andrew back, but it went to voicemail, so I sent him a text asking if he knew about any blondes in Eli’s life who were having breakfast with him this morning.

10

ICE GIFT

Ruby

On the terrace, my stepfather held his arms out wide, and pulled me close as though I was precious to him. So many times growing up, he’d comforted me with a hug when I’d fallen, gotten hurt, or lost a game, and some kind of nostalgia stirred as he embraced me.

Family.

That was why it hurt me so much to think Eli was a con man, a thief, on top of how he’d treated my mother.

“It’s been too long,” he declared, breaking the embrace, then gesturing to the table. “I want to hear everything you’ve been up to,” he said as I sat across from him.

The restaurant owner marched over as soon as we were seated. “She’s finally arrived, Mr. Thompson,” Tristan said, gesturing to me as if I were a prize. The tall, salt-and-pepper-haired man turned to drop a chaste kiss onto my cheek. “Welcome back, Ruby. What a pleasure to see you again too.”

“Thank you so much, Tristan. I see you’re as busy as ever.” I eyed the many tables with reserved signs on them, then flashed a quick smile to the man I’d known for years.

“I can’t complain,” he told me, handing us menus, then heading off.

Eli snorted as soon as Tristan scuttled away. “Can’t complain my butt,” he muttered.

I arched a questioning eyebrow.

My stepdad leaned in and whispered, “He complains about everything. He did as much this morning.”

“You saw him earlier?” I asked.

Eli flicked open his cloth napkin and spread it across his lap. “I met with him before you arrived. He wants me to back a new venture of his. Then again, doesn’t everyone?” he asked with anit’s good to be the kinglook in his eyes.

“I don’t know.Doeseveryone?” I asked dryly.

“Some days, it seems that way—everyone lining up to ask for a little of this, a little of that,” he said.

“Do you ever say yes?” I asked, spreading my own napkin over my lap.

He lowered his voice. “Rarely. I’m actually trying to retire. To devote my energy to my charitable endeavors.”

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