LITMIR.BIZ

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      “We must be able to trust the owner of the Oceana, Orlando. Totally.”

      “The owner has a side business selling various substances. He knows we know this. And I promised him an evening with one of our best products. Free.”

      The woman gave Orzibel a look of irritation and turned to retrieve the MacBook from the safe, setting it on her lap. “You must always tell me when you make side arrangements, Orlando. I must note it or the records will be off.”

      “Instead of praise for my careful planning I get a lecture on my memory? Would it be painful to your mouth to say something nice?”

      “I have a duty to keep the accounting, Orlando.”

      “Yes indeed,” Orzibel said, voice wet with sarcasm. “How dare anyone forget the numbers for your precious accounts.”

      The woman’s eyes turned cold. “I keep precise numbers not for me, Orlando Orzibel, but for the one above. El Jefé. Mock me and you mock him.”

      “I mock no one,” Orzibel said, sitting straighter and looking as if the room had grown tight. “I will go and start the parade.”

      The woman nodded, then seemed to find an afterthought worthy of a frown. “One more thing, Orlando: What of the new one named Leala? Why haven’t you chosen her for the parade?”

      A pause. “A peon, that Leala. The client deserves better. I’m sending her to Madame Cho. Cho will get stupid little Leala started in her career.”

      “It’s not stupidity, Orlando. It’s ignorance … the naïveté of a peasant. There’s a difference.”

      A mischievous light came to Orzibel’s eyes. “Were you ever that ignorant, cariña? That naïve?”

      “How else did I get here?”

      Orzibel uncurled from the couch and crossed the room, leaning against the desk with his arms crossed. “Ah, but you showed a special light, amiga. And you used it well, didn’t you?”

      The woman returned the computer to the safe and turned to see Orzibel’s leer.

      “Don’t look at me like that, Orlando. It’s not to be.”

      “You are not his, princésa. El Jefé has others. Surely you are not blind to it: you see everything.”

      “I am his when he needs me. And he needs me to run this enterprise.”

      A flash of anger. “I run this enterprise.”

      The woman hid a smile. “Ah, forgive me, Orlando. I meant the part of the enterprise that keeps track of things. So that he can—”

      “So he can count the money we make,” Orzibel said.

      “Be careful, Orlando. Dangerous words lead to dangerous places.”

      Orzibel froze, eyes darting side to side as if fearful of hidden listeners. “I was not speaking against him,” he said quickly. “I have nothing but respect for his enterprises. He should be praised for having so much money to count.”

      “Which bring us back to Leala, Orlando. Her innocence, her naïveté. That’s what our special client pays big money for, no? Why did you not include her in the parade?”

      “Did you not hear?” Orzibel snapped. “I decided to send Leala to Cho.”

      “But Leala is a virgin, is she not? Worth more money?”

      “Why are you questioning me? You make decisions about the numbers. I make decisions about the product.”

      The woman leaned back in the cushioned chair and regarded Orzibel as if he were a caged animal at a zoo. “Things get a bit hot yesterday, Orlando?” she said after a moment’s reflection. “Just couldn’t control yourself? Again?”

      “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

      “I inspected Leala myself, Orlando. Two days ago she was a virgin. What would my finger find today?”

      “Fuck you,” Orzibel hissed. But at the edges of his eyes, fear.

      The woman’s eyes remained level and unblinking. “What would you do if the Jefé discovered he has lost money because you lost control, Orlando? Could you ever return to pimping runaways collected from parks and bus stations?”

      Orzibel’s hands clenched into fists, his eyes blazing. He seemed to waver between worlds. Then, as if depleted of oxygen, his head slumped forward. He started to speak, but threw his hands up in surrender.

      “I-I had a moment of weakness. It was all a mistake and I humbly beg you to, to …”

      The woman began laughing. “Begging demeans you, Orlando. Plus it’s not sincere.”

      “I am confessing my sins! The girl’s flesh was too beautiful for my will. Something dark came over me and I—”

      “Please, Orlando, you’re turning my stomach. But be assured I will keep my tongue on the matter and you will stay safe from wrath. Go with the girls you have selected. But make sure Chaku stays close during the man’s pleasures. Mr Chalk is truly sick.”

      “Sick is money,” Orzibel muttered, turning for the door. He paused in the entrance. “Gracias for your silence in the matter of my weak moment. I am in your debt, Amili Zelaya.”

      “Here you go, Carson.” Roy handed me a small box and a file folder bulging with official documents. “You’re officially official. I got you a brand-new shootin’ iron, too, a Glock 17. And your shield.”

      I took the badge and almost moved it to my pocket, but it felt so good I closed my fingers around the metal. “What’s my designation, Roy? You ever figure that one out?”

      He handed me my ID card. I stared. “‘Consulting Investigative Agent, Senior Status’? What’s it mean?”

      Roy grinned like he’d just invented the rainbow. “I’m not quite sure, since you’re the only one. You’re an investigative agent like the crew, but you’re also a full-time consultant like the art and finance guys. It gives you the broadest range of freedom I could buy.”

      “How about ‘Senior Status’?”

      “That’s kinda like four-star general in the pecking order. It means people will want to be nice to you.”

      “The crew?”

      “Well, most people.”

      “What’s this second box?”

      “Gershwin’s party favors. You got ’em for him, you can give ’em to him.”

      I saw a bunch of papers and a holstered nine, the holster stained and the weapon nicked and losing its finish. “OK,” Roy said, “So maybe it’s not a new piece. Tell the kid to keep it in the holster and we’ll do fine.”

      I studied Gershwin’s new ID card. “Provisional Investigator?”

      “I let him in the door, but he’s not getting the big key. This’ll let him do whatever odd jobs you need.”

      I thanked Roy and turned for Gershwin’s private Siberia. On the way I dropped the badge in my pocket and patted its weight. It felt good.

      “Provisional?” Gershwin asked when I got back, staring between me and his new ID.

      “Don’t start with me,” I said. “I’m a four-star general.”

      He slid the card in his wallet. “That mean I have to salute you, Alabama?”

      “No. It means you call me Detective Ryder. You have to keep your ass on the concrete firms, our only lead. There’s a lot to do in digging up employees with records.”

      Gershwin reached for the Yellow Pages and opened to a sticky tab. “There’s over twenty concrete

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