Chapter 142
142
Let’s talk, he texted.
I called him immediately. “Did you find anything p>
“Yeah,” he said. “Your name is Herman, and you’re gonna have dinner with a woman named Diana p>
“What?” I asked, confused.
“I had to give her a name, so I used Herman. I figure Diana’s a code name. She’s the only female mercenary to come on the scene in the last six months. Several of my homies heard about her, but nobody knew how to contact her. They finally tracked down some Hungarian dude she did a job for three months ago, and he coughed up an email address p>
“How do we know it’s Rachel?” I asked.
“Well, when I talked to her – ”
“You TALKED to her p>
“Just by text. Don’t worry, she doesn’t know who I am. I told her I needed somebody with an intelligence background, preferably British intelligence. She said she was qualified, so I figured that’s as much confirmation as I’m gonna get. I didn’t want to press it any further than that p>
“You did good,” I reassured him. “Where am I supposed to meet her – and when p>
“She said you gotta come to her. It’ll be sometime in the next two days. I asked where, but she said she’ll only tell you after you wire 20,000 euros to a Swiss bank account – ”
“20,000?! I told you ten – ”
“Hey, man, SHE named the price. That’s not even for the job – that’s just to get your foot in the door. I’ve got the Swiss bank account number – do you want it p>
“Yeah, yeah, hold on,” I grumbled as I grabbed a pencil and paper. “Go ahead p>
I copied down the information and read it back to him.
“Yeah, that’s it. When she confirms the deposit, she’ll tell me when and where p>
“Okay… thanks, Gunnar p>
“Lars p>
“Yeah p>
“…you’re not gonna kill her, are you?” he whimpered.
“No p>
“Then what are you doing all this for p>
“I just want some answers p>
“What if she doesn’t want to give them to you p>
“I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it p>
I asked Dario and Niccolo if they could wire the 20,000 euros.
They exchanged a look.
Not quite a worried look – but there was definitely a note of concern.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing,” Dario said as he took the piece of paper with the Swiss bank account number.
“Is this absolutely necessary?” Niccolo asked in irritation.
“It is if you want me to be able to get in the same room with her,” I said.
Niccolo smirked. “Yes, well, it’s not ME who wants to get you in the same room with her p>
I could feel myself losing my temper. “Look – ”
“We’ll wire it immediately,” Dario interrupted. “I’ll let you know when it’s done p>
Niccolo sighed in passive-aggressive disgust.
“Am I missing something?” I asked.
“No,” Dario said in a tone that conveyed the discussion was closed.
Which meant there was something amiss, but he wasn’t going to reveal what it was.
“I’m also going to need to buy a plane ticket to wherever I’m meeting her,” I said.
“Which is where p>
“I don’t know – I’ll find out after we wire the money. But I’m betting London p>
“Alright. Book a flight as soon as you find out p>
“Fly coach,” Niccolo snapped.
It was a far cry from the very first time we’d talked, when he insisted I fly first-class.
“Fine.” I turned to go, then remembered something. “By the way, I can’t check a weapon on the plane without drawing unwanted attention, so I’m going to need a local contact to buy a gun p>
“I’ll have Niccolo make a call,” Dario promised.
“I thought you were only going there to talk,” Niccolo said snarkily.
“If we do more than ‘talk,’ I want to be prepared p>
Niccolo smiled darkly. “Now that I can get behind p>