Chapter Fourteen
Phoebe was feigning her bravado and she wasn’t even sure why, but with lightning speed the paddle was out of her hand, she was bent over and Donovan was swatting her.
“Stop! That really hurts.”
“Sure, I’ll stop if you say please.”
“Please stop!”
Pulling her up, he stared down at her red face.
“Now you know what happens if you test me, but I wouldn’t do it again. Next time I might not stop.”
“But how did you do that?”
“What do you mean—how?”
“It was so fast. One second I was holding the paddle, and the next you had it.”
“Apparently you have a very short memory,” he replied, hanging it back on its hook.
“Huh?”
“I told you, I practice Martial Arts.”
“Oh, that,” she muttered.
“But moving right along…you’ve had a good rest, you’ve been put in your place, and I’m here. What would you like to do?”
“Can I explore the house?”
“With me or without me?” he asked, but before she could answer his phone rang. “Darn thing never stops,” he grunted, lifting it from his pocket and glancing at the screen. “Damn. I need to leave for a minute. See what else peaks your interest,” he said, accepting the call as he hurried up the stairs and out the door. “Hey, Sam, what’s up?”
“Prepare yourself. I’ve checked out that Southampton estate. It’s owned by none other than Manny Trubello.”
“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
“Do you know how long we’ve been after that bastard?”
“More than a week or two?”
“Donovan, this is no joke. It’s been years. We had no idea he had property in Southampton.”
“How did you find out?”
“You know his long-time girlfriend, Candy. As you know she calls herself Candy Bright, but her real name is Candace Barrow. Well, Candace Barrow just bought a Ferrari, and she used that Southampton address.”
“That must mean Manny wants us to know it’s his property.”
“That’s what I’m thinking,” Sam said with a sigh. “He loves playing games.”
“How long has he owned it?”
“I’m just being handed the information now. Hold on…the house was bought three years ago by a company called…fuck…”
“That’s an interesting name for a company.”
“Donovan, please. The company name is MTC Bar Enterprises.”
“Clever,” Donovan remarked. “Anyone looking at that would think the place is owned by a company manufacturing MCT snack bars. But it’s MT for Manny Trubello, and C Bar for Candace Barrow.”
“Exactly.”
“So—why is he letting this information out now?”
“That’s the question,” Sam said solemnly. “Just when Boris wants you to steal a priceless necklace from him, this happens. I’m willing to bet that piece of jewelry is about as hot as a rocket blasting into space.”
“Sam, I don’t like this. I’m going to tell Boris to find someone else. Besides, you’ve got enough to nail him, and from what you’ve told me, you can get Franco as well. It’s time to put this operation to bed.”
“Not so fast. If I can get all three of them, Boris, Franco and Manny, that would be a triumph. Even legendary!”
“Did you forget Franco just tried to have me killed?” Donovan exclaimed testily. “And did you also forget stealing that priceless Ming Dynasty Seal from the exhibition was virtually impossible and it was only dumb luck that got me out of there?”
“But you did it. That’s what makes you the best. You always land on your feet.”
“Except when I don’t,” Donovan grunted. “That’s how I ended up working for you. We have a deal. You keep me from ending up behind bars with my life in tatters, and I help you to nail slippery suspect from time to time. You never said anything about Russian gangsters. That’s it. I’ve done my part, and I had to be around that lunatic Franco to make it happen. He wasn’t part of our arrangement but you’ve got him anyway. A nice fat bonus. Our deal is done. Now I get to walk away with my money and my life in tact. And before you call me again, I need a break, at least three months.”
“Donovan…let me ask you something.”
“Ask me anything you want, but trying to steal that necklace is insane, and if you threaten to go back on your word I can always go public.”
“Just hold on…that wouldn’t be good for either of us.”
“Trying to break into Manny Trubello’s estate and trying to steal that necklace won’t be good either—especially for me.”
“Again…let me ask you something.”
“Okay, but make it quick. I have a very appealing distraction waiting for me.”
“It’s about your BDSM club and that fire a few months ago. There was never a positive conclusion about who started it or why. The crime remains unsolved.”
Donovan inwardly groaned at the reminder.
The disastrous event had happened on a Saturday night. The club was packed, and it was only the quick thinking of two of his dungeon masters that had prevented any serious injuries and major property damage.
“Donovan? Are you there?”
“Yeah, I’m still here,” he growled, suddenly needing a drink and marching down the hall to his den.
“Do you have any theories about the people behind it?”
“Just vague suspicions,” he said brusquely, walking through the door and heading straight for the liquor cabinet. “But I beefed up security, most of it unseen, so if anyone tries it again he—or she—will have a problem. A big one!” he exclaimed, pouring whiskey in a glass and downing a gulp.
“So I assume you’re still worried there might be another attempt.”
“Get to the point.”
“The point is this. Manny is heavily involved in the sex industry. Porn videos, magazines, products, and he owns clubs just like yours in L.A. San Francisco and Boston.”
“Let me guess. You think Manny tried to torch my place because he’s planning to open a club in Manhattan and he doesn’t want any competition.”
“You bet I do.”
“Sam that’s crazy. There are plenty of other clubs like mine there.”
“Not upscale and expensive like yours. Just listen! Franco and Manny grew up in the same nasty neighborhood, and I know they’re partners in an online gambling business out of Vegas.”
“But what does that have to do with me?”
“Franco is trying to push Boris out and take over his business, or something along those lines. Right?”
“Yeah.”
“Boris may have been the one to ask you to step in and negotiate a deal with Franco, but I believe it was Manny’s suggestion. That meeting was a set up and you were almost killed.”
“What’s your point?”
“Donovan! Think about it. Suddenly Boris wants you to steal a piece of jewelry from Manny Trubello’s home. Don’t you see? Franco wants Boris out of the way, and Manny wants you out of the way. Franco and Manny are manipulating Boris to get both of you, and I bet they’re the ones who sent the buyer for that necklace to Boris.”
“It’s an interesting theory…” Donovan murmured thoughtfully.
“As I said at the beginning of this conversation, we could get Boris, Franco and Manny…all three of them…and put them out of business for good. It’s either that, or tell Boris you can’t do it. Then he’ll pressure you, and God only knows what that will entail. We need to deal with these bastards and deal with them now.”
“Franco and Manny working together to eliminate both Boris and me,” Donovan mumbled.
A chill pricked his skin.
“Okay, Sam. Send me everything you have on Manny’s estate and I’ll take a look at it. But I’m not making any promises.”