by Carsen Taite
“Excellent,” Gellar said, rising from his chair to signal the meeting was over. “Thanks for coming by and don’t forget what I said. Trust no one.”
Syd smiled and nodded, but all she could think was the only person she knew for sure she couldn’t trust was him.
* * *
Tanner slid into the booth at Snuffers and faced Dale and Mary. “What’s the emergency?”
“Order a beer. Bianca and Peyton are joining us in a few,” Dale said.
“Is this a new thing? We’re no longer meeting at the ranch? And where’s Syd?”
“Syd got called to Gellar’s house for a secret meeting,” Mary said. “And Lily had the wedding planner out at the ranch tonight.”
Tanner barely heard the last part. “What do you mean a secret meeting at Gellar’s? What’s it about? You do remember he’s suspicious of her, right?”
“He’s suspicious of all of us, in case you haven’t been paying attention.” Dale delivered the words with a frown. “Do you think she can’t handle a meeting alone with him?”
“No, it’s not that.” Tanner paused, not sure why she was worked up about Syd meeting with Gellar at his house. Of course Syd could handle whatever Gellar might throw her way, but why had he wanted the meeting at his house and not the office? Something was off, but until she could figure out exactly what it was, she just sounded like a worrywart, so she let it go for now. No sooner had she settled on her response than Bianca and Peyton appeared at the table.
“Sorry we’re late,” Peyton said. “Docket ran long.” She motioned Bianca into the booth, slid in beside her, and set a file on the table. “Did you start without us?”
Dale shook her head. “Nope. I wanted to see what you found out before we got into it.”
Tanner’s head swiveled between them. “Start what? And what are we getting into?”
Their server reappeared before anyone could respond, and Tanner tapped her foot impatiently while Peyton and Bianca ordered drinks. When the waitress finally wandered off to the bar, Peyton opened the file and pushed a piece of paper toward her. She knew just enough Spanish to make out that it was a police report from Ciudad Juarez. “Tell me what I’m supposed to be seeing here?”
“Gellar’s friend and party guest Carlos Aguilar is under investigation by the Juarez police,” Peyton said. She pointed at the police report. “His right hand, Jorge Salazar, was arrested by the police in Juarez for the murder of one of Carlos’s rivals.”
“Okay.” Tanner looked around the table, sensing there was more to this and everyone but her knew. “I assume by right hand you mean this Salazar guy was helping Aguilar with business interests besides the restaurant industry?”
“Drugs, human trafficking, smuggling. You name it, Aguilar has his hands in it. His entry into the underworld is fairly recent. Apparently, he was groomed by Fernando Lopez to take over his businesses a few years ago.”
Tanner sat back in her chair and took a long drink from her beer. Fernando Lopez had been a dominant player in the Mexican criminal element until his death last year. With no sons to inherit his interests, rival factions had battled over his business interests, legitimate and illegal. “I don’t get it. I thought his interests had been absorbed by the other cartels.”
“That’s what we thought too, but apparently, Carlos was lying in wait, letting them battle each other while he waited to make his move. That time has come, and the authorities in Mexico say he’s taken significant steps to solidify his interests over the past year, and his next step is to put together a distribution network to funnel drugs and money to the US.”
“By expanding his chain of restaurants,” Tanner said.
“Exactly.”
She remembered Gellar and Aguilar mucking it up at Gellar’s party. “Do you really think Gellar’s mixed up with this guy?”
“I don’t know,” Peyton said. “But I do think it’s strange that Aguilar showed up at his party.” She directed her questions to Dale and Mary. “Have you turned up anything to connect the two?”
“Nothing,” Mary said. “We checked phone and travel records and found nothing to show Gellar talking to Aguilar or making any trips to either Mexico or El Paso, where his US operation is based. No record of money transfers either way. Of course, all the fishy bank transactions we have from Gellar have to do with cash deposits, so there’s the possibility that if Aguilar is paying Gellar off, he’s doing it in cash.”
“Paying him off for what exactly?”
“I don’t know, but it’s at the top of the list of things we need to find out.”
Tanner’s mind was racing with possibilities, and when she noticed the shadow fall over the table, she figured it was the waitress returning to check on them. She looked up to tell her they were fine, but found she was staring into Syd’s eyes.
“What have I missed?” she asked.
Tanner watched while Peyton filled Syd in. She hadn’t seen Syd since the other night at her place, but she’d thought about little else since. She wished everyone else around the table would disappear so she could have a moment alone with her. Not to rekindle their old romance, but to recalibrate and start over because it was too hard to go from old lovers to nothing. Surely they could find a happy middle, find some way to enjoy the time they had together before they both resumed their separate lives.
“You know,” Syd was saying, “Carlos was eerily interested in me at the Gellars’ party. Maybe we could use that to our advantage.”
“What?” Tanner yelped, a little too loud. “That’s a stupid idea.” She ignored the quizzical look on Peyton’s face and pressed on. “You don’t know anything about this guy. For all we know he was interested in you because he wanted to make sure you weren’t investigating him. If he’s a Mexican drug lord and he gets one whiff that you’re trying to get information from him, he’s going to…” She couldn’t, wouldn’t speak the horrible things that came to mind.
“I hear you, Cohen,” Dale said, “but Syd’s got a point. He did seem really interested in her. We can keep her safe, but we should definitely use that.”
“He’s probably not even in town anymore,” Tanner said, holding out hope that was the case.
“But he is,” Dale said. “He’s staying at the Ritz Carlton. Rented out the penthouse indefinitely.”
Tanner looked around the table for someone, anyone, to agree that this was a crazy idea, and she settled on Bianca. “What do you think?”
Bianca shook her head. “These people are all dangerous, but we have to do something. We’ve all had to play a part to try to take them down. I didn’t hear you objecting when these clowns,” she waved a hand at Peyton and Dale, “wanted to set me up with Jade to try to get information on her uncles. But look how well that turned out. If Syd wants to step up, then we should let her.”
“This is different,” Tanner said, struggling to tamp down the rising panic in her voice. It was different because although they’d all risked something in this investigation, and she would gladly risk her own safety, she was certain Syd had no real clue what she was signing up for. She employed her best litigation skills to make her case. “Syd, tell me the last time you went undercover as part of an investigation of any kind?”
“I haven’t, but—”
“And isn’t it true that if you do this thing and discover evidence, you can’t simultaneously serve as a witness and as counsel?”
“Yes, but—”
Tanner nodded as her point was made and started to launch in again, but Peyton placed a hand on her arm. “I think we can all agree there’s some amount of risk, but when it comes to technicalities, we can work around that. Let’s start small. Syd will meet with Carlos, someplace casual. She’ll talk to him and let us know if she gets a gut feeling for whether he’s involved with Gellar, and then we can decide what to do from there. It’ll be a daytime meeting and we’ll keep a close eye on her.” Peyton looked around the table. “Everyone in favor, raise their drink.”
As a gro
up, they toasted the decision. All except Tanner, who kept her glass on the table but gripped it with all her might, certain this idea was doomed to disaster.
Chapter Fourteen
“I think it’s sweet that you’re worried about me.”
“I’m not,” Tanner barked as she paced Syd’s hotel room.
Syd let the lie go unchecked, but she knew better. Tanner hadn’t spoken to her since they’d left the bar with a plan of action day before yesterday, and now she would barely make eye contact. While it was comforting to know Tanner’s method of dealing with stress hadn’t changed from the time they’d been a couple, Syd wished she would take a breath and stop worrying about her imminent meeting with Carlos Aguilar.
Setting up the meeting had been easy. Syd had contacted Paladar’s US headquarters and left a message. Carlos had called her back within the hour, leaving no doubt that his interest at the party had not been feigned. She asked if they could meet for lunch to discuss some business and asked him to be discreet. If he was working with Gellar he’d probably call him right away, and if he wasn’t, he’d probably be extra curious about what she wanted to discuss. Either way, her goal was to keep him guessing.
As if she could read her mind, Tanner asked, “Has Gellar given you any indication that he knows about this meeting?”
“He hasn’t said a word and he’s acting the same as always, although that doesn’t say much. How did this guy get appointed in the first place?”
“You know how it is. Cronyism. He was qualified on paper and probably did some favor for someone and the appointment to US attorney was payback. It’s all politics.”
“Do you ever wish you’d chosen some other profession?” Syd asked. “One where you didn’t have to spend your life fighting for what is right?”
“Like what? Barista? Trash collector?”
“Yeah. I mean those are important jobs, right? We all need coffee, and life would be pretty gross if no one picked up the trash.”
Tanner smiled. “You have a point there. Those jobs are important, but anyone can do them. Don’t you think it’s wrong to waste your skill and intellect?”
“I agree with you, mostly. But sometimes…sometimes I wish things were as easy as clocking in and out.”
Tanner reached for her hand. “That’s not you, Syd. You’d last about one day, maybe. Are you having second thoughts about meeting with Carlos? Because we can call this off.”
Syd sighed. “That’s not it. I promise.” She started to say more but wasn’t sure how to put into words the sudden bout of melancholy that had swept over her. It would pass. It had to. Life wasn’t simple, and there were no easy solutions to the hard work that needed to be done. Tanner had always risen to the challenge and she would too. “Tell me what you and the others have planned.”
“You’ll take an Uber to the restaurant since it will be harder for any of his people to track you that way. We’re not going to risk any listening devices. Mary is going to be sitting at the bar. She won’t make contact with you, but if you run into trouble, put your hand on your throat and act like you’re choking. She’ll rush over and say she’s a doctor, make a fuss, and get you the hell out of there.”
Syd tried to imagine what kind of trouble could happen in broad daylight in a public restaurant that would necessitate a fake choking fit to invoke a rescue mission, but she came up with nothing. Tanner was overreacting. The question was why. She pushed it aside for now. “Sounds good. I’ll tell him I’m considering a change of pace. Law isn’t what it used to be. Business is where it’s at and I’m interested in learning more about his success as a source of inspiration. Allude to the idea that law and order is a little too confining for my tastes.”
“This is Peyton’s idea?”
“We came up with it together. It’s not completely out of the realm of possibility, and he might believe me. Worst-case scenario, if what I say gets back to Gellar, then we know they’re talking.”
“No. The worst-case scenario is that he believes you want to cross over to the dark side and he asks you to prove yourself.”
Syd heard the frustration in Tanner’s voice and tried to add some levity. “Cross over to the dark side? A little melodramatic, don’t you think?”
“Syd, you haven’t had firsthand interaction with people like Carlos. He’s charming and suave, but if he thinks you’re trying to cross him, he will do unspeakable things, things that I won’t even say out loud for fear they might come true.”
Torn between being touched that Tanner was worried about her and annoyed that Tanner didn’t think she could handle a simple meeting, Syd fought to keep her tone even. “I appreciate your concern, but I promise you I can handle this. Rest assured, if I run into trouble, I’ll put on a choking performance worthy of the Academy.”
“Whatever.” She rolled her shoulders. “When the meeting’s over, come straight back here. Don’t stop anywhere or talk to anyone. Understood?”
Syd wanted to buck against the restraints, but decided this wasn’t a battle worth fighting. “Understood.” She stood in front of the mirror and applied a coat of lipstick and dropped the tube in her purse. “Are you waiting here or downstairs?”
Tanner stood and looked around awkwardly. “I guess it’s best if I wait at the bar.”
“Why don’t you wait here in the room? It shouldn’t be too long.” Syd wasn’t sure what prompted the invitation, but she decided it was probably better that Tanner cool off here in the room than by pacing around impatiently in the lobby.
“Yeah, okay. Good idea.”
Syd grabbed her purse and strode across the room, placing her free hand on Tanner’s shoulder. “It’s a late lunch in a public place. You have nothing to worry about.” On impulse, she reached up and lightly kissed Tanner’s cheek. Airy, friendly—the kind of kiss you give to a close friend or a sister. Why then did she suddenly feel things that friends shouldn’t feel?
The bellman convinced her one of the waiting cabs would be faster than an Uber, and she couldn’t think of a valid reason to turn him down. Strike one, she thought, as she settled into the back seat. Tanner had been planning to keep track of her movements by signing into her Uber app, and she was probably pissed. Syd considered calling her, but phone calls weren’t part of the plan and Aguilar’s hotel was literally five minutes away. Mary would text Tanner the moment she saw her. Tanner would just have to wait.
The maître d’ led her to the back corner of the restaurant. On the way, she spotted Mary but didn’t make eye contact. When they arrived at the table, Carlos was already seated with a champagne bottle already on ice. So much for business. Carlos was out of his chair before she reached the table. He clasped both her hands in his and kissed them in a move that she supposed some women would view as chivalrous but she thought was pretty smarmy.
“How wonderful to see you again,” Carlos said, holding out a chair for her. “And such a better venue, more suitable for actual conversation.”
Syd made a show of looking around. “This is very nice, and they seem to know you here. Business must be good.”
He laughed. “I’m a lucky man. Much good fortune has come my way.” He pointed at the champagne bottle and raised an eyebrow. She nodded and watched as he poured. He wore a single plain wedding band and sported the most understated model of Rolex. Champagne aside, he wasn’t a show-off.
“I was surprised to get your call,” he said after they placed their orders.
“I must admit I hesitated to reach out to you.”
“And why is that?”
She decided to lead with honesty. “Well, for one thing, I don’t know you, and this is a very private matter.”
“You can count on me to be discreet. What else caused your hesitation?”
Syd fiddled with her napkin. She didn’t need more time to answer, but now she was venturing into the lying part of the program and she needed to sell it. “I’ve been saving my entire adult life. I never had a particular goal for my nest egg, but lately I�
�m itching for an opportunity to transition from the law to something else.”
“The law doesn’t hold your interest?”
“It did once, but for a while now it’s felt a bit too restrictive. I could do so much more if I weren’t bound by the structure of my position.” She took a drink from the glass while the waiter set their plates. When he finally wandered off, she took up the thread again. “You can see why I’m hesitant to say anything. If my boss, or anyone else, like Mr. Gellar, for instance, knew I was exploring other options, they might take it the wrong way.”
“And what way would that be?”
“Let’s just say I think the world would be a much better place if there weren’t so many rules.” Syd relaxed into her role as the disaffected prosecutor. “I would like some means of earning a living that isn’t so restrictive.”
“And you are worried that if Herschel Gellar knew how you felt, he would find you lacking?”
Syd chose her next words carefully. “I do not know Mr. Gellar well enough to make that assumption. Am I off base?”
Carlos ignored her question and cut into his steak. He pointed at the meat with his knife. “This is a perfect steak. It’s so easy to accomplish, but so rare to find.” He smiled. “No pun intended.” He took a bite and chewed slowly. “Do you know why I am so successful?”
“Is that a trick question?”
He laughed. “No, but it is a rhetorical one. I am successful because I settle for nothing less than perfection. Rules have a way of stifling perfection. Do you agree?”
“I do.”
He pointed at her plate. “Eat your meal. I believe that food is meant to be enjoyed. We will discuss pleasurable things now and business after.” He didn’t wait for her to respond and tucked into his steak. While they ate, he talked about his family in Mexico, particularly his grandmother. “My abuela taught me to cook when I was only five years old. Every recipe direct from her head to mine. We wrote nothing down. Important things are easy to memorize. Secret recipes remain so when they live only in the mind.”
