She couldn’t resist. “But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east and Juliett—”
“Oh no.” Jason stopped smiling, but otherwise continued his casual mingling as he placed an order at the bar.
Raul chuckled over the comm. “Bravo here. I’m all for chatter and keeping it light, but a romance?”
“It’s not a romance—”
“Technically, it’s a tragedy—”
Arin stopped short as she realized both she and Jason had responded. Jason laughed, directing it at a pretty little woman in a tight white dress. He emanated charm and she had to admit he had amazing charisma. There was no missing him, even in a crowded lounge area and watching him through the scope of a rifle. “Fine. I’ll quit quoting one of the most well-known romantic tragedies.”
Below, Jason allowed the white dress to lead him over to a set of couches. He lifted his drink to his mouth and murmured into his comm. “Wouldn’t want to jinx this. That play didn’t end well.”
He had a point.
She settled in to listen as Jason guided the chatter of the woman in the white dress and a couple of her fellow hostesses. Each of the women varied in their conversational skills. The white dress was the lead, most intelligent, and had some skill in keeping people entertained. The others were all giggles and cleavage or suggestive caresses. They all hung on Jason’s every word as if he was their window to the outside world. Even though this club featured hostesses on payroll—mostly identifiable because the patrons were almost exclusively men—these women weren’t victims of human trafficking as far as Arin could tell, but she kept an eye out for the signs just in case. She had no issues with people hosting or escorting as a chosen livelihood. It became wrong when those people were forced against their will. The insidious thing about human trafficking was how much of it happened right in front of law-abiding citizens and no one believed it could possibly be happening in this day and age.
“I’m to make some new friends,” Jason was saying. “Special friends.”
“That so?” The white dress pressed her shoulder against his. “We aren’t friends yet?”
Jason smiled at her and the fierceness of it sent a shiver down Arin’s spine. He could project creepy like a pro. “You’re nice. Wonderful, in fact. But I’m looking for a few friends who might be new to the island and looking for a…benefactor. They’d keep me company while I’m here on business and I’d see to it they have all the things they need.”
White dress surprised Arin then, leaning back from Jason. “We don’t need to be friends, then.”
The woman started to rise and Jason caught her hand. She whirled and he let her go, holding his hands up to show he meant no harm. “Did I say something wrong?”
She glanced away, then gave him an equally insincere smile. “Not at all, honey. I’m just looking to help you find what you’re actually looking for. There’s a new guy over by the fireplace. He’s brought his own party along with him. You might find your…new friends with him. But none of them work here.”
“Thank you.” Jason remained seated as the woman in the white dress stalked away.
“She definitely doesn’t like you anymore,” Raul commented.
“You only heard her.” Arin tracked white dress for as long as she remained in view without taking her scope off Jason. “You should see her body language. She definitely has a distaste for our Juliett.”
Jason had an arm around one of the giggle girls. “Aw, I can’t blame her for leaving. There’s so much excellent company here.”
Giggle girl leaned her head in and rubbed against his chest. “Mmm. You want to buy another bottle of champagne?”
She was definitely a hostess. Hosts and hostesses made their commissions based on the bottle service each customer purchased. The more bottles they bought and the more expensive the beverages, the more the hosts and hostesses made. Their job was to keep customers engaged, entertained, and ordering more. Arin was almost sad the woman in the white dress had left. At least that woman made for interesting conversation.
But apparently, Jason had decided to send his giggling companions off with a pat on the shoulder blades. Instead, he sent a bottle of champagne over to the man their white dress friend had identified. A minute later he strolled over and was stopped by bodyguards.
“Are you kidding me?” Jason’s attitude morphed, his tone full of entitlement and privilege.
The bodyguards didn’t back down but the businessman stood and approached. “Who are you?”
Jason shrugged. “I’m a private security specialist and an entrepreneur. One of my lady friends over there told me you might be a businessman worth connecting with. I’ve been on the island almost a year, providing security services. I’ve been buying small businesses on the side and turning them over for profit, but I’m looking to diversify my interests.”
The best lies came from as much truth as possible. At least half of what Jason had said was true. It was even possible he had a legitimate interest in entrepreneurship, too. If he did, she’d be curious to know what kinds of businesses he looked for. She wanted to know more and more about him, even if she hadn’t admitted it out loud yet.
The businessman gave Jason an incredulous look. “And you came over here on the recommendation of a whore?”
Arin snorted. Their target was a winner, a real gem of humanity.
Jason’s reply was smooth and unruffled. “I sent over a bottle with my compliments by way of introduction. Not interested? That’s fine. Enjoy the bottle.”
Jason turned to leave.
Their target placed a hand on the shoulder of one of his bodyguards. “Wait.”
The bodyguards relaxed a fraction and moved back enough to give both men room. Jason faced the man again, his expression cold.
“Bruce Jones.” The man didn’t offer a hand, simply waited.
“John Smith.” Jason didn’t miss a beat.
Raul groaned quietly across the comm. “Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith.”
Arin realized she was smiling again. Jason hadn’t chosen John Smith just because it was equally as generic. It was an alias used by one of her favorite science fiction characters. She wondered briefly if Jason really used the name sometimes or if he’d noticed the blue police box on her nightstand. “Common names, and at least one of them is an uncommon man.”
Jason heard Arin’s comment and smiled, making sure to look at one of the very young, almost too-thin women on the cushioned seats by the fire pit. People came in all shapes and sizes and normally, he wouldn’t judge a body as too thin or too heavy if it’d been the person’s choice. But these women watched the trays of drinks and food go by with an eagerness bordering on desperation and their collarbones stood out. He bet if he ran his hands along their sides, he’d feel ribs under the fabric of their very revealing dresses. He didn’t think they’d chosen to go hungry for a desired aesthetic.
“Like what you see?” Their Mr. Jones brushed past him to resume his seat and motioned for Jason to join him.
The handful of women with Jones shifted to give Jason room and he settled in to see where this next conversation was going to take him. Anger at the state of these women could serve him well and when he smiled, maybe he had a predatory edge to his expression.
“Of course.” Jason figured this was a man who liked to be complimented, either directly or indirectly. He had probably handpicked who would be accompanying him at the club tonight. “You’re a businessman with exquisite taste.”
Mr. Jones smiled broadly, wrapping an arm around the shoulders of one of his women. She gave him a smile after a brief hesitation, but he noticed it and gripped her shoulder. He wasn’t a gentle man.
Jason only reached for a glass of freshly poured champagne with one hand and toyed with his phone in the other. He wasn’t new to these games and it’d be ridiculous for him to give himself away by showing any kind of reaction. Besides, these women were probably treated far worse out of sight. A tight grip on a shoulder was t
he least of their hardships. It wasn’t enough to break his pretense.
“So how do you imagine diversifying, Mr. Smith?” Mr. Jones was relaxed and watching him with a thoughtful gaze, maybe measuring the size of Jason’s theoretical wallet.
Jason shrugged. “I’m learning more and more about the profit to be gained from buying and selling various assets.”
Mr. Jones nodded. “If you’re smart, it can be lucrative.”
Jason lifted his glass, using the movement to draw the eye as he snapped a few pics of his target and the girls with his phone in his other hand. “That’s what I’m hoping for.”
“I happen to be a purveyor of various…assets,” Mr. Jones said.
Raul’s voice whispered across the comm. “Not enough. He’s got to explicitly tell you what he can sell you and name a price, ideally a method of payment.”
Sure. No problem. That wasn’t going to be hard at all. Jason grimaced and placed the champagne on the ledge of the fire pit. “It kills me to admit it, but as I said, I’m learning. I’ve already made a few missteps because I thought I was making one type of investment and I ended up with a shrimp truck and a helicopter instead.”
Mr. Jones frowned. “I prefer not to be obtuse.”
Jason nodded. “I prefer not to end up with vehicles that stink of not-so-fresh shellfish. I understand it’s rude of me to ask you to spell it out, but I’m a fan of clear communication.”
Mr. Jones looked down at the woman he had pressed against his side. “Maybe we can’t do business after all.”
“That’d be a shame.” Jason said, honestly, letting true regret color his words. The best lies came with true emotion. “You have some beautiful women here to take the edge off, though, and I’m sure you could find other businessmen interested in what you have. As I said, I’m learning, and I’m willing to hold onto my money until I’m absolutely sure I’ll get my return on investment.”
“I like you.” Mr. Jones laughed. “You could be lying but you don’t seem the type to waste time with it. You’ll really stand up and walk away, won’t you?”
“I don’t lack for company at this club or elsewhere.” Jason laughed right along with the man. Mr. Jones liking Jason wasn’t a compliment, though. Jason had a strong need for a scouring hot shower after this.
“Mmm.” Mr. Jones pressed a kiss on the curve of his woman’s breast. “But they can all say no. What I sell, Mr. Smith, is the company of a woman for a night or a week or however long you’d like and she is yours to do with as you please. No conditions, no limitations. The cost increases, obviously, if you return any of my women unusable.”
“That so?” Jason stilled, directing his angry stare at the woman across the fire pit from him. She shrank into the couch in response. “Just these women?”
“I have men, if you prefer.” Mr. Jones’s voice had turned silken, teasing.
Not enough to convict this guy. Jason wanted to know more from this bastard. Sure, it was tempting to save these women right here, but there were more on the island and even more on their way into this asshole’s hands.
“I’m not looking for a one-time transaction, Mr. Jones.” Jason tore his gaze away from the woman across from him and settled his attention back on his real prey. “If I engage in a business deal with you, I intend to become a regular customer.”
Mr. Jones clapped his free hand on his knee. “Even better. I could use a business connection with security knowledge.”
Jason laughed. “You’ve got enough hired muscle. My skills are more strategic.”
“That would be a match for what I’m looking for.” Mr. Jones scowled. “My former colleague had some trouble with security earlier this year, and it led to an unfortunate altercation with law enforcement. I enjoy my privacy and want to make sure nothing disturbs my business deals. So I’ll appreciate your expertise.”
“Perhaps we can come to an agreement to offer each other discounts on the services we can provide.” Jason wasn’t sure if this was going in the right direction. He needed to keep the conversation going until Mr. Jones incriminated himself. “Are you looking to secure a specific space now?”
Mr. Jones shook his head. “I’m in temporary space at the moment, but I have more…stock coming in shortly. Once it arrives, I’ll be moving to a private property on the east side of the island. Not as isolated as my former colleague’s place but better suited to my needs.”
Jason nodded. “Well, maybe I’ll take a sample with me tonight, and we can do a walkthrough of your property in a few weeks.”
“Sooner.” Mr. Jones was all business, crisp and driving toward a bargain. “My new stock could arrive within the week. It’s coming on a container ship from Hong Kong, so the arrival date is not as specific as I’d like. But they’re making good time and I want to be ready to receive those assets as quickly as possible.”
Raul whispered over the comm. “Pua’s got a lead based on the information you got from the guy at the docks cross-referenced with this. We’ve got a ship name.”
That was fast. Both Kenny and Pua were turning out to be amazing information specialists. They’d been coordinating efforts, taking the tidbits of information Jason and Arin had been acquiring and turning those into solid leads. Search and Protect had some heavy-duty resources.
“Tomorrow, then.” Jason glanced at the woman across the way.
“Ah, no free samples.” Mr. Jones’s voice turned hard.
“Name a price.” Jason made a hungry noise.
Mr. Jones did.
Jason shook his head. “For that price, give me her and two friends.”
Mr. Jones’s eyebrows rose up into his hairline. “You think you can handle several?”
Jason didn’t bother with any kind of leer. “Seven at a time might leave me too tired to arrive at your property tomorrow to walk the grounds. I’ll settle for three tonight.”
“Done.” Mr. Jones sounded very pleased. “They’ll meet you downstairs with one of my bodyguards. He’ll see them into your car and take the payment.”
Arin whispered into the comm, “Not exactly bargaining. I guess you convinced him you were an easy mark, definitely not a potential business partner. I’m betting he sends his goons after you to take your money without giving you the girls. You ready to be followed?”
Jason nodded. “Fine. I’ll step out to make sure I have the cash.”
Mr. Jones watched him as he rose from his seat. “You do that.”
Chapter Nineteen
Juliett, this is Charlie.” Arin didn’t like what she was seeing and she kept this communication crisp, all business. “You have at least one of the bodyguards on your six.”
“Copy.” Jason kept it brief as well.
So far, their target was being predictable. She’d have preferred to have read Mr. Jones wrong.
“Juliett, this is Bravo. Try to be away from civilians when whatever this is blows up.” Raul was gearing up with the task force on the street.
Raul had Taz with him, plus King in the surveillance vehicle. He wasn’t going to be handling both dogs so King had to stay behind in the SUV. There were several police units readying for entry, too, and so far none of the revelers at the lounge about twenty stories up had any idea what was coming. Jason had to be careful to keep it that way even with a bodyguard following him.
Jason cleared the private tables and skirted around the dance floor, heading for a more intimate section of the club. Cabanas lined both sides of a long pool, made for laps or relaxing.
“Juliett, this is Charlie. Ending up in the pool is ill-advised and I can think of three or four episodes of my favorite police procedurals where they tried it.” Since she’d already warned him about his tail, she went back to the banter she and Raul used to help the tension as they all waited to see what the bodyguard would do. Jason had mentioned he was in private security when he’d introduced himself. Surely, the bodyguard didn’t think another professional would be easy to surprise?
Apparently, the man did b
ecause he paused as Jason turned the corner and walked along the length of the pool, then sat on a lounge chair looking at his phone. Jason presented his back to the bodyguard, theoretically taking pictures of the view off the rooftop but really sending the images he’d taken earlier to Raul.
“Juliett, this is Charlie. He’s approaching at a slow pace. He’s not at an angle to see your phone screen and I think he plans to duck into one of the other cabanas if you turn around.” Arin kept watch through her scope, keeping tabs on the bodyguard near Jason and to be aware of anyone else in the vicinity. “I detect no other people in the cabanas. Maybe those are pay to play.”
Jason pretended to take a closer look at one of the pictures he’d taken and nodded to indicate he’d heard her, or at least she hoped she was reading him correctly. There was always an element of added risk when working with someone new. Even with standard communication and shared professional backgrounds, everyone had their own logic and individual quirks to how they chose to convey information via body language.
The bodyguard continued an attempted stealth approach on Jason as Arin watched and wondered about the point of this. He could be trying to rough Jason up and scare him into working with Mr. Jones. Maybe threaten the fictional John Smith into keeping his mouth shut about whatever they’d been discussing. Worst scenario would be to try to eliminate Jason, but she had a clear shot with minimal winds to take into account. If Jason couldn’t neutralize the man, she could. Depending on what the man did next, she might take the initiative.
Fierce Justice Page 18
