Page 24 of An Eye For Illusion

“Any idea who this guy is?” I’m hoping we can get a better idea of who we’re dealing with here. Donovan has connections I don’t, some of which that would be very useful here.

“No, but I know somebody who might. I’ll put some feelers out there and see what comes back.”

“Discretely, I assume.” It should go without saying, but I want to be crystal clear here.

“What do you take me for? An idiot?” Donovan asks, affronted by my concern.

“You know I don’t, but with how much this client is up my ass, I can’t afford any mistakes. Might be the first case I actually get fired from.”

I think about how I called her gorgeous right before hightailing it out of the restaurant like a lovesick shmuck.

Not my best move.

Donovan barks out a laugh. “From what I hear, Jade Foster has it as bad for you as you do her. I doubt you’re fucking getting fired. My money’s on getting fucked a different kind of way though.”

His laughing only intensifies when I respond. “I wouldn’t fuck her if my life depended on it.”

“Sure, sure, and my momma’s a famous opera singer.”

“Fucker,” I growl out.

“Sucker,” he fires right back.

Another groan escapes me as he laughs. “Look, we can agree to disagree here, but just to be clear, I don’t like Jade Foster, nor do I have any desire to sleep with her. She’s a client, a fucking annoying one at that.”

“Hate sex is the best kind of sex, Colin. You should try it.” He’s only goading me more, and I won’t get sucked into it.

I look in my rearview mirror in time to catch a gray sedan pulling onto the lot. What piques my interest is they cut their headlights as soon as they enter. They also don’t turn right, where the crew is working. They head in my direction.

Well, well, well… What do we have here?

“I have to go. Call you later.” I end the call before waiting for a response from Donovan. The car creeps in my direction, the headlights still out.

I slide down in the seat to avoid being seen. If this has anything to do with Moore, I need to be extra careful, and my gut screams that it does.

I shrink down enough to obscure my body from view just as the car passes by. They’re maybe forty feet from where I’m parked, and still creeping along in the dark alley between containers while headed straight for Moore.

The car pulls off to the left behind another shipping container—effectively moving out of my view—instead of continuing straight into the open area where Moore’s black SUV sits.

I can only see the small plume of exhaust disappear as they kill the engine, but I hear no doors shut, indicating no one makes a move to get out. I shift in my seat, trying to get a better angle to see into the car, but I can’t make out shit. It’s dark, and the car is even darker. I reach for my binoculars, hoping they’ll help me see into the car.

I look over to where Moore is still parked, wondering if he saw them come in. Maybe this is who he’s here to meet. Seems unlikely though, since neither party is approaching the other.

Is he being tailed by someone else?

The question floats into my mind, and I toss around the possibility. I know for a fact no one has followed him since I started. I would’ve picked up on that. But the way they entered the lot then positioned themselves to have a clear view of Moore without his knowledge sure seems like a fucking tail.

Before I can get into a better position to use the binoculars, Moore’s taillights suddenly come on as he puts the car into reverse. I glance over at the mystery car and hear the engine roar to life right behind Moore’s.

Moore’s car whines as he steps on the accelerator while in reverse before putting it in neutral, whipping the car around, and shoving it into drive. His tires spin out on the gravel as he hightails it out of the open area. He drives straight back toward me, passing the other car on the way. I slink down further into my seat, making sure no part of my body is visible as Moore speeds past.

The undisclosed dark gray sedan revs its engine, whips around much like Moore had done, and then speeds out of the shipping yard behind Moore. Right as it passes, I barely make out two men in the front seats, but I can’t see anything more than their dark figures.

Well, hot damn!

I might not be the only one interested in Moore’s whereabouts.

Now I have more questions burning in my mind that need answers. Most importantly, what the hell is Moore up to, and who is his other tail?

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