Page 77 of Ricochet

“You said…” Adelia’s voice shook. “She.”

“She.”

“Stop playing games,” Lenora demanded.

“I’m the one playing games? You act like it’s just me who double dips.” He sealed his teeth together and shook his head. “I know the games Mayhem plays.”

“Don’t change the subject. She!”

He inhaled deeply and then, squinting at Lenora, squared his shoulders. “Gloria Astor is thebrains behind the operation.”

“Cut the crap.” Lenora rolled her eyes. “You’re spewing all kinds of BS.”

“Like what?”

Adelia clung to the hope that Lenora didn’t believe him.

Doubt like the kinds only a first-rate litigator could conjure in a simple stare crossed Lenora’s face as she crossed her arms. “Like Mayhem’s double dipping and Gloria Astor’s involved with this.”

“Untrusting.” Silviorocked back on his heels. “How about I prove it?”

“You can do that?” Adelia asked.

“We’ll see.” Lenora remained skeptical. “You know who Gloria Astor is, right? Other than a name related to the labels on these containers?”

“It’d be impossible not to know.” And not only did Adelia know who she was, she had placed her on a pedestal. The woman was internationally acclaimed leader in the fightagainst human rights violations. “That’s why he’s wrong.”

“You’re not that naïve,” Silvio said. “Neither of you are.”

No… She was not. Adelia faced Lenora, whose face was hard and angry. But if Silvio was right, the rest of the world might be that naive—if he was telling the truth, which they’d yet to see pan out.

“Prove it,” Lenora ordered. “You said you would. That’s a tall tale, a lot ofshock and awe to save your ass.”

His hand twitched—

“Hold your horses, cowboy,” Lenora demanded. “What are you reaching for?”

“My phone. Jesus,” he griped. “Not a gun. Not a weapon. Just my cell phone.”

Lenora nodded. “Slowly.”

“Paranoid.” He extracted a low-tech, burner cell phone like the ones she and Lenora used and added prepaid minutes to on occasion and held it up. “Who wants to dothe honors?”

Lenora motioned to her. “Adelia.”

Nerves boiled under her skin, and her hand trembled as she reached for the phone he extended.

“The only contact under T.”

Adelia scrolled until she saw Tea House, and her eyebrows arched. “Are you kidding me?”

“Call. What do I care?”

She pressed CALL, and the phone rang, answered a moment later with an efficient, “Hello, Astor Residence. Howmay I direct your call?”

“Wrong number. I apologize.” Adelia ended the call, turning to Lenora with wide eyes. She hadn’t a clue how the world operated any more. Silvio had Gloria Astor’s home phone number? This sleazy guy, who operated out of a dirty office with half a dozen pots of burnt coffee, knew one of the wealthiest, most philanthropic people on earth.

“That wasn’t the wrong number,was it?” he asked smugly.

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