Page 43 of Tangled
“She was a friend,” Scarlett said, neither confirming nor denying his statement.
“I’d like to know what you’ve found,” he replied.
Scarlett tipped her head.
“So you can decide whether or not to kill us like you did Halliwell?” Brad asked. Katz’s gaze flickered to his, then darted around the room before settling back on Scarlett.
“Is that why you brought so many of your people?” Katz asked, his tone amused. “Because you thought I planned to kill you?”
“Perhaps not today,” Scarlett said. “But the thought did cross our minds.”
Katz tsked. Actually tsked. “Such talk of killing is unnecessary. I simply want information.”
“Why?”
“Because someone has hired me to find the same answers that you seek,” he replied.
Brad felt more than saw Scarlett’s attention sharpen on the man even as she casually sipped her drink.
“Then the Wolf wasn’t involved in her death?” she asked.
Katz flashed them a frown. “I assure you, my employer had nothing to do with her death. As I said, I’m seeking the same answers you are.”
“Again, why?” Scarlett asked.
Annoyance flashed across Katz’s face, but it was gone almost as quickly as it had appeared. “Because Graciella meant a great deal to my employer, and my employer wants the same thing you do—to bring her killer to justice.” He paused, then smiled. “Although, admittedly, the versions of justice we are each seeking might be different.”
“We don’t know anything,” Scarlett said.
Again, Katz tsked. “Please don’t play dumb, Ms. Mitchell. You know Alexei Petrov is in town and likely killed Maria Abel instead of you. And you know Kimmie Garza is also searching for something.”
Under the table, Brad set his hand on Scarlett’s thigh. A second later, she placed hers on top of his.
“We do believe Maria was killed by Petrov in a case of mistaken identity, but we don’t know who hired him or why he wants to kill me. When I first learned he was here, I thought he’d been sent by your employer.” Katz said nothing, so Scarlett continued. “And as to Kimmie Garza, yes, she searched my room. And we know she works for Sussurri—as did Gracie—but I don’t know what she was looking for.”
“You have Graciella’s things. Perhaps there’s something in there?” Katz suggested.
Scarlett shot Katz a look that bordered on insolent, and Brad squeezed her leg. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop her.
“Gee, I never thought of that,” she said. Katz narrowed his eyes. “I went through everything and found nothing.”
“Perhaps you could hand it over to me?” Katz suggested.
Scarlett smiled. “It’s with the police now. You could always ask nicely and see if they’d let you have a look.” It wasn’t with the police, but Katz didn’t need to know that. All that he needed to know was that she no longer had possession of it.
Again, Katz’s eyes narrowed. Then, surprisingly, he leaned back and chuckled. “Contrary to what you may think or believe, weareon the same side of this. I will continue my inquiries,” he said, reaching into his pocket. Brad swore the tension in the room shot up tenfold. Katz smiled again, and slowly opened his jacket and reached inside. Then, withdrawing his hand, he held up a small white business card.
“For Gracie’s sake, if you find you ever need any assistance, that number will reach me,” he said, rising as he set the card on the table.
Brad glanced down at the small white rectangle. It did indeed have a number on it—with an LA area code—and only a number.
He gave them one last nod, then walked away.
As soon as Katz exited the bar, Scarlett leaned into him. “I think I’m going to be sick,” she said.
“Like really sick, or are you just saying that?” Brad asked, glancing around to determine the closest bathroom.
She took a deep breath but remained quiet. Picking up her hand, he kissed the top, then began rubbing the pressure point near the pad of her thumb.
