3 The Housewife Assassin's Killer Christmas Tips by Josie Brown

Author:Josie Brown [Brown, Josie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Signal Press
Published: 2012-03-14T04:00:00+00:00

“So, what you’re telling me is that Jack and I will be spending three days on a luxury Sapphire Cruise ship, as it makes its way from Cabo San Lucas to Los Angeles?”

Ryan nods solemnly. “We received intel last night that one of the missing MANPADs is being transported on the ship. Your job is to search and seize.”

“Works for me.” Yes! Yes! A few days of fun and sun.

With Jack, no less.

Or, maybe not. Usually I’d see that ghost of a smile on his lips indicating he’ll enjoy this assignment as much as I would. But today, he won’t even look at me.

“This isn’t any ordinary cruise,” Ryan continues. “It’s being chartered by Greg Lardner.”

Of course, the name is familiar to me. “You mean the Silicon Valley venture capitalist?”

“Yes. It’s a private holiday party he puts on every year, for a close set of friends.”

“How did we rate an invitation?”

“A special friend of Acme put you on the guest list.” Ryan’s face turns a soft shade of pink. “But this isn’t some fun in the sun excursion. You’ll have to be open to a little—well, let’s just call it role playing.”

I glance over at Jack. “I don’t get it.”

Jack shrugs. “Greg and his wife, Persephone, are notorious swingers.”

Ah. Now I get it.

“He only invites those who are into” —Ryan gives a deep cough—“his bondage club.”

In the silence that follows, Ryan’s face darkens to the shade of a ripe tomato.

Jack may not give a damn, but I feel I should say something before the poor guy passes out. “What does this have to do with the missing MANPAD?”

“Lardner’s company is the lead investor in Sapphire Cruises,” Ryan explains. “Not only does the party give him a chance to play rough, but also to showcase the ship to potential passengers and investors and provide a write-off. It also allows him to bring the MANPAD into a US port without going through the usual customs search.”

I nod. “I take it then, Lardner is involved with the Quorum?”

Finally, Jack turns to address me. “Donna, Lardner is one of the Quorum’s money men. Emma cracked one of the files on Jonah Breck’s hard drive with his name on it, along with records proving his role in the funding of Quorum terrorist acts. Apparently, Breck’s death left a vacancy on the Quorum’s controlling board of thirteen. Lardner is one of three Quorum members vying for the position. Getting the MANPAD through port security will get him the votes he needs to get on the board.”

“Do we know the other two contestants, or for that matter, the other twelve board members?”

Ryan shakes his head. “We’re working on it. But at the same time, we’ve got to stop the Quorum from taking down a plane. If our government folds to the Quorum’s blackmail demands, who knows what they’ll ask for next time?”

He’s got a point. And there is always a next time.

“The ship is one of the smaller ones owned by Sapphire,” Ryan says. “It’s called the Good Ship Lollipop.

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