Bird Dogs: A John Crane Novella by Mark Parragh

Author:Mark Parragh
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Waterhaven Media, LLC
Published: 2016-12-06T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

After dinner, Crane and Alexa bade Ramon and his wife a good night and returned to their room. Crane could feel the energy pouring off Alexa. All through dinner she’d watched Tamarind and the blonde flirt and make over each other. She’d grown increasingly agitated until Ramon’s wife had asked if she was feeling well. She held Crane’s arm as they walked down the hallway, and Crane could feel her shaking.

As soon as he closed the door behind them she burst out, “Did you see that?”

“I saw it. It’s what he does.”

“God, I want to beat him with a shovel!”

Crane crossed to the closet and took his jacket off. “You’ve been watching him for months,” he said as he hung it up. “Is this the first time you’ve seen him with a woman?”

“He’s been around women. Of course he has. But not like this. He’s doing it again. He’s going to charm her and then ruin her life. We can’t let him do that, John.”

Crane closed the closet. He saw Alexa start toward the door.

“I’m going to warn her,” she said.

“No. No, you can’t—”

“I’m going to tell her who she’s sleeping with.”

Crane caught her as she was opening the door.

“Alexa, wait!” He pulled her back inside.

She shook him off. “Let me go!”

“You can’t just charge in there!”

She took a deep breath. “What are we waiting for?”

“I’m not done with him yet. When I’ve got what I need, we’ll take him down. I’ll help you, but you can’t do it right now.”

She pushed past him and went to the minibar. “What do you still need from him? You said you wanted to know who he talks to. I got you his phone. What else do you need?”

She took out a tiny bottle of Jameson and tore off the seal.

“There’s more to it than the phone,” said Crane.

Alexa was rooting through the cups and coffee stirrers. “Where the hell is a glass?” she muttered. Then she whirled on him. “I knew it,” she said, her voice rising with anger. “It’s the money. That’s what you’re after. You think he’ll lead you to the money. You’re just like him.”

“You know better than that,” Crane snapped.

“Oh? How do I know? You buy me these expensive clothes, and you bring me here in your fancy car. You use me just like he uses her!”

Crane went to and held her as she trembled.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I don’t mean that.”

“I know,” he murmured.

“Seeing him do this…it brings up things for me.”

“I figured as much.” It had occurred to him there must be more to her crusade than just a job. Some deeper reason why she’d dropped everything to follow Tamarind around the world and harass him at every step. Someone had hurt her, badly.

“I need to know all there is to know about that man,” said Crane. “The money might be out there, it might not exist. But I need him doing what he does, not reacting to us.”

“He’ll ruin that woman,” she said, pushing back from him.

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