The Big Sheep by Robert Kroese

Author:Robert Kroese
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781250088451
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

SEVENTEEN

My comm was blinking as the aircar arced away from the Flagship lot. It was Priya’s bodyguard Roy. Or one of her bodyguards, at least. I almost didn’t answer it, but if he had learned something about Priya’s disappearance, I needed to know.

“Hey, Roy,” I said. “What’s up?”

“Not much,” he said. “Élan Durham is sticking to his story that it was Stacia who was killed in the blast. He’s telling everyone Priya is taking a couple of days off. Any luck on your end?”

“Nothing conclusive,” I said, which was certainly true. “I think Keane may have some ideas, but so far nothing has panned out.”

“You’ll tell me if you find her?”

“Of course,” I said, feeling a little bad about the lie. Just a little, though. This was business, and Roy was smart enough to know I was lying. Priya was our client. For all we knew, he was involved in her disappearance. I wasn’t going to tell him anything unless I thought it would help us find her. Still, there was something in Roy’s utterly guileless nature that made me want to tell him the truth. Somehow I couldn’t believe he’d ever do anything to harm Priya. “Seriously, Roy,” I found myself saying, “I’ll call you as soon as we know anything.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a quizzical glance from Keane, who was obviously wondering why I was making such a promise. I wasn’t sure I knew myself.

“Thanks,” said Roy uncertainly. “Same here. Although I’m not sure how much good I can do wandering around the set. I’m a bodyguard, not a detective.”

A thought occurred to me. “Hey, Roy, one more thing,” I said. “Do you know a guy named Carlos? Or Jamie?”

“I don’t think so,” said Roy. “You got last names? Who are they? Something to do with Priya?”

“Maybe,” I said. “Don’t know the last names. Just a couple of thugs I ran into recently. They could be related to this other case we’re on.” Again, technically true.

“If you tell me what they look like, I’ll keep an eye out,” said Roy.

They look like miniature versions of you, I thought. But I said, “I think it’s unlikely you’ll run into them.” Very unlikely. In fact, it’s almost as if you’re intentionally being kept away from each other.

“Okay,” said Roy, clearly not satisfied with this answer but not eager to press the issue.

“Gotta go,” I said. “Good luck, Roy.”

“Yeah,” said Roy. “You too.”

I ended the call, not sure why I felt like such a jerk brushing off Roy. It’s not like I had shot him in the foot or something.

I turned my thoughts back to the conversation with Selah. “Are we really going to try to get the sheep for her?” I asked Keane. “We’re already obligated to retrieve it for Esper.”

“Our taking this case for Selah was preconditioned on her telling us the truth about Priya Mistry,” Keane replied.

“You think she was lying.”

“I do.”

“Good,” I said. “So do I.”

He regarded me with bemusement. “Really?” he said.

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