The Gauguin Connection by Estelle Ryan

Author:Estelle Ryan [Ryan, Estelle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: new
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter SIXTEEN

I was still running in circles. I looked at the three computer screens in front of me and wanted to use some of the words I had heard Vinnie utter when he had burned his hand on the stove yesterday. It had been an extremely frustrating few days since I had met Leon. Daily meetings with Manny had done nothing to further our co-operation. He had seemed more angered by my lack of new connections and information than I was. Aggravating man.

After four days of fourteen-hour searches, countless data files being perused and combed through, I had nothing. To top everything, Colin had disappeared. He had left a message with Vinnie that he was looking into something and would check in as soon as he could. That was also four days ago. I hadn’t heard anything from him since. I was getting increasingly annoyed with agents and criminals alike.

“Your coffee, m’lady.” Vinnie placed a steaming mug of coffee on the coaster next to my right hand. “You should really take a break, Jen-girl. It’s Sunday morning, for goodness sake. You should be enjoying a lazy breakfast.”

I glared at the huge man hovering over me. He reminded me of a documentary I watched about fowl. Not even the mother hens clucked around their chicks as much as he did around me. I didn’t tell him that he reminded me of a chicken though. With a sigh I sat back and reached for the coffee. “Where is Colin?”

Vinnie pulled out a chair and sat down facing me. He was wearing his usual canvas pants and loose T-shirt. I had wondered if he had any other clothes in his wardrobe, but after a week of him living in my apartment, I had come to the conclusion that this was his uniform. His pants and shirts were always neatly pressed, just like a uniform, and he took great care with his appearance. He was also quite fastidious about keeping the kitchen neat. This giant of a man was a surprising perfectionist.

“He said that he would come as soon as he can, Jen-girl.”

“Where is he?” This time I infused much more demand in my voice. This brought humour lines to soften Vinnie’s features.

“Busy.”

“Is he working on this case?” If I had not been so annoyed by his amusement and watching him so closely I would not have caught the micro-expression of discomfort. “Vinnie! Is Colin out and not working on this case?”

“I did not say that.”

“You didn’t need to. It’s written all over your face. What is he doing?”

“Jen-girl,” he pleaded, “I can’t tell you. Colin will come back soon. Most likely today.”

I let out a feminine groan of annoyance, a sound very unlike me. This broke the last of the tenuous hold I had on my patience. I could feel my gaze intensifying and by the alarmed look on Vinnie’s face, he had noticed the depth of my ire. At the exact moment I was ready to blast him with four days of built up frustration, a strange ringing came from my handbag on the chair next to me.

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