Vision Impossible by Victoria Laurie

Author:Victoria Laurie [Laurie, Victoria]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: General, Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Women Detectives, Mystery Fiction, Women Sleuths, Spy Stories, Women Psychics, Criminal Profilers
ISBN: 9780451234063
Publisher: Penguin Group USA
Published: 2011-07-04T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Dutch’s phone rang early the next morning. It was Grinkov. He wanted to meet with Dutch. Alone.

I knew why and it really bothered me. “You can’t go alone,” I told both him and Frost over breakfast. “Seriously, honey, you can’t.”

Dutch sighed and held the ice pack up to his jaw again. It’d been bothering him more than anything else save his ribs. “I’ll be fine,” he assured me.

“Oh, I know you’ll be fine. Grinkov has no intention of hurting you again, at least until you double-cross him. That’s not why he wants to get you alone.”

“Then why does he want to get him alone?” Frost asked.

“Because he wants to negotiate the terms of the partnership without me there to call his bluff.”

Dutch eyed me sideways. “Do you need to be there to call his bluff? I mean, Abs, this is a fake agreement. We’re not really going into business with Grinkov—we’re just using him to get the ball rolling.”

I sighed and took a bite of my bagel, chewing while mulling that over. “I suppose not,” I admitted. “I mean, as far as the negotiations go, I’m positive you can handle them, but sweetie, you don’t really know this guy like I do. He can smell a bluff a mile away. He’s got great radar in his own right, and he’ll use it to feel you out. If you sit down with him, he may probe you because he’ll sense something’s a little off. You’ll have to be very, very careful with him, and when you go in there, you’ll have to do more than act like Des Vries; you’ll have to believe you’re Des Vries.”

Frost looked unsure. “Maybe she’s right,” he said. “Maybe you should insist on taking Cooper with you. At least then she can help divert Grinkov’s attention away from any inconsistencies.”

Dutch shook his head. “Des Vries would never insist on bringing along a woman, even if it was his business partner. He’s got way too much machismo for that. Trust me, if asked, he’d go in alone and with an attitude.”

That alarmed me. “Grinkov isn’t going to tolerate you going all alpha male on him, cowboy.”

My fiancé moved the ice pack from his jaw and took my hand. His fingers were cold. “I know,” he assured me. “It’ll be a little dicey, but I can handle him.”

I looked to Frost, thinking he’d back me up, but his expression told me that he was now leaning Dutch’s way. “Okay, Rivers,” he said. “But if you go in alone, we can’t risk the wire or the camera. You’ll be on your own.”

I scowled at both of them, but I knew I’d just been outvoted. “Fine,” I said. “But remember he’ll look to take you by surprise, Dutch. And he’ll definitely try to test you, so please, be on the alert.”

Dutch leaned in and kissed me lightly on the lips.

“Blech,” we heard from across the room. “You two should get a room.”

I backed away from my sweetheart and glared hard at Mandy.

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