Twisted Interest (Margot Harris 7)

“So?”

“So, Dennis Thorn was Mal’s alias when he was working undercover.”

Harry smiled again. “Now that you say it, I remember when we first met he was Dennis Thorn. I’d forgotten.”

“So had I for a little bit.”

“Mal put the hit on Lucas?”

“Looks that way. The question is, who told him to do it? I don’t see him doing that on his own.”

Bobby brought them their drinks. Harry gave him a look and Bobby went back to the bar and ordered something for himself.

“So you called to ask me if he works for me?”

“Seems a reasonable question.”

“Except I hired you to find Lucas’s killer. It would be a weird thing to do if I was the one who ordered Lucas go down.”

“It would be, but if it was true, I’d guess you’d have some kind of angle.”

“What would my angle be?”

Margot finished her first drink. She took a sip of the second one even though she said she didn’t want it. Once again, Harry had picked out her drink of choice.

“I don’t know what your angle would be, Harry. I’m just a simple P.I. You're the criminal mastermind. Just because I don’t see it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”

“All that being true, I can still tell you Mal is not working for me right now in any capacity.”

“Okay, if not you, who?”

“I don’t know, but I can do some checking. These people will be much more inclined to talk to me than you.”

“Thanks. In the meantime, watch your back. It has the feel of someone moving in on you.”

“I’ll do that, Margot, thanks.”

“One more thing: if he’s not working for you, I’m giving his name to the police.”

“Really? After all you’ve been through together?”

“Someone tried to shoot me earlier tonight. It felt a lot like Mal. Even if it wasn’t, I can’t be holding out on an accessory to murder.”

“He’s not working for me. Tell whoever you want.”

“I wasn’t asking permission.”

“Just out of curiosity, if he was working for me, what would you have done?”

“You’re just going to have to stay curious about that one.”

“I’m not sure I like that answer.”

Margot drank some more of the drink she claimed not to want before she said, “I leave first. Take your time and enjoy our drink because if I see any of you coming my way, someone is getting hurt.”

“You still don’t trust me?”

“No,” Margot said as she stood.