Blood Orchid (Holly Barker 3)
Page 58
“I doubt it. All Harry had for leverage was the possibility of an immigration violation to squeeze Pedro with, and I ran my own check, and he’s a citizen. Did you talk to Harry today?”
“I don’t contact him unless I’ve got something to report,” Grant said. “And I haven’t had anything of substance to report since I arrived in Orchid Beach.”
“Not even what a great lay I was?”
“You were certainly a great lay, but that appraisal will not find its way into my report.”
“Gee, thanks for your discretion.”
“Listen, do I have to take it up the nose for everything the FBI and Harry Crisp do?”
Holly was about to fire back a smart answer when the phone rang. She picked it up. “Hello?”
“Hi, it’s Hurd.”
“Hi, what’s up?”
“We found the van.”
“Where?”
“Well, this is kind of embarrassing. You know that little park area in the approaches to the North Bridge?”
“Yes.”
“It was there all along. I guess I should have sent somebody up there first thing.”
“Don’t worry about it; finding it a few hours later won’t hurt anything. Where is it now?”
“We’ve towed it into the city garage. I’ve got a tech on it. We’ll have everything by first thing in the morning.”
“I’ll see you then. Thanks for calling.” She hung up.
Grant came back from the kitchen with his pizza. “Developments?”
Holly started to speak and stopped. “First, you and I have to have an understanding,” she said.
“What sort of understanding?”
“Whatever I tell you about my cases stops here, it doesn’t go to Harry.”
“Okay, unless the information is relevant to my work here.”
“Nope, relevant or not, you tell Harry nothing.”
“Holly, the FBI pays my salary, and Harry Crisp is my boss. I can’t withhold information about my case from them, surely you understand that.”
Holly made a disgusted noise.
“I could lie and tell you everything is just between you and me, but I want to be straight with you.”
Holly said nothing, just looked out the window.
“Look, maybe I can help, offer some suggestions. If it doesn’t touch on my case, I’ll say nothing to Harry about it.”
“But if it does, you’ll blab, right?”
“If that’s how you want to put it, yes.”