Blood Orchid (Holly Barker 3)
Page 105
“I have my suspicions, but I can’t talk about that.”
“Why not?”
“Because it pertains to what I’m working on in Orchid Beach, and you know I can’t tell you about that.”
“Grant . . .”
“Listen, Holly, I’m trying to help you out here, but I can’t tell you more than that.”
“Grant . . .”
“All right, one more thing: Trini is a registered FBI informant; has been for a couple of years.”
“You mean, he’s working for Harry?” Holly asked, astonished.
“It’s not like that; he’s not an undercover agent. He’s just a guy on the street who gets paid for information.”
“Well, I’m relieved to hear it. Do you think that his status as a snitch has kept Harry from busting him?”
“Maybe, when all this started. Right now, Harry wants him off the street as bad as anybody.”
“I don’t belie
ve this. I’m busting my ass trying to figure out stuff that Harry already knows but won’t tell me?”
“It’s the nature of the beast, Holly. I told you before that the Bureau likes to know more than everybody else, and it doesn’t like sharing.”
“You know,” Holly said, “I would really like to just bow out of this whole thing, except that I can’t, because Trini Rodriguez is trying to kill me and that poor girl upstairs.”
“Believe me, I know how you feel, but whatever you do, don’t let Harry find out that you know what you know, or I’ll be an undercover seal on an ice floe in Alaska by this time next week.”
“All right, Grant, but you will try and help me not to get killed because of something Harry didn’t tell me?”
“I’m not going to let you get killed,” he said, kissing her on the cheek.
“Okay, but you’re answering the doorbell from now on, while I hide under something.”
“Okay, deal.”
“And try and do a better job than you did with the pizza guy.”
She went and poured herself another drink. Sobriety was not in the cards for this evening.
“First time I’ve seen you have more than one drink before dinner,” Grant said.
“First time I’ve needed more than one,” Holly replied.
47
The following day, Holly worked listlessly, hungover and depressed, a bad combination. Just before lunchtime, she got a phone call.
“Hey, Holly, it’s Ed Shine,” he said.
“Oh, Ed, it’s good to hear from you.”
“How about dinner tonight?”
“Thank you, Ed, but I’m tied up.”