Twisted Interest (Margot Harris 7)
“But you met him as Dennis Thorn?”
“Yeah, but not to tell him to kill Lucas Lau. Who is Lucas Lau, anyway?”
“Until someone shanked him, he was the main suspect in a case I’m involved in. You might have heard about it, the media called it the Masterson Hot Tub Massacre.”
“That was that Lucas? You were working that?”
“I was, or I am, working for Phoebe Masterson’s legal counsel.”
“Big case, who got it?”
“Browers and Associates.”
“Congratulations, those guys are big time. Working for Shaw must really be paying off.”
“Why were you there talking to Heller?”
“I can tell you it had nothing to do with Lucas Lau or the Masterson Hot Tub Massacre.”
“Okay, if that’s what it wasn’t, what was it?”
“I can’t tell you that yet.”
“Yet?”
“Yeah, it’s going to depend on how the rest of this conversation goes.”
“Can you tell me why you used your old alias?”
“I couldn’t use my own name and I needed a name Heller would recognize.”
“He knew Dennis Thorn?”
“I was using that name when I busted him for possession with intent to distribute.”
“He agreed to meet the guy who busted him?”
“For a dude like Heller, that was like four of five charges ago. Heller isn’t really a details guy. He knew he knew me from somewhere, but he never realized Dennis Thorn was the narc who busted him back in the day. Like I said, he’s dumb as a rock.”
“I guess I should be glad you didn’t order the hit on Lucas, but I’m guessing you’re still up to no good.”
“That depends on the definition of no good.”
Margot figured that was about as much as he was going to tell her and didn’t reply. The silence between them lasted a couple of blocks before Mal said, “It’s good to see you, Margot. I’m sorry things ended the way the
y did between us.”
“Me too.”
“We could fix it and leave all this behind, you know.”
“No, I don’t know. What are you talking about?”
“You and I getting out of town, living somewhere nice, and not having anyone shoot at us for the rest of our lives.”
“How do you think we would do that?”
“I’ve got a job, it’s a one-time thing, but once it’s done, I’ll have enough to get out and stay out. I’m asking you to come with me when that happens.”