Goddess of Vengeance - Jackie Collins [18]
‘I understand, Armand,’ he said evenly. ‘I am on top of it.’
‘You’d better be,’ Armand responded, vigorously towelling himself dry. ‘Whatever the price, I am prepared to pay.’
‘Of course,’ Fouad agreed, because agreeing was simpler than arguing.
‘How is your wife?’ Armand asked, abruptly changing the subject.
Fouad hesitated for only a moment; he had no wish to discuss his wife with Armand. He was well aware that Armand did not approve of his marriage. Armand thought he had made a mistake marrying an American girl. But Fouad adored his wife and two little children, and nothing Armand could say would ever change that.
‘Alison is very well,’ he answered carefully.
‘Hasn’t cheated on you yet?’ Armand said with a spiteful smirk.
Fouad maintained a steely silence.
‘All American women cheat on their husbands eventually,’ Armand stated. ‘Look at the whore I just threw out. She’s a classic example of a rich bitch with an itchy cunt.’
Fouad chose to ignore Armand’s crass remarks. Sometimes he found them difficult to understand, considering Armand’s own mother was an American. But then Armand’s relationship with his mother had always been something of a problem.
‘Go make some phone calls,’ Armand said, abruptly dismissing his faithful right-hand man. ‘And before the end of the day I wish to know that The Keys is mine.’
Chapter Six
‘What’s going on today? Anything I should know about’ Denver asked Leon, a young detective with whom she’d become friendly. It was Leon who had encouraged her to transfer to the Drug Unit, a move she was excited about.
Leon was African-American and quite laid back; he was excellent at his job and had helped her get acclimatized when she’d first arrived. They had a good buddy thing going on, which she hoped would last because sometimes she had a sneaking suspicion that Leon was on the verge of asking her out.
Please don’t, a little voice whispered in her head. I’m taken. Besides, it would be awkward.
Not that Leon wasn’t attractive. He was. He had a kind of chill Will Smith vibe going for him, and the ladies were always giving him the look. Denver ribbed him a lot. He acted bashful, but she knew he was a stud at heart.
‘There’s a hostage deal happening,’ Leon explained. ‘Some Mexican drug-pusher grabbed his baby and barricaded himself in his house with an arsenal of weapons. I’m goin’ over there now. They’ve had to clear the neighbourhood an’ close the street.’
‘What else is new?’ Denver asked, immediately thinking how blasé she sounded. And well she should, because if it wasn’t a hostage situation it was a random shooting or a gang initiation or a murder or a high-speed car chase. Things were going on all the time, and she could not believe how isolated she’d been working at a top Beverly Hills law firm, where the main excitement of the day was some coked-out Hollywood starlet with two Driving Under the Influence charges trying to dodge jail time, or a boring client lunch at Spago.
‘Not enough for you, huh?’ Leon said with a wide grin. ‘An’ how come you was late this morning?’
‘I . . . uh . . .’
‘Boyfriend in town?’ he asked, leaning his elbows on her desk.
‘Yes. Bobby’s here,’ she admitted a touch sheepishly. ‘But that has nothing to do with—’
‘Morning sex,’ Leon said, his grin spreading. ‘Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about.’
‘Excuse me?’ she said, pretending she had no clue what he was alluding to.
‘You got the glow, girl,’ Leon teased. ‘Comin’ off you in waves.’
Damn! She knew she had, and there was nothing she could do about it. Whenever she had sex it was written all over her face for everyone to see. How annoying was that.
‘I have to work,’ she said, powering up her computer. ‘So if you’ll—’
‘I’m outta here,’ Leon said, throwing up his arms. ‘Out. Gone. Goodbye. Adios.’
‘Be careful,’ she said.
‘Always,’ he said.
As soon as Leon left, her thoughts drifted to Bobby. It was ridiculous, but whenever she wasn’t with him, all she could do was think about him. So juvenile. It was almost as if they were