Close To Her Asian Billionaire

Carla blinked. She seemed to have no emotion on her face when she made this statement. It sounded rehearsed, impersonal.

“You say former boss.” She said slowly. “I take it this was recent.”

“I was fired.” Joanie’s mouth twisted in more annoyance. “Because I got too close to the truth.”

“And what truth would that be?”

“He’s in league with the mob. He launders their money and takes a hefty cut when it’s divided up. Then he hides the money in his company and no one’s any the wiser.”

Carla hadn’t been expecting that. In the five years since she had got her PI license she had heard a lot of things and most of them were run-of-the-mill. She was often given the cheating husbands cases. But this one was more than a little surprising.

“That’s a strong accusation, Miss Oldham.” She said. “And it’s a criminal offense. Why don’t you go to the police about it?”

“Because I don’t have any proof and police need proof to start an investigation or make an arrest.”

Now Carla was reading between the lines.

“So you believe he’s involved with the mob and you want me to find the proof.”

Joanie nodded.

“You’ve got the resources. You can get things most people can’t.” Her expression darkened; her first proper emotion since Carla had entered her office. “I got close enough to touch the evidence with my own two hands but then I was caught and thrown out with the false excuse that I was a lazy bi*ch.”

“I hardly think they’d call you a lazy bi*ch.”

“Something along those lines.” Joanie muttered.

Carla picked up a pen and began twirling it between her fingers.

“Are you sure you’re not doing this to get back at your boss for firing you?” She asked. “Because if you are, I don’t want to be involved in your squabbles and lawsuits.”

“One of his big clients is Jesse Taga.”

That had Carla’s attention.

“The mob boss?”

Jesse Taga was the biggest drug lord who had tormented Miami for several years, carrying on from his former boss Griselda Blanco, who now rotted in a Colombian grave. Evidently he was branching out into other avenues now that the police were clamping down on drugs.

“My boss went to school with Jesse’s daughter Diana. His other daughter Danielle is his personal assistant. You can’t get any closer than that to the mob.”

Connections to the mob could be hazardous for anyone, whether it was to their advantage or not. But sometimes it was entirely innocent. Carla, herself, had lived and gone to school in Pinellas County. She had been a few years behind Ashley Humphrey, the woman who had murdered her husband Tracey’s ex-girlfriend on their wedding night so she wouldn’t testify at Tracey’s ra*e trial.

Carla had known Ashley as teenagers but that didn’t mean she was guilty of murder as well.

“There could be a perfectly reasonable explanation for that.”

“Like he’s in Taga’s pocket.” Joanie sneered.

Carla sighed. It was clear she wasn’t going to get anywhere with the woman. She would have to go with the case and see if the speculation and rumors were true. From the way the woman was dressed she must be worth a lot of money and Carla was willing to take what she could get. Her boss liked it when high-paying clients came to them for services.

“I’ll see what I can do.” She pulled her diary towards her and opened it, crossing out any unnecessary appointments. “I can’t promise anything, though. Taga’s a slippery bugger and I don’t want to get on his bad side. This will have to be done on the QT. No press or anything.”

“QT?”

“Secretly. On the quiet.” Carla tapped her pen on her diary. “He’s got influential friends and if he finds out someone is spying on him I could get shut down very fast.”

“I understand.”

From the look on her face Joanie didn’t understand. Carla made a mental note to make sure Faye told Joanie the repercussions of blurting anything to the press.

“What’s your boss’ name and what’s his business?”

“Jason Liu.” Joanie virtually spat out the name. “He runs the biggest publishing house in Miami.”

Carla froze. Jason Liu. It couldn’t be…

Could it? The name wasn’t that common but…

Carla turned to her computer and typed Jason’s name in. It came up with several entries, including pictures. The man who stared back with that devastating smile was the same man who had rescued her from Patrick Pisani in the park.

“I know him.” She murmured. Then she realized that Joanie was staring at her. “I know of him, I mean. I’ve read interviews. While he’s not the most personable person to interview he doesn’t seem the type to be involved in anything illegal.”

Not after his gallant rescue of her that morning. Carla knew she was being biased but a part of her was refusing to believe that he was involved in anything at all.

Joanie snorted. Clearly she didn’t believe her.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if his publishing company is built on that money he gets a cut of.”

Carla wasn’t going to argue that now. She needed to get going on this case and find out which Jason Liu she should believe: the one she met on the jogging path or the one Joanie knew.

“Leave it with me, Miss Oldham. If you leave your name, number and address with Faye at the desk out front I’ll give you regular updates on what is happening. She’ll also settle your fee, half now and half on completion or a refund if you’re not satisfied.”

“Fine by me.” Joanie stood, brushing an invisible speck of dust from her trousers. She slung the strap of her bag over her shoulder and fixed Carla with a steely look. “I hope you put the bastard where he belongs.”

Carla was still staring after her as Joanie left, her heels click-clacking down the hall. That woman was on a mission; that much was clear. Maybe it was a vendetta for getting fired the way she did. It was going to come back and bite her if she wasn’t careful.

Jason Liu was a man you couldn’t get close to that easily. Carla was going to have to get a little creative. And she knew the person to call for that.

Putting her favorite person on speed-dial, Carla sat back and waited for the woman to answer.

“Hi, Amy. I need a favor.”