“Well, shit. What’s the problem? If anything, fucking you would just be better for her career.”
“That’s what I think!” said Luke in mock agreement. “Would she rather I fire her?”
Longineu snorted. “They always think they’re making things easier, don’t they?”
Luke had to bite back a look of disdain. “True.” Just then, the waitress dropped off his Scotch, and Luke immediately took a swig. If he wanted to get his information, he needed to remain relatively clear-headed, but there was no way he could carry any more conversation with this ass sober. “So how are the investments coming along? The last statements looked promising.”
Longineu shook his head. “No, I’m not done yet. Who is the chick?”
Trust. He needed to build trust. “Some new secretary who just started. No one important.” No one Longineu should have any reason to think he knew.
“Didn’t your brother just hook up with a secretary? That should make this chick feel fine about it!”
“Lori’s not a secretary, actually.”
Longineu didn’t look as though he cared a bit. “Is it the hot blonde who took me to your office? I can totally understand why you’d want a piece of that.”
Luke practically spit out his drink. “Cali? No. Hell no. She’s like a sister.”
“Interesting. Does that mean I can get to know her better the next time I’m at your place?”
That’s it. Luke was going to kill him. “Last I heard, she was seeing someone. But feel free to take your shot,” he managed to squeeze out. Trust. Building trust.
“I’ll have to keep that in mind.” Longineu took another drink. “What about the other hot one? The Mexican chick?”
His hands balled into fists under the table. He knew from the file he had on Evelyn that her grandfather was Puerto Rican, but he didn’t say anything. “Mexican?”
“She has the office across from yours.”
Oh...that Mexican. Luke shrugged, feigning ignorance. “Oh, her. She’s some intern who got the position by winning some essay contest. I forgot to tell Cali about it and that office was the only thing open. Don’t really know anything about her.”
“That’s funny,” said Longineu.
“What’s funny?”
He slammed his glass down. “Because she’s an FBI agent.”
Luke met his gaze over the table. “She’s a what?”
Longineu leaned forward. “She’s. An. FBI. Agent. And I think you knew that.”
“I have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about. Why would the FBI be in my building? Everything I’ve done is legit.”
“The hundred mil you gave to me wasn’t legit. You knew that. I know that. And I can think of a few reasons why you’d be working with the FBI. Ken might’ve thought you were the best thing to ever happen to our little organization, but I never agreed with him.
“See, I know your family. I know your crazy ass cousin, and I know the cousin who wouldn’t touch people like us with a ten-foot pole. So I never, not for one second, thought you were honestly trying to increase your portfolio by joining up with us.”
Luke leaned forward, setting his arms on the table, refusing to be cowed by Longineu’s accusations. “That didn’t stop you from taking my money, did it?”
He shrugged. “Not my choice. The higher-ups gave you approval.”
“And who are these higher-ups who are on my side?”
Longineu’s smile twisted into a grin. “You’d like to know, wouldn’t you? Probably transmitting every little word I’m saying right to the government.”
“You think I’m wearing a wire? This isn’t a made-for-TV movie, Longineu. It’s an honest fucking question.”
He shrugged, not seeming convinced at all. “I don’t care if you’re wearing a wire or not. This entire level has a signal blocker, so no matter what you’re trying to transmit, nothing is getting out.”
For the first time since he sat down, Luke started to get worried. “That seems a little paranoid.”
“Oh no,” said Longineu. “Paranoid would be sending my best man to pay your little FBI agent a visit. Now that would be paranoid.”
CHAPTER NINE
Evelyn banged on her computer for the tenth time but still didn’t get anything from the open line she was supposed to have on Luke’s phone transmitter. “God damn it!” she screamed at the good-for-nothing machine.
She pulled out her phone and dialed Gail’s disposable line. The agent answered on the third ring. “I lost transmission,” she said before Gail could get more than a “hi” in.