Mom had somehow talked me out of going after Suria, although now, less than a day after talking to her, I didn’t know how she’d done it.

And it wouldn’t work again.

I was going to find that woman and get my mother’s money back.

It wasn’t like the cops were making any progress – assuming they were even trying. I’d called today and gotten Merkel’s partner, who at least pretended to give a rat’s ass, but he still didn’t have any sort of update to give me.

He had told me that Suria didn’t have any sort of record.

Did that mean nobody had reported her before?

Or just that she hadn’t been charged before?

I knew shit all about the legal system, but there was no way she could run a con like this her first time, and it be so smooth.

So, it wasn’t her first time.

Maybe this was just the first time she’d gotten caught.

But if the cops weren’t going to make any progress, then I sure as hell would.

I didn’t give a good damn if I had to park my ass in front of Suria’s so-called place of business and stay there until I got somewhere.

The open sign that had proven to be so annoying didn’t turn on until well after nine, and a small woman with a heavy top-knot of iron-gray hair was already waiting on the doorstep, so I was forced to bide my time. I wasn’t too keen on that. I wanted to go inside and tell the old lady that she was wasting her time and money in that place, but I kept my peace and waited until the woman left.

I did make note of the license plate. If that woman suffered the same fate my mother had, she might want to know she’d gotten conned. I’d have my cop friend reach out to her once things were settled with my mom and Suria.

I started up the sidewalk, the piece of paper with the license plate information tucked inside my shirt pocket. Adrenaline and anger burned inside me, and I fought to keep the anger contained. It was a losing battle, and I practically ripped the door off its hinges as I strode inside.

A demand for answers danced on my tongue, along with something that might have been…indignation, outrage. Something. She could take that kind of money from my mother, then show up back here after a few days like nothing was wrong.

What kind of woman did that?

I didn’t know, but I sure as hell was going to find out.

That was actually the second question I planned to ask, burning its way up my throat.

Then the questions froze, trapped there when I caught sight of somebody who wasn’t Suria sitting in the chair. She rose when she saw me, a smile on her lips. It faltered at the sight of me, and her eyes fell away.

She looked familiar.

It hit me like a lightning bolt as to why, not even a second after.

She was Suria’s so-called cousin – the girl I’d seen dancing with Suria the night we’d met.

“Where is she?” I demanded, taking a step closer to the low coffee table that separated us.

“I…I’m sorry,” she said, her voice faltering. “Did we have an appointment?”

“No. And you aren’t the girl who usually runs this operation. Suria is – or should I say Sirene?” I glared at her and watched as the blood drained from her face.

She opened her mouth, then snapped it closed, no words coming out.

Finally, she rose, smoothing down the dusky rose skirt she wore. “I don’t know what you mean, but if you’d like to…” She paused, clearly floundering.

“Please.” I bared my teeth at her. “Offer to tell me my future. Or maybe you can run me for a trip, the way Suria did with my mom, telling her how she could help her find closure about her dead brother!”

The words ended on a shout.

Something that might have been guilt flickered inside me because the woman, hell, she was hardly more than a girl, flinched away from me, her long dark hair falling in her face, almost as if she was expecting a blow. “I’m sorry, sir, but I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, her voice hesitant.

“What, don’t you all talk about the cons you’re running?” I hated the fact that I felt a little guilty. Hated the fact that her pale face was cutting at me. Why did she look afraid? Why did I feel bad? I hadn’t done shit but come here and try to set things right after somebody had taken my mother for a ride.

“Sir.” A low, hard voice came from behind me.

Slowly, I turned, meeting the dull, dark eyes of a man who stood close to my height. He was older than me, thin, with the evidence of a beer belly hanging over his belt. Malevolence colored his eyes, his voice, his everything as he took a step toward me.

“I don’t care for the tone you use to speak to my niece,” he said.

His words rang false, and from the corner of my eye, I saw the way the girl huddled into herself. She seemed even more afraid now, withdrawing from not just me, but the man who’d just entered the room. Why?

“Is it the tone?” I challenged. “Or the fact that I know you all are running cons out of this place?”

Ugly rage darkened his already near black eyes, but he smiled, although it was more a baring of teeth. “Our clients know what we offer, my good sir. If somebody is unhappy, I can only apologize. But we never make promises.”

“My mother wasn’t given a promise,” I threw at him. “She was given a bunch of shit lies.” I took a step toward him. “And I can fucking prove it.”

“I think you should leave,” he suggested. He took a step toward me, and now we stood barely an arm’s distance apart.

I thought about closing it even further. Something about this guy rubbed me the wrong way.

I wanted to take his face and rub it the wrong way across the pavement outside, but that wasn’t going to help me accomplish my goals, which was getting my mother’s money back.

“I think I will,” I said softly. “You haven’t seen the last of me, though. I’m going to get my mother’s money back. I don’t care if I have to take it out of your miserable ass.”

Turning on my heel, I strode out the door and climbed into the car.

I sat there a few minutes, staring at nothing as I waited for some stunning revelation to come knocking.

What came a knocking was the woman from inside Suria’s house.

She knocked a second time before I looked over at her.

“Can we talk?” she said through the window.

I jabbed the button, waiting for the glass to roll completely down before I said a single word. “What, exactly, do we have to talk about?”

“Why are you looking for Suria?” she asked.

That was the last thing I expected to hear from her.

“I’d think it was obvious,” I said finally. “She fucking stole from my mother.”

The woman’s eyes fell away, and she swallowed, her throat working with the movement.

“Please don’t tell me that surprises you,” I said caustically. “You have to know what kind of shit goes on in these places. And you’re a part of it, kid.”

Her gaze flew to mine, and she opened her mouth, then closed it, shaking her head as though she just didn’t know what to say. Maybe she didn’t.

I jammed my key into the ignition and twisted it almost savagely. It was a wonder the key didn’t break off under the force I used. “Listen, kid,” I said, staring straight ahead. “I don’t know how you’re connected to all of this, but Suria messed up going after my mom. She’s going to get what she deserves. Everybody connected to this will.”