Chapter 17

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"Who was on the phone?" Holly came into the shop carrying a set of cleaning rags and a bucket of soap.

"Your last new friend."

"Who?"

"Daniel Kipman." He told her about the conversation and she gave him a curious look.

"You won't tell me but you'll have her call him?" She dropped the rags on the desk and set the bucket down. "What's that about, Jacob, I'm not to trusted?"

"Don't be daft, darlin'." He rubbed his chin and flapped his arms about helplessly. "Look, I have a number I can call, that's it. I don't even speak to her, it goes through somebody else."

"What the hell are you talking about? What did you do to that woman?"

"Oh boy." He pulled out a chair and sat heavily. "There really are no secrets are there." Jacob told Holly everything that occurred after he left Malcom's with Connie and when he was done he waited for the assault. When she spoke it was not what he expected at all; she wanted to know why and she asked in a perfectly normal voice.

"Why? Well, okay. First off we know she wanted to pursue an acting career. She was tough, gusty and ready to try anything to get where she wanted to go. This offered her all of that and she didn't have to worry about the law."

"She agreed?"

"Uh- not at first. It took a little persuading—" Holly's look made him blush and he modified his statement. "A little threatening then, but she took it and understood." He hurried on.

"And then she agreed."

"Yes."

"She knows she can't change her mind."

"Yes."

"What will she be doing... forget it. I know you can't say."

Jacob smiled. "I wouldn't know anyway."

"Will she call him, you think?"

Jacob shrugged. "I said I'd do it and I will. What she does is up to her."

"You surprise me, I thought you would have told him to take a hike."

"Call me mellow."

Holly stretched and sighed. "Well, let's get this cleaning done then, I want to get back to my condo in the morning."

"It's Christmas, Holly, do we have to clean today?"

"You can do it yourself if you want."

"We should get started."

Davidov sucked the last of the lobster from the shell noisily and then licked his fat fingers, grunting with satisfaction. Across from him, picking at a salad, Valry asked about Gregory's dacha, whether or not she would get to keep it. Ivan burped and wiped his face with a large napkin.

"We discuss that when we are back home, meanwhile you will pay visit to this Kipman person. He and some woman named Rubbi have a set of special playing cards I'm interested in. Holly Lakefield tried to deal them to me but things broke down. She will be dealt with as well. Gregory told me that the man Kipman wound up with the cards and later we learned he was working with the female guard at DeWhitt's." He pushed his plate away and tore off a large chunk of bread, stuffing it into his mouth while he talked.

"I can do this." Valry said. "How do you want it handled?"

Ivan coughed and swallowed. "Get the cards or find out where they are. Use whatever means necessary." He washed down the bread with a long gulp of vodka, burped again and waved one of his men forward. "Take her to Kipman's and wait."

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