The Freelancer – Chapter 38

Wednesday, October 1

Something had been bothering me since last night. I was only vaguely aware of what it was at first. Collin was trying to get my attention about something in the file he was holding, but my concentration was shot.

“Are you even listening to me, Jackson?” Collin asked.

“No. I’m sorry, but I can’t shake the feeling that something was familiar about last night.”

Collin appeared thoughtful. “Now that you mention it, I’ve been thinking the same thing.”

I kept replaying the conversation I’d been a part of the previous night at Jenna’s. Everyone was discussing the facts of Blaine’s case, which I already knew, but Blaine said something that hadn’t been in the file I received on the matter. It seemed important, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

“Collin, is it my imagination, or has this exact same case been tried somewhere before?”

He shook his head. “No, I remember it too. What was that guy’s name? It’s on the tip of my tongue.”

“Did it happen here?” I asked.

“No. I had to study the case as part of my entrance to the FBI. I would remember the details anywhere. A club owner wants a piece of the prostitution racket, so he gets his bartender to oversee it. When a customer asks for a martini with an extra naughty olive, he’d collect the money and have a girl sent over.”

I nodded. “I remember that case now. It was out of New York as I remember. It was a solid operation until an off-duty police officer overheard and thought it sounded like it might be a good drink. He got more than he bargained for with that one,” I mused.

“Victor Ascenzi,” Collin said, triumphant. “I know he did some time, but they were never able to find all the money he’d made at it. I wonder what happened to him.”

I picked up the file on Blaine and rummaged through it until I found the picture I was looking for. I handed it to Collin and watched his eye’s narrow.

“I’d remember those eyes anywhere. This is the guy. Where’d you get the picture?”

“His name is Victor Wellington now. He’s Blaine’s silent partner.”

“Damn.”

“That’s not all,” I began. “According to the partnership agreement, if either party is convicted of a crime involving the club, full ownership reverts to the remaining partner without a buyout occurring.”

“I guess Blaine really was set up,” Collin said.

“And Victor Wellington is about to become an even richer man.”

“Unless we stop him. We can’t let an innocent man go down for something like this when we know the truth.”

“I know, Collin. I know.”

Now I just had to figure out a way to leak the information to Jenna without her realizing what I was doing. Granted, I would have to find some way to be in a room alone with her, without tearing off her clothes, to make that work. It had taken every ounce of my willpower the night before to walk away from her. Knowing that she was as turned on as I was hadn’t made it any easier. It would be a real test to accomplish this task.

Win or lose, I was willing to bet it would still be worth it.

…Go Back

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