Cut and Run Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Of course not. If you’ll excuse me, I have to process the crime scene. An officer will take your full statement.”
    He nodded at Wolfe, who joined him as they returned to the ship.
    â€œThe ladies,” said Wolfe, “as you might have gathered by the MTCR, are professional escorts. Except the one in the suit—she says her name is Val Faustino, and she’s a business associate of Mister Dragoslav.”
    â€œMTCR?” asked Delko.
    â€œMakeup to Clothes Ratio: high on the first, low on the second.”
    â€œRight. Well, Mister Dragoslav claims they were out there for nothing more than a cruise, and claims he doesn’t know why the hijackers targeted him.”
    They went belowdecks once more. “Sure,” said Wolfe. “He just happened to have a heavily armed security force with him to make sure the mojitos were served on time.”
    â€œDragoslav says he’s in the import/export business.”
    â€œShorthand for smuggler. Question is, what’s he smuggling?”
    Delko headed straight for the galley. “Something valuable, no question. Something you might want to hide in a concealed walk-in freezer.”
    Â 
    â€œSuspect number one,” said Natalia, “is Marssai Guardon.”
    â€œThe citrus heiress?” asked Tripp. He put on his seatbelt as Natalia started up the Hummer.
    Natalia grinned. “Right. I’m sure that’s the first thing that leaped to mind when you heard that name.”
    Tripp grinned back. “Okay, so like everyone else in the world, I’ve heard of the video. But I’ve never seen it.”
    Marssai Guardon was in line to inherit her family’s citrus empire—supposedly worth billions. She was young, rich, and had grown up in Miami, a playground she rapidly became queen of. Her partying was legendary in Miami’s social blender of models, rock stars, and actors—but that notoriety went from local to international when an X-rated video of her having sex in a Miami nightclub got loose on the Internet.
    â€œIf that’s true, you’re probably the last holdout on the planet,” said Natalia. She reached down and turned up the Hummer’s air-conditioning a notch. “But there’s an interesting twist to the story—according to Davey’s notes, the video was a fake.”
    Tripp frowned. “Hold on. If that’s true, why would she kill him? Wouldn’t she want the truth to come out?”
    â€œThat’s just it—Davey claims that not only was the video a fake, Marssai was in on it.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œHis notes were a little vague on that part. I can tell you why the fictional version of Marssai Guardon participates in the hoax: She wants to embarrass her family because they’ve reduced her allowance. He writes her character as shallow, stupid, sex-obsessed, and greedy.”
    â€œSo the book could not only make her look bad, it could get her in hot water with her folks. Think that’s enough to trigger a murder?”
    â€œDepends on how accurate it is.”
    Tripp nodded. “Where we headed?”
    â€œThe Glitteratti Hotel. Marssai’s publicist says she’s staying at a suite there.”
    â€œPublicist? What does she need a publicist for? I’d think more publicity is the last thing she’d want.”
    Natalia shook her head. “People that grow up under a spotlight aren’t like everyone else, Frank. It’s like they breathe a different kind of air. It’s around them all the time, so they take it for granted—until something takes it away. Then they realize how much they need it.”
    â€œSounds like you know a little something about the subject.”
    â€œI’ve—known people like that, yeah.”
    Frank heard the tone in her voice and didn’t pursue it. “So…how about the bloodwork?”
    â€œNo hits from CODIS—but I don’t think she’s in the