Innocent as Sin by Elizabeth Lowell Read Free Book Online Page B

“I’m going to love watching you tangle with Grace.”
    “You haven’t told me what you want me to do.”
    “Paint a landscape in two hours on an estate in beautiful, overpriced Pleasure Valley, Arizona.”
    “That’s it?”
    “Pretty much.”
    Rand measured Faroe. “What else?”
    “You still good with a camera?” Faroe asked.
    “I gave it up five years ago. Besides, you said you wanted a painter.”
    “I need an operator with your looks and skills.”
    “Looks?” Rand laughed curtly. “Since when?”
    “Since Grace assured me that even with face fur, you’re the best looking of the available operators. Elena likes handsome men. And we’re hoping a certain ABS banker will too.”
    “One of us isn’t making any sense.”
    “Are you in or out?” Faroe asked.
    “What does this have to do with the Siberian?”
    Faroe waited.
    “Will it lead me to the Siberian?” Rand demanded.
    “Yes.”
    “I’m in.”

10
    Pleasure Valley
Friday
10:41 A.M. MST
    T o buy herself time to think about the dimensions of the cage the Bertones had put her in, Kayla had been going through the escrow documents again. Very slowly.
    Twice.
    Still her heart was beating too fast, her skin felt clammy, and her muscles were pudding.
    Thank God I’m wearing sunglasses. Without them I’d look like a jacklighted doe.
    When in doubt, brazen it out.
    “Mr. Bertone…” she began. Then she said, “Since we seem to be in business together, shall I call you Andre?”
    Bertone looked surprised, then vaguely annoyed.
    Kayla forced herself to smile. “So what’s this all about, Andre? What do you want from me that I haven’t been giving you?”
    Silently Bertone measured her. Then he turned to Elena. “She has spirit.”
    “So does a horse.” Elena folded up the paper. “That’s why we ride with quirts and spurs.”
    The sound of young, excited voices came from the direction of the house. The back door slammed.
    Elena pushed to her feet. “I should have known Maria couldn’t control the children for more than a few minutes. She doesn’t understand that they must play as well as be quiet, so they test her always. Miranda, especially, ties the silly woman in knots.”
    With that, Elena walked quickly toward the house. The gems in her sandal straps shot sparks of color with each step.
    “Elena told you what she wants,” Bertone said.
    “A new nanny?” Kayla showed him two rows of white teeth. “Sorry, but that’s beyond my expertise.”
    Bertone’s gray eyes narrowed. He tapped his index finger on the creamy envelope that carried his wife’s gold letterhead. “Deposit this check immediately into Elena’s entertainment account. There will be more coming. Bigger checks. Be prepared to transfer the money from her account to an overseas account as soon as the bank opens on Monday morning.” He smiled. “After that, no more special services will be required of you. We’ll forget that we ever had this little talk.”
    Kayla traced the edge of the heavy silver knife that lay alongside her plate. Dull. Like her brain. “I assume you expect me to ignore the regulations that would require me to make sure the money was legitimately obtained.”
    “If you wish to stay out of jail, yes.” Bertone made a sound of disdain. “Your government is very strange. First it tries to make policemen out of bankers. Then business realities force bankers to become criminals. It would be amusing if it weren’t so annoying.”
    Kayla stretched her lips into a grim smile. “You’re aware of the fact that I’m only a junior officer at American Southwest Bank. I hope the checks you give me won’t be large.”
    “You’ve accepted Elena’s deposits in the past.”
    “There’s always the chance of a close internal audit, especiallywith a check this size,” she said, looking at Elena’s envelope. “Twenty million is a lot of money, even to a bank.”
    Bertone frowned. “Audit? Is that controlled by your boss?”
    “No. It’s an