Sorry everyone for the late (and short update) more coming soon, hang in there!
In the meantime enjoy this snippet or at least try :/
"Mr. Snyder do I understand that you are in charge of this dump?"
"Just who are you?"
"Your receptionist doesn't do their job, name's Senor Vega."
"What's it to me?"
"My niece ran off, I wouldn't care 'cept she has the family fortune tied to her neck. I've heard that you're not bad at catching all them troublemakers, and I want you to track down my ungrateful, good-for-nothing brat."
"As much as I enjoy ridding the streets of thievin guttersnipes, you should know dat their closing me up for good and if any of these rats tell lies 'bout me then I'd be outta here or I'll be behind bars."
Senor Vega strokes his beard thoughtfully.
"I see, well let's see if we can come to an agreement. You do the job for me and I'll get you reward big enough to keep yer building and buy back your job and freedom."
"Tempting, but before I risk my neck to rein in your brat I'll be needing proof of this supposed reward."
"Proof? I'll give you proof ever heard of Juan Maldonado?"
"The murder victim out west who made a fortune on his ranch? Senor Maldonado?"
"That's the one he's my brother or he was my brother and his daughter is my bratty niece who just happens to be the heiress to that fortune. Get the picture?"
Snyder's eyes gleam with greed, but he hesitates something about the story seems fishy.
"What are you tryin to pull? All of Maldonado's immediate family was killed by the murderer, said so on the front page of every paper in New York."
"Ah, but the papers failed to mention the one unlucky daughter that the murderer missed, poor kitten so traumatized by her family's death that became mute for months, and completely helpless. So, they put her into the loving care of her only living family Uncle Tino. They never figured out who the murderer was, if they had I wonder if they would have entrusted me with dear little Elizabeth Maldonado's life."
"Are you trying to tell me somethin?"
"You're a smart man, you figure it out."
"I already have, a very effective maneuver I must say but this unlucky girl seems to have thrown a wrench your plans. Hmm?"
"That she has, the little idiot should have died when she had the chance. Instead I've had to spend the last six months caring for her and then the ungrateful little sneak she runs away! Let me tell you when I get my hands her she'll be wishing she died six months ago with the rest of her sticky-fingered, no-good family!
"I see and if I help you get your hands on her than we'll split the goldmine. Hmm, quite an attractive prospect, however if anything goes wrong I don't want my name attached. The police have already got me on the record for abuse they actually believed those lyin street-rats over me! And if I'm suspected of murder they'll put me in the chair and the entire Maldonado fortune isn't worth anything on death row."
"Now I ain't asking you to get your hands dirty. Once she's back in my keeping, suppose she dies in a tragic accident, the kind where the body is not found. Then that entire fortune will be mine, and if you help me half of it will be yours. What do you say old man? Do we have an agreement?"
"Let's get this straight Vega. I bag the girl, you dispose of her quietly and we split the family fortune between us?"
"Fifty, fifty Snyder. So we have a deal?"
"Well since the reward is so very promising and I have had such little amusement these last few weeks. On account of keeping up a good front for the authorities. I suppose on those merits it wouldn't be too much of you to ask of me, and it could be quite interesting. Yes, I'll bring her in for you; on one condition."
"What's that?"
"Whatever happens to her in the Refuge and how I get her here is my business, you've got no control over it, and it all stays behind these walls. I won't have your niece tellin tales!"
"It's a deal, I could care less what you do with her she's absolutely worthless to me except for her inheritance. Of course I had plenty of my own "fun" with the little rat but she was so expensive to feed and too troublesome and noisy to hide. The only time I wasn't dealing with her unquenchable defiance was when I had her blacked out on the floor."
Snyder smirks obviously amused at this remark. Judging that their meeting is over he impatiently shows Senor Vega to the door, promising vaguely to let him know when the girl has been caught. However Vega is no rush, he lingers lazily by the door lighting up on a cigarette and remarking casually.
"Oh and Snyder I'll make sure nothing gets out… 'Sides had you forgotten?"
He pauses briefly enjoying the puzzled look on his partner's face. He then continues with a sinister smile.
"Dead girls tell no tales."
Oh dear tension is building, stakes are rising... sit at the edge of your seats and hold on tight it's going to be a bumpy week...
Please keep reading and reviewing and I'll keep writing!
K. Kelly