Falise leaned forward, mind racing. “Now, there’s a fascinating revelation. I wonder if she’s given him the same interrogation we’ve been subjected to. I considered it my duty to remind the officer that in her vigorous pursuit of the miscreant, she needed to remember that she and Chad had bitter words yesterday at the shuttle field.”

“As did you,” Bartolome reminded.

Falise arched a brow. “You know how Cinque is with women? How he uses the pheromones, exudes that reassuring male personality? When he turns on the charm, radiates that reassuring magnetism, more worldly and experienced women than some back-planet security officer have fallen for his schemes. Am I the only one, Bartolome, or do you, too, wonder if perhaps a word whispered into a suggestible Officer Perez’s ear might have motivated her to chastise Chad for his bad behavior at the landing?”

“Sometimes these things do get out of hand,” Bartolome agreed. “And Chad could be so abrasive. Might have said the wrong thing. Thrown fuel onto the flames, so to speak.”

“And Perez—tough Donovanian that she is and unused to being lectured by a superior—strikes out.” Falise nodded. “I like it.”

“For the time being, I suggest we keep that to ourselves,” Bartolome said in that oh-so-reasonable voice. “Might be worth having it in the toolkit on the day when the Grunnels show up demanding answers.”

“Yes, indeed,” Falise agreed, seeing the possibilities.

“Heard from your brother?” Bartolome asked. Seeing her expression, he added, “No? Well, my people have stumbled upon some interesting information. Seems your brother Derek runs a poker game at that tawdry excuse for a casino. According to my sources, he’s playing this evening. Might be your chance to finally run him down. As to why he’s been avoiding you? Word is that he’s gone entirely native. What they call a Wild One. Lives out in the bush when he’s not in town. Has what the locals call a ‘very productive claim.’”

“The poker game I’ll believe. But my brother? The strutting peacock of vanity, living in the bush? He doesn’t have that kind of fiber. You should have seen him the time Father sent his Guild girl away. He was in tears for days. Always the weak one. A true disappointment. I think, for a while, Father was considering whether Derek should have an unfortunate accident. For a year my brother’s life hung by a thread.”

Bartolome’s wispy smile broadened. “You more than make up for any shortcomings on your brother’s part. Believe me, with the new dynamic we face here, I would rather have you as an ally than an adversary.”

Falise chuckled, knowing it for the fucking lie that it was. Bart would slit her throat and never burden himself with so much as a sigh while he did so.