He was a tall man in his late twenties, English, with strawberry blond hair, short and spiked, and his green eyes were highlighted by black eyeliner. Though temperatures were in the mid-eighties, he wore a heavy black trench coat and slacks, giving him a Gothic look.

In any other city he'd have been gawked at, but this was South Beach.

"What do you want? I'm paid up for the week."

"No worries, brar, I'm not with the hotel. Actually, I work for your father." He pushed past the blonde, then turned up his nose. "This room stinks of gunge. Pay off the bird and get dressed, we need to talk."

* * *

An hour later, I found myself facing the Englishman on a park bench, hiding behind dark sunglasses.

"If you don't mind me saying so, you look like you've come out on the wrong side of a swedge."

"A swedge?"

"A fight. So who's the battle with? Drugs? Booze? Women? Or all of the above?"

"Dragons. State your business, Mr. Rael. You said you work for my father?"

"I'm his barrister, his attorney. Your father's been arrested for murder."

"Murder?" I felt myself sober up. "Did he do it?"

"No. But it's complicated. There were witnesses."

"What happened? Who's he accused of killing?"

"John Cialino Jr. Recognize the name?"

"Cialino… wait, isn't there a big real estate company in Britain—"

"Cialino Ventures. One of the largest in Europe. Angus was doing business with Johnny C. himself"

"That makes no sense. What would a man as wealthy as John Cialino want with my father?"

"The company's building a fancy resort and health spa along the northwestern bank of Loch Ness, just south of Urquhart Bay. Angus held title to the land and—"

"Whoa… My father owns land on Loch Ness?"

"Passed down to him from his paternal ancestors."

"Funny how that never came up in my mother's divorce settlement."

"The land was unsellable for commercial use until a recent change in zoning. Anyway, Angus sold the land to Johnny C., but on the day in question, the two of 'em got into a big squabble on a bluff overlooking the Loch. Witnesses saw your father take a swing at Cialino, who fell into Loch Ness. They're still looking for the body, but with the depths and cold temperatures… well, the Loch's known for not giving up her dead."

"Sounds more like an accident than murder."

"Like I said, it's complicated. There's rumors that Angus and Johnny C's wife were carrying on a bit under the sheets."

And there it was. The moment Max mentioned the affair, I knew my father was guilty as charged.

"He was probably drunk," I said, ignoring my own fall from grace. "Guess the numbers finally caught up with him, not that I'm surprised. Anyway, best of luck. I hope you're a better lawyer than you are a hair stylist."