Page 16 of Alien in the Depths
“I love this spot,” she said, closing her eyes and pulling in a deep breath. “Smells like I’m living inside a box of Lemonheads.”
“Lemonheads?” Zaraq asked. Sofia was capable of saying the strangest things.
“It’s an Earth thing,” she said.
“Lemons have heads on your world?”
She laughed with a huff, as if the question knocked the wind out of her. “No. It’s the name of a candy. A sour treat. You’re familiar with candy, right?”
“Ah,” Zaraq said, nodding. “These flowers remind you of candy. I just smell sanitation liquid.” It was true. The scent of citrus recalled in his mind the oily substance used to clean spills in the casino. Especially blood. He was glad her memories seemed to be pleasant ones, even if his were not.
“You aliens have such colorful names for things,” Sofia said. “And don’t remind me that I am the alien in this situation. I’ve been through enough of that to last a dozen lifetimes.”
“Were the citizens here reluctant to accept you?” asked Zaraq.
Sofia waved a finger at him. “We’re not here to ask about my past. Let’s cut through the fat and go straight for the bone. Okay?”
He wanted to ask what that was supposed to mean, but he was learning quickly that the best way to find out where Sofia was headed was to remain patient and follow.
“You said someone killed a business partner?”
Zaraq nodded. “Ryka. He was the more business-minded of the two of us. I think that’s why he was killed and I was spared. Without him, I wouldn’t know the first thing about getting clients or negotiating payment.”
“Your boss killed him?” Sofia asked.
“I doubt it. Slikrim never got his hands dirty.” An image flashed in his mind of his former employer watching silent and dead-eyed as two hulking goons stomped a debtor to death in an alley behind the casino. It wasn’t the first time Zaraq had seen someone killed. It wouldn’t be the last, though.
However, it was the first time he’d seen a man watch someone put to death with no reaction whatsoever.
Despite the warm temperatures, a chill gave Zaraq’s shimmering skin terrible goosebumps.
“Slikrim?” Sofia sounded as though the taste of the name offended her. “Is he the big bad?”
Pushing past his desire to ask what a “big bad” was, Zaraq answered what he assumed she was asking. “Slik is a self-made entrepreneur who prides himself on presenting a clean business. Only, you do not build that much wealth and success without amassing a mountain of corpses. Rikuus is rife with crime lords and all kinds of vile people. But he is the worst of them all.”
Anticipating her next question, Zaraq swiftly continued. “Rikuus is the name of the planet where his casino is located. The Constellation Casino and Luxury Hotel.”
“You think one of his guys whacked Ryka?”
“Unquestionably,” Zaraq said.
“Who?”
A few names sprang to the front of his mind, but he didn’t voice any of them. The fact of the matter was, it could have been anyone. “Taking out a member of Slik’s security promises a great deal of benefits. The opportunity to get in his favor to that degree would be difficult to pass up.”
There was a time when Zaraq could envision himself as being willing to take out one of his own just to advance. It took considerable effort to lock that notion away for the time being.
“You must have theories,” Sofia said. “How else are we going to prove your innocence?”
The question hit Zaraq like a typhoon of ice water. Knowing perfectly well what she just said, he asked her to repeat herself just to have something to say.
“You don’t think I’m going to let you live a life of fear. Do you?” Sofia’s eyes narrowed, appearing to read Zaraq’s face forthe most minuscule twitch or quiver. “We can’t enjoy our time together if you’re constantly looking over your shoulder.”
Zaraq had to step away. He walked through an alley separating a grouping of willow bushes and lavender tails just to catch his breath. Standing next to Sofia and having this conversation was suffocating. His greatest fear, other than being caught, was having someone else ensnared in his mess.
Part of the reason he avoided attachments was this very scenario. Only, in his worst imaginings, he never expected someone wouldwillinglyjump into the mire of crime, corruption, and death. He’d always assumed all of that would simply find him one day and anyone in his vicinity would be collateral damage. He needed to think of a way to dissuade Sofia from involving herself.
“You’d better not be thinking of telling me not to involve myself,” Sofia said, coming around the corner.