Body of Roses - l.h.

.16

"This is his hide out?" Kean asked as we climbed down into the cellar between Geno's and the music shop. I gave him a shrug not really understanding what he meant.

"I mean," He continued after realizing that I was confused by the comment. "He lived in the most expensive flat in Ireland, this is quite the downgrade."

"He was rich," It was more of a statement than a question. "That's so weird."

"Maybe he went broke when he came back here," Kean suggested but I only mumbled a "Maybe" not quite believing it.

We searched the entire cellar but no one was there, not even his men. It was weird that they'd leave their hide out completely guardless, like they all decided one day to pack up and leave.

I met back up with Kean after we decided to split up to search the place. "Find anything?" He asked.

"No." I told him anxiously.

The thought of Jai having Ella made me want to hurl, the only thing keeping me from doing so was the 50 ways that I could kill him.

My fingers automatically ran through my hair in frustration until a thought popped into my mind. "He lived in the most expensive flat back in Ireland?"

Kean watched me trying to see where I was going with this, "You think that he still has all that money?"

I nodded my head before making my way back over to the stairs that lead us out of the cellar. "Come on, I know where he is."

-

I parked my car a block away from the towering building placed in Sydney's center. Kean and I walked right into the complex and made our way to the front desk.

"Is Jai Price here?" I asked the middle aged man who stood behind the desk before he could look up.

The man studied both of us from head to toe, "And who would you two be?"

I pulled back my leather jacket to reveal the handgun I had hidden in the waist band of my jeans. "People who need to have a little chat with Jai."

The man held a straight face though it was obvious there was fear in his eyes as he eyed the gun before resting his stare on my face.

"Top floor, flat A2."

Without another word both Kean and I made our way over to the elevator and pushed the button for the top floor.

"Was the gun really necessary?" He asked once we were halfway to the top.

I gave him a shrug, "Do you really think he would have let us in otherwise?"

"Touche." Kean nodded before letting a silence fill the space.

We stepped out of the elevator to be welcomed by 2 doors, one labeled A1 while the other labeled A2.

It was odd not seeing a long hallway of doors instead of just a small foyer with only a table and mirror but I knew that the two flats on this level would take up most of the floor space if both were the most expensive flats in Sydney.

I turned the door nob slowly surprised to find it unlocked. "Stay back," I whispered to Kean.

"Somethings not right, he wouldn't just leave the door unlock like this."

As Kean stayed behind to be look out, I inched my way into the flat that made me feel like I walked into the 1800s. The ceilings had to be at least 20 feet tall with crown molding placed around every edge.

The marble floors mirrored the white walls that had large pieces of art work hung up on them. Though the structure was traditional the furniture was modern with the slick, black leather sofa's and the thin flat screen TV.