Chapter 32: First Breakthrough
The large bar smelled of rich beer and expensive cigars, the kind of place where secrets clung to the air like cigarette smoke, thick and suffocating. Cielle had spent the last two weeks here, watching, waiting. She had seen Salvatore try—really try—to pry information from the regulars, but it always led to dead ends.
At first, Salvatore had refused to let her do anything but watch. She was supposed to observe, to “learn” how things worked, but Cielle knew better. His so-called method was just throwing her into the deep end and hoping she either swam or drowned.
What he hadn’t expected was for her to enjoy the game.
It turned out people liked her. Even in a place where trust was currency and everyone watched their backs, Cielle found herself welcomed in a
