Page 53 of What Doesn't Kill You…

"We are not a real couple," she ground out.

"Sure felt like it when you were climbing all over me this morning." He leaned down to press a cheeky kiss to the tip of her nose.

Violet didn’t know how to react, which made Max grin.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

"I can't get access to the florist's workshop to plant the bugs," Abasi said as he ran a hand over his shaven head. "Believe me when I say I ain't never seen a florist with that kind of security, probably because I've had no call to infiltrate one before now. In my experience, London gangs didn't hide their illegal activities behind weddings and flowers." He seemed perplexed by Damien's career choices but carried on. "Anyway, I never thought I'd say we need to launch a full-on tactical operation on a place that arranges flowers." He spread his hands wide. "Yet here we are."

Max perched on the end of the bed beside Rodrigo as he listened to Abasi, who had taken the only armchair in the room. They were in Rodrigo's room, which was on the fourth floor of the main building and had a balcony with a sea view. The room was basic, with only a bed, a desk, and chair, an armchair and a side table. Katrina sat at the desk, with her iPad open in front of her, while Violet stood in the darkest corner of the room, arms folded, face set. It was clear to anyone looking at her that she was in do-not-approach mode. She'd been like that since Max had kissed her nose.

"Are you talking about the florist shop in the little boutique area?" Katrina said. "Because I was in there yesterday and I didn't see any security."

Abasi shook his head. "That's the front. The real business is done in the warehouse out back." He hooked a thumb to the area behind the resort. "It's in a building backing onto the water, not far from where Damien’s private estate starts. Think it's got its own dock for deliveries, which seems a bit suspect. I mean, why not share the dock the hotel uses for service boats?"

"Probably because it isn't only flowers getting delivered to the florist," Rodrigo said solemnly. "I helped infiltrate a flower dealer, based out of Amsterdam, who used the cut flower industry to ship drugs. The flower markets of Holland are massive, they're the largest exporter in the world, so a lot of trade goes through the markets. Made it too easy to import and export drugs along with the flowers."

Abasi nodded. "There'd be daily shipments too," he said. "Got to keep the flowers fresh. I can see how that’d be attractive to someone who wanted a quick turnaround when shipping other items."

"It sure sounds like Damien is using the island to smuggle something," Rodrigo said. "The resort must deal with a vast quantity of flowers and plants due to the number of weddings they've got going. Most of their orders will have to be shipped in on short notice. We're talking daily deliveries of cut flowers from all over the world. It would be too easy to lace them with drugs from South America. "

"It would explain the presence of the two crime lords we spotted yesterday," Katrina said. "Damien is well set up to run their product through the resort. And even if he isn't using the flowers to ship drugs, he can use them to launder cash for the cartels."

"Oh, he's definitely laundering money through the flowers," Max said. "It's too easy to order from a cartel company that only exists on paper, then pretend the order has arrived. Who's going to check? The delivery is usually in the garbage a couple of days after the wedding anyway. Plus, if a few of the plants in the order are rare and pricey, the costs go right up."

"Yeah," Rodrigo said. "The cartel books a fake wedding, the costs are grossly inflated, and the bride insists on importing stuff from specialist retailers abroad. Essentially, the cartel pays the hotel for the wedding and the hotel pays the cartel for services that aren't received. The money goes back into cartel hands, nice and clean, having gone through the resort books. And in the Caribbean no less, where government oversight is practically non-existent."

"You heard the waitress last night when she talked about the number of weddings they host. Makes you wonder how many of them are real," Katrina mused.

"I'd guess about a third." Abasi looked thoughtful. "The rest will be dummy brides and grooms or no-show weddings—ones that only happen on the books. Your waitress might have mentioned up to twelve weddings a day, but there’s no way they’re doing that many. Probably why they have so much staff turnover. It's the best way to ensure nobody notices how many weddings aren't happening or are just plain fake."

"Why am I here?" Violet said suddenly. "Because I have no interest in speculating about the crap Damien is into."

Abasi grinned at her like she was the most amusing thing he'd ever seen, and Max felt a wave of possessiveness wash over him. He shook it off because he wasn't a neanderthal and other guys had as much right to be amused at Violet as he was. He didn't have to like it though.

"You're here," Rodrigo said, "because we need to get into the flower warehouse to plant the bugs in the pots meant for the estate."

Her eyes were lasers boring into her teammate. "If Abasi can't get past the security wearing a staff uniform, and with his experience breaking and entering, how am I supposed to do it?" Her eyes narrowed. "This isn't one of those small person plans, is it? You know the kind. Where somebody thinks it's funny to put the shortest member of their team in a cart to slip them past the guards. Because I'm telling you right now, I'm not doing that. Get yourself another midget."

Max burst out laughing, earning bemused looks from the team and glares from Violet.

"What?" he said. "It's funny because you aren't a small person. You made a joke." He gestured to the rest of them. "She made a joke."

"Uh huh," Rodrigo said slowly, as though Max was the crazy one. He turned back to Violet. "We don't plan on hiding you in a cart. We want you to go all bridezilla and demand to see the flowers. While you're doing that, Katrina will attach the modified plant monitors to the delivery waiting to go up to the estate."

Violet stared at them for a moment, blank faced. "I'd rather hide in a cart," she said.

"We need access to the warehouse, and this is the only option we have," Rodrigo said. "If you make a big enough stink about seeing your flowers and ensuring they've got it right, they'll take you to see them."

"I can't," Violet said. "I don't know how to do this."

"Come on," Abasi said. "You complain about everything. This should be a breeze for you."

"I complain about things that matter," Violet said. "I don't have a clue where to start with the flowers."

Max cleared his throat. "I've got an idea, but you probably won't like it."

"I haven't liked anything about this op so far," Violet said.