Jenny got to work immediately. She spent all day and night studying the case files on the Krasniqi family. She learnt the patriarch of the family was Damien Krasniqi, a ruthless gangster who had ordered the deaths of nearly a hundred people, most of them business rivals, but also some members of law enforcement. So far he hadn't been prosecuted because there was no solid evidence linking him to any of the crimes.
"Not for long." Jenny mumbled and continued reading.
He had come to the United States as a teenager and founded Albagroup. It was now a conglomerate dealing in real estate, construction, art, medical supply exporting, and seafood exporting. The cops believed one of those businesses was being used to import his main business, weapons.
Her job was to find out which of the business was being used.
"I am guessing the seafood exporting business." She muttered.
She read about Damien's personal life. He was in his seventies and a widower.
I won't be surprised if the monster killed his own wife. She thought.
He had two kid and no one knew how many grandkids. The only grandchild people knew about was Adam, the company CEO and the man she was supposed to somehow get engaged to.
She began reading about him. Harvard educated, a smart business and rumored to be as ruthless as his grandfather and just as mysterious. Although he was CEO of the American company he was mostly based in Europe and had been accused of ordering the deaths of a lot of people in both continents.
Including Nona, she thought bitterly.
He had also been voted the business worlds most handsome bachelor CEO, for the fifth year in a row. She looked at his picture pinned to his file. He was just about average height, and plump with large grey eyes and a small mouth.
"The people who voted this ugly killer most handsome CEO must have been blind and stupid." She muttered.
Well it didn't matter, handsome or ugly she would put him in jail.
Now she knew the people she was dealing with, she could destroy them. And she would. Tomorrow was the day, and she was going to be ready.
**********************
The next evening Cole pulled up in front of the Golden Hotel, where Damien Krasniqi and his murderous family were hosting their gala.
"Are you okay?" He asked her.
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
"Once you walk into that hotel and get Adam intrested in you there is no going back. If you succeed good, but if you fail," he sighed. "If you back out now I will understand."
"I won't fail and I am not backing out." She said firmly. "In six months time the Krasniqi empire will be destroyed. I promise you."
"Then good luck Ivy Black. And please be careful. With these people, things aren't always what they seem. if you have any problems this evening don't hesitate to call me."
"Yes sir. And thanks." I will need all the good luck I can get. She thought, and stepped out of the car.
Her heart pounded as she approached the hotel entrance.
"Ivy Black representing Helman antiques." She told the security, giving them her ID.
They barely looked at it, their eyes were fixed on her and she wasn't surprised. She was wearing a black spaghetti sleeved evening dress that clung to her like a skin, enhancing her curvy body. Her glossy brown hair was parted in the middle and hung down to her shoulders. Her make up was flawless, so was her manicure. To add to her exotic look she had gotten a tattoo of a small butterfly on her right forearm. She looked a far cry from Jenny Black, the t-shirt and jeans wearing, no make up cop. Now she looked like what she was supposed to be. An educated, polished, antiques expert, with a touch of bad girl. She was the type of woman who belonged in a place like this.
"Welcome to the party ma'am." The guard said in Albanian.
Thank you." She replied in Albanian, with a slight smile.
"You will have to submit your phone ma'am," they told her. "You will get it back when you come out."
"Sure." She handed them her phone and was searched, then allowed in.
That was easy, she thought as she headed to the ballroom, now time of the real work, seducing a killer.
She entered the ballroom and her jaw almost dropped. She had never been in a place so big and beautiful. There were chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and soft music playing in the background. The walls were covered in expensive paintings. Men in well tailored suits and women in beautiful evening gowns were talking, laughing, drinking and dancing. She pulled herself together and walked in to join them. A few eyes turned in her direction and looked at her with admiration. She pretended not to notice and took a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. She sipped it while her eyes scammed the room. No sign of her target. But she was sure he would soon be here. She continued looking round the room, then she saw him. He was sitting on a love seat near a tall bronze statue, surrounded by four giggling young women. The sight of him laughing and enjoying himself after the pain he had caused her and so many others made her blood boil, but she forced herself to calm down. She had a bigger problem, how to get close to him because bodyguards stood on either side of his chair. Walking up to him and starting a conversation would be nearly impossible.
She would have to think of something. She went to stand near a beautiful painting hanging on the wall and pretended to examine it, while thinking of a solution to her problem. Then she heard a strong, deep, voice say,
"I see something beautiful, and it isn't the painting."
Startled, she turned.