Alien in the House

first, Guy, can I count on you? As in, you’re doing this for me out of the goodness of your heart, and not because you expect any kind of payback from me or anyone else connected with American Centaurion later?”
    “Absolutely, my dove. Absolutely.”
    “Wonderful.” Motioned for Rahmi and Rhee to come over. “Please escort our friend down to the Great Tito and ask him to ensure that all is right with Monsieur Gadoire.”
    They hustled Gadoire off and Vance went along. I went back to Chuckie, who was handing Lydia off to Kevin and a nice complement of Field agents. Cliff rejoined us, too. “Press is all gone,” Cliff said. “Moved off for your sake, not hers.”
    “Police are on their way,” Chuckie said. “We can get back to Jamie’s party now. But, before we do, how’d you figure it out?”
    “Someone helped me figure out what was wrong with the picture.”



CHAPTER 96
    T HE REST OF THE PARTY WAS GREAT. Jamie had a fabulous time, and with the press gone and Lydia in custody, I felt pretty decent.
    I hadn’t avenged all the murders of all those people yet, but I’d avenged the ones I could. Reyes, Brewer, even Eugene and Pia. We’d caught all the people responsible for their deaths. Okay, not the Mastermind, but everyone else.
    “You took a real chance with that accusation,” Christopher said while we were munching on cake and Jamie was dancing with Jeff. I had a huge corner piece loaded with icing which I’d claimed as Mother of the Birthday Girl and I was enjoying it. “What if you’d been wrong?”
    “Then I’d have tried again, but she was the only one who fit all the parameters. She was the one who stood to gain the most by Eugene’s being arrested—sympathy, support, and her cheating husband dead, worth a lot. Chance to hurt both her rivals at the same time? Priceless.”
    “I got nothing out of the video tapes. If Clarence was there, even when he slowed down he was at hyperspeed.”
    “As long as he stays dead this time, I’m good with it.” Saw Culver and Abner getting ready to go. “Guard my cake. I am not done with that, so don’t let anyone throw it away and tell Jeff to get his own piece.”
    Trotted after Culver and caught them at the front door. “We were just slipping out,” Culver said. “Abner, be a dear and fetch the car.”
    He sighed. “Of course. Nice seeing you again, Kitty.” He headed off down the street. Had no idea where they’d parked.
    “It was a nice party,” Culver said as she stepped outside. I followed her and shut the door behind me. “And congratulations on getting another friend of mine arrested.”
    Apparently the gloves were off now. Fine by me. “If your friends weren’t a bunch of murderers that wouldn’t be such a problem. I’d think you’d care more about the friends of yours who were killed.”
    She shrugged. “The dead can’t help you any more, nor can they be helped.” She smiled widely. It remained horrifying. “It was quite neat how you got Guy’s support. You’re far more savvy than you let on, or my husband could recognize.”
    “Backhanded flattery’s nice. Knowing what you want from us for your help would be better.”
    She shrugged. “You’ll do what I want, when I want it. I think that will be the easiest plan, don’t you?”
    “I do not believe that is how it will work,” a familiar voice said from behind Culver. She froze, eyes wide. “You feel my gun in your back, yes?” She nodded. “Good. Look up on the roof across the street. What do you see?”
    We both looked. “Nothing,” Culver said.
    I squinted. “I can just make out a guy with what I think is a sniper rifle.” Or, as I thought of him now, Uncle Surly Vic.
    “Yes, good. Now, you will listen to me. I understand you, Lillian Culver. I know all about you—who you work for, what you do, where you go, where you live, when you sleep. And I know all about your husband, too.”
    “Yes?” she asked. “What do you want? Money?”
    He laughed softly. “No. I want you to be nice to my niece. She is a kind girl, and a brave girl, but she is not a ruthless girl.” His voice hardened. “I, however, am a very ruthless man. You will help her because if you do not, your husband will die, and then you will die.”
    “My clients are powerful people,” Culver said. Had to hand it to her, she wasn’t panicking and while her voice was shaking a little, she didn’t sound totally frightened.
    The Dingo laughed, one of those low bad guy laughs. He