Alien in the House

was good at it. “Yes, they are. Your clients are ruthless men and women, like me. They understand that the price of the finest weapon is high. You are not the finest weapon, you are a mouthpiece. And they can always find another effective mouthpiece.”
    “You’re bluffing.”
    “I thought you might say that.”
    Abner pulled up in their car. “Nice Bentley. No wonder you guys drove.”
    “You’re going to threaten to kill my husband and then Kitty’s going to tell you not to, and you think that will make me help them without payback? Nice try, but I say again, you’re bluffing.”
    Abner got out of the car. Heard a muffled shot. Abner went down.
    Told myself I was being an idiot, but I couldn’t stop my feet from running to him. Abner was shot and bleeding like crazy, but he wasn’t dead. Picked him up and ran him to the front door. There were no more bullets.
    There was also no more Dingo. Culver was still there, however, and she was white. “He shot him.” She sounded shocked and, for the first time, freaked out.
    “He doesn’t really bluff. He was being nice, and he still is. I think we need to get Abner to a hospital. Or I can take him to our infirmary. However, my uncle is wrong. I’m willing to be ruthless to protect my people, and what they believe in.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Abner’s going to bleed out fast. I can have our staff help him, and probably save his life, or you can take your chances that the ambulance will get him to the Georgetown Medical Center in time. You pick. But know that if he enters the American Centaurion Embassy again, then you are agreeing to my terms, which is that you help me get those bills killed or sent back to committee, and you do it well before New Year’s Eve.”
    She looked down at Abner. I truly had no guess as to what she was going to say. She touched his cheek. “Can I come with him?”
    “Yes.” Managed not to let the relief show in my voice. “But if he can’t be saved, I’m still holding you to the deal. Because if I don’t, then my uncle will kill you next.”
    She nodded. “I know who the Dingo is. I’d imagine how you’ve hidden that you’re his relative would be an interesting story.”
    “One for another day. Let’s get Abner down to the Great Tito.”
    The door opened. Jeff and Raj were there, along with Tito, Nurse Carter, and a gurney. I put Abner on the gurney, Tito and Nurse Carter took off with him. “Melanie and Emily are prepping the surgery,” Jeff said.
    Raj offered his arm to Culver. “I’ll escort you down. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
    Culver took his arm, then looked at me. “I’ll start making calls as soon as I collect myself.”
    “Sounds good. I’ll put your car into our parking garage.”
    She smiled, a rather normal smile. Well, for her. “Thank you. I sense this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” She and Raj went after Tito.
    Jeff looked at the car in the street. “Is that their car?”
    “Yeah.”
    “You’re covered with blood.” He pulled out his phone. “Yeah, kid, you and the other jock get down to the front door immediately.”
    “It’s not my blood.”
    “I know.” He looked up and around. “Are they still here?”
    “My ‘uncles’? No idea. Kind of betting on yes, but who knows.”
    “Your mother said she told the authorities everyone is convinced the Dingo killed Cantu while he was in lockdown.”
    “Good. They’ll get a nice payday and their rep will go that much higher.”
    “So that’s why they almost killed a man on our doorstep?”
    “Yeah. Lillian and Guy are the only ones who can get those bills killed in such a way that we and the President won’t be completely screwed.”
    “That was a pretty tough tradeoff, baby.”
    “This? This was nothing compared to what it could have been. This was the only solution that would work in our favor. And my ‘uncles’ knew it would be, too.”
    “I suppose. Reynolds asked me to tell you that they found a plethora of evidence at Lydia’s house. He thinks some of it might have been planted.”
    “Not by me, or by my ‘uncles.’ Maybe by the Mastermind. Or Raul’s chick. But no matter what, Lydia’s out of the running to be the next Mastermind Celebrity Apprentice. So that’s a job damn well done.”
    Len and Kyle appeared. “Kitty, are you okay?” Len sounded freaked out. Kyle looked freaked out. Looked down. Jeff hadn’t been kidding—I was covered with blood. So much for the Optimism of the