Elemental Assassin 02 - Web of Lies

Fletcher Lane’s closet. His dark eyes held the same fierce deal with it.
    determination that Fletcher’s had always had, and I could Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 162-163
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    tell by his proud stance that this store was his life, his kingdom, and meant as much to him as the Pork Pit had to Fletcher. The man in front of me didn’t look anything like my murdered mentor, but in some ways, he was a mirror image of Fletcher. It unsettled me—and made me 15
    feel a softness toward him that he’d done absolutely nothing to earn. I didn’t need Violet to tell me this was her grandfather, Warren T. Fox. A crotchety old coot who’d probably just as soon cuss as look at you. I knew the type. I’d been raised by one.
    But Warren T. Fox wasn’t alone.
    There was another man with him, someone who needed no introduction, either. Someone I already knew all too well.
    Now I knew whom the sedan outside belonged to. It had Detective Donovan Caine.
    cop car written all over it. I just didn’t realize it belonged to my cop.
    The two men turned at the sound of my footsteps on the worn floor. Warren T. Fox frowned. Surprise filled Donovan Caine’s golden eyes.
    “Gin?” the detective asked. “What are you doing here?”
    “You know her?” Warren Fox asked. His voice was high, thin, reedy, like someone whistling through a broken flute.
    “Yeah,” Caine said in a low voice. “You might say I know her.”
    Well enough to sleep with me. Well enough to want to do the same again. Despite the fact I’d killed his former partner.
    I opened my mouth to respond when Finn and Violet entered the store behind me. The girl walked around Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 164-165
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    Web of Lies 167
    me, went straight to her grandfather, leaned across the here. And from Warren’s use of his first name, it sounded wooden counter, and hugged his neck tight. like the two of them knew each other. The detective saw The old man’s face softened for a moment, and the me looking and shrugged his lean shoulders. sheen of moisture dampened his eyes. Then he scowled Violet cringed again, and Warren opened his mouth to and pulled away from the younger woman.
    tear into his granddaughter some more for worrying him.
    “Where have you been?” he snapped. “I’ve been worBut I cut him off. ried sick about you.”
    “Enough. Violet didn’t come home last night because Violet sighed. “I called you last night, Grandpa, resomeone tried to kill her.”
    member? I told you I was staying with Eva.”
    That shut him up. Warren’s mouth fell open, and he The old man’s brown eyes narrowed. “Yes, you called, just stared at me. So did Donovan Caine. Violet shifted and you sounded peculiar. But I wasn’t really worried on her feet. Finn leaned against one of the coolers. until Eva called here this morning. She said you two were Amusement filled his bright green eyes.
    supposed to have breakfast, and you didn’t show.”
    “Now that I have your attention,” I said. “Let me tell Violet’s face pinched up into an oh-shit-I’ve-just-beenyou exactly what happened last night.”
    caught look.
    “I tried your cell phone to clarify the matter,” Warren The five of us ended up on the store’s wide front porch. I continued. “No answer.”
    sat on the porch railing and leaned against one of the col“The battery died,” Violet said in a soft, desperate voice. umns that supported the sloping tin roof. Finn was in a I didn’t know why she was still trying to stick to her similar position across from me. Donovan Caine slouched story. The truth was going to come out in the next minon the steps between us, while Warren T. Fox and Violet ute, two tops. I supposed Violet just wanted to spare her rocked back and forth in two of the old-fashioned chairs. grandfather the ugly details about what had been done “And there you have it,” I said, wrapping up my tale. to her last night. Most people tended to block out things
    “That’s why Violet didn’t come home last night. Because like that. Sometimes I wished I could do the same, inshe was a little busy getting her face put back together by stead of dwelling on the past the way I always did. an Air elemental. Her name’s Jo-Jo Deveraux. You might “I called the college, Eva again, and all your other know her.”
    friends I could remember. Nobody had seen you since last Warren stared at me, his dark eyes narrowed and night,” Warren