Elemental Assassin 02 - Web of Lies

replied in a curt tone. “Do you know how thoughtful. His gaze cut to Finn, then back to me. Thinkworried I was about you? With everything that’s been ing about something—or rather someone. Fletcher Lane. going on? So I called Donovan to report you missing.”
    “Let me get this straight, Gin,” Donovan Caine said. I eyed Caine. So that’s what the detective was doing
    “Violet went to the restaurant looking for some guy who Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 166-167
    12/17/09 9:32 PM
    168 JENNIFER ESTEP
    Web of Lies 169
    called himself the Tin Man. Then someone shot up the I frowned. “Yeah, I am. How do you know about Pork Pit, but you backtracked the shooter and realized that?”
    he was aiming at Violet. So you used her credit card reWarren shrugged his stooped shoulders. “Fletcher and ceipt to hack into her personal information and find her I might have had a falling out, but I kept tabs on him.”
    at Ashland Community College.
    Nobody said anything. But Donovan Caine looked at
    “Actually, that was me, detective,” Finn said. “The me, questions in his golden eyes. Despite our having slept only thing Gin knows how to hack into is warm bodies.”
    together, the detective didn’t know about my time living on I shot him a dirty look. I hadn’t exactly told Warren the streets—or that my family had been brutally murdered and Violet what I used to do, but I was sure the old coot by a Fire elemental when I was thirteen. That I’d been torhad guessed. After all, he’d known Fletcher. tured by the sadistic bitch and barely escaped with my life. Donovan shook his head, ignoring Finn’s remark. “You I wasn’t sure I wanted him to know. Pity was the last thing guys go to the college and see a dwarf attack Violet. Gin I wanted from the detective—or from anyone else. intervenes, and the two of you cart her off to some healer Violet reached over, put her young, smooth hand on you know. Did I get it right?”
    top of Warren’s brown, speckled one, and stopped his
    “More or less,” Finn replied. “Although you left out rocking. “Gin came here to help us, Grandfather.”
    the part where I helped Gin subdue the assailant.”
    “Did she now?” Warren muttered.
    “You and a monster truck,” I sniped. “I did all the Donovan frowned. “Help you with what, Warren?”
    hard, dirty work, if you’ll remember.”
    The old man resumed his rocking. “It’s nothing. Just Finn grinned at me.
    that bastard Tobias Dawson.”
    At the sight, Warren Fox made a deep sound in his The detective’s frown deepened. “Tobias Dawson? The throat, almost like a choking cough. He stared at Finn. dwarven mine owner?”
    “You’re the spitting image of your father when you smile
    “He wants the land the store sits on,” Violet explained like that.”
    in a quiet voice. “He’s always wanted it, but he’s become Some of the cheer drained out Finn’s green eyes. more and more insistent in the last two months.”
    “That’s what people tell me. He’s dead, you know. Two
    “It’s nothing,” Warren muttered again. “Just his usual months now.”
    threats and bluster. He knows he’ll never get the store or Warren rocked back in his chair and nodded. “I know. the land until I’m spinning in my grave.”
    Saw the obit in the newspaper.” The old man stared at
    “or until your granddaughter’s untimely rape and Finn a moment longer, then turned to me. “And you’re death puts you there,” Finn pointed out. “Whatever ToFletcher’s girl, aren’t you? The one he took in off the bias Dawson’s done in the past, he’s decided to play hardstreets all those years ago?”
    ball now—starting with Violet.”
    Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 168-169
    12/17/09 9:32 PM
    170 JENNIFER ESTEP
    Web of Lies 171
    The college girl’s fingers crept up to her face, and her Donovan turned his golden eyes to me. Disappointnose twitched, as if she was reliving the pain she’d suffered ment shimmered in his gaze. “To offer your services to last night. She shivered.
    Warren, right? To take care of Tobias Dawson in your Donovan noticed Violet’s reaction, and a sad, sick look own special way?”
    filled his eyes. As a detective, Donovan had seen his share
    “Something like that.”
    of victims. He knew how badly Violet had been hurt, Disgust filled the detective’s rugged face. “once an ashow an innocent piece of her had been stripped away sassin, always an assassin.”
    that she’d never get back. Anger and