Elemental Assassin 02 - Web of Lies

pulled himself away from his computer long land. Believe it or not, detective, I occasionally lend out enough to chase after anything that had boobs. my services for free. Pro-fucking-bono, as it were, when “Then get on it. I want you to find out everything the situation warrants it.”
    you can about Tobias Dawson. Habits, hobbies, business
    “But why?” Caine persisted. “Why do you want to kill interests, anything that might be useful.”
    Tobias Dawson so badly?”
    Finn nodded and headed toward his SUV.
    My gaze flicked to Violet. The image of her ruined
    “And what are you going to do?” Donovan Caine face flashed before my eyes, and the sounds of her choked asked in a low voice.
    sobs rang in my ears. Despite the fact Jo-Jo Deveraux had I gave him a bright smile. “Not me, detective. We . healed her, Violet had lost some of her innocence last We’re going to go check out the dwarf’s coal mine, and night. Some small, pure, happy part of her that she wasn’t see if we can figure out why Tobias Dawson suddenly has ever going to get back. Just like I had the night my family a hard-on for the land Warren’s store sits on. What do had been murdered, when everything and everyone I’d you say, detective? Up for a little breaking and entering loved had been burned to ash in the space of a few hours. tonight?”
    Maybe I wanted to make sure Violet didn’t end up like Donovan grimaced and looked away.
    me—hard, cold, distant from all but a very few. Maybe
    “So you’re going to help us then?” Violet asked. I wanted to get her revenge for her, since I was having so I looked at her. “I’ve been helping you for a while now, much trouble getting mine. Maybe I just wanted her to Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 184-185
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    be able to sleep a little easier at night, knowing that Tobias Dawson was feeding the worms. I couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason myself, and I couldn’t tell the detective all that. I didn’t want to reveal that part of myself to him. Besides, he wouldn’t have be17
    lieved me anyway. So I went for my usual flip answer.
    “Because Tobias Dawson is nothing more than a rich, spoiled bully who wants to be a cowboy,” I said. “Because I’m bored. But mainly, because I’m going to thoroughly enjoy knocking his pompous ass out of that ridiculous hat and ugly boots before I slit his throat.”
    There was no further argument about my services or murky intentions, so we got to work.
    Finn retrieved his laptop from his SUV and set it up on the counter inside Country Daze. Violet rustled around and found an extension cord so he could save his battery. Finn gave her a saucy wink and a sly, charming grin, working his magic. Violet smiled, ducked her head, and leaned down to get something else for him. Behind Violet, Warren T. Fox narrowed his dark eyes, crossed his arms over his thin chest, and cast a significant glance at the shotgun on top of the counter. Finn cleared his throat and turned his attention to his laptop. He might be able to charm women, but Finn always had considerably less luck with their male relatives. Especially ones as protective and suspicious as Warren. Donovan Caine stalked back and forth down the store’s aisles, his cell phone stuck to his ear. The detective had Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 186-187
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    Web of Lies 189
    begrudgingly offered to help Finn get background info burning down the store with the Foxes inside. So you’ll on Tobias Dawson, although he’d made it clear he still be on bodyguard duty, along with Finn. Think you can wasn’t on board with my plan to assassinate the dwarf. handle it?”
    Still, it was a baby step in the right direction. Because I
    “Numbers?”
    was killing the dwarf whether Donovan Caine liked it or
    “He brought two giants with him and two other guys not.
    who looked like half giants. I don’t know exactly how While the others worked, I stared out the store’s front many men Dawson has at his disposal, but I imagine he windows and kept an eye on the crossroads outside. Tocould strongarm his whole payroll, if he really wanted to.”
    bias Dawson might have said he wasn’t returning for a Sophia thought about the odds for a few seconds. couple of days, but I didn’t put it past him to double
    “So are you coming?” I asked, although I already knew back—with even more men. Which is why I also took what the answer would be. Sophia liked a challenge