Elemental Assassin 02 - Web of Lies

told me about any of it. ther.”
    Why had Fletcher kept it from me? What had been the Warren nodded. “Daniel Caine, a fine man. Donovan point of hiding it from me? I thought I’d known Fletcher is too. But he’s not the one for you.”
    better than anyone. I was his apprentice, after all. The He was more observant than I’d given him credit for. I one he’d taught all his secrets to. Now I wondered if I’d raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
    really known anything about him—other than what he’d Warren glanced over his shoulder, but Donovan Caine wanted me to know.
    was still talking on his cell phone, so he turned back to Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 190-191
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    me. “I mean you and Donovan are on opposite sides. Alwatching him, frowned, and turned his back to me. Shutways have been, always will be. He’s not going to change, ting me out once again.
    and he’ll never accept what you are, what you’ve done. I sighed. Warren T. Fox was definitely sharper than It’s just not in his nature, no matter how much he might he looked. Even worse, I had a sinking suspicion he was want to.”
    right about me and Donovan. The detective wasn’t going
    “And you’re telling me this because . . .”
    to let it work between us, no matter how hot the sex had
    “Because Donovan’s a good man, and you’re good too, been, no matter how bright the attraction still flared. My in your own way. At least you should be if Fletcher raised gray eyes traced over the detective’s lean body. you right,” Warren said. “At the very least, you’re good at A shame, really.
    what you do.”
    “The best. I was the best at what I used to do,” I corBy the time I followed Warren over to his house, made rected him. “But I’m retired now.”
    everything as secure as I could, and walked back to the Warren snorted. “Right. Just remember what I said. store, it was well into the afternoon. My stomach growled, Don’t get too attached to Donovan Caine. Because it’s reminding me that the half of the barbecue sandwich I’d not going to end the way you want it to.”
    eaten for lunch was long gone. So I perused the coolers in His eyes didn’t glow with power, and I didn’t sense the front of the country store. I picked up a cellophaneany magic trickling off him, which meant Warren T. wrapped bologna and Swiss cheese sandwich from one of Fox didn’t have an Air elemental’s sense of precognition. the coolers, along with a bottle of lemonade. Some chips Whether Warren had any magic or not, he was still oband a candy bar from the display rack near the counter servant enough to recognize the conflict between me and completed my gourmet meal. I took my items to the cash Donovan Caine.
    register.
    Finn murmured something, which made Violet giggle.
    “You don’t have to pay for that,” Violet Fox protested. Warren’s head snapped around at the sound. He shuffled I slapped a ten-spot down on the counter. “Sure I do. off to glower at Finn and put an end to the younger man’s Keep the change.”
    flirting with his granddaughter. This time, I could have I took my dinner out onto the front porch and settled offered him the advice of not bothering. Short of shootinto a rocking chair. one of the barrels made an excellent ing Finn with the shotgun, there was nothing Warren table for my food, and I dug in. The lemonade was far too could do. Flirting with the opposite sex was as natural weak and watered down for my tastes, and the bread was and necessary as breathing to Finn.
    getting hard and stale, but smothering it with mayo made I looked past the trio to where Donovan Caine paced it palatable enough. Not the best meal I’d ever had, but back and forth on the floorboards. The detective saw me it would do. I’d hate to go to the trouble of breaking into Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 192-193
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    Tobias Dawson’s office only to have my stomach growl Caine blew out a long breath. “I don’t know. I just and give me away to whatever guards he might have stadon’t know. But two months ago, I would have taken you tioned there.
    in for plotting to kill someone. Slapped my handcuffs on I’d just unwrapped my candy bar when Donovan you and dragged you down to the station, no questions Caine stepped out onto the porch. The detective hesiasked.”
    tated, then walked over to me.
    “And now?”
    “Care if I join you?” he