Elemental Assassin 02 - Web of Lies

asked in a low voice. Donovan looked out at the road, although I got the
    “Sure.” I sank my teeth into the candy bar. Crunchy, impression he wasn’t really seeing it. “Now, I’m thinking slightly bitter almonds coated with dark chocolate. Defiabout helping you get to him.”
    nitely the best part of my meal.
    “Don’t sound so broken up about it, detective. Getting The detective stared out at the crossroads. An empty rid of Dawson is the right thing to do.”
    coal truck rumbled by, stopped, and made the turn to go He shook his head. “No, it’s what you want to do. I’m on up to the mine.
    just going along with you.”
    “I got some info on Tobias Dawson,” Donovan said.
    “Why?” I asked. “Why go along with me if it bothers
    “And it’s not good. He’s a real piece of work, from all your conscience so much?”
    reports. He’s got almost a complete stranglehold on the Donovan stared at me. Emotions flickered like candle mining in the area, so he pays his employees below-flames in his eyes. Guilt. Desire. Need. Weariness. Resigaverage wages. A couple of them tried to form a union nation. “I don’t know that either.”
    a few months back. They all met with mining accidents Tires crunched on the gravel, and a classic convertible soon after. Roof collapses, equipment malfunctions, even pulled into the parking lot. The vehicle was as black as a cave-in.”
    black could be, with a long body and swooping fins. De“Did you expect anything else? You saw Dawson spite its pristine, gleaming beauty, the convertible always threatening the Foxes. He’s not a nice man.”
    reminded me of a hearse. The top was up, but I didn’t Donovan ran a hand through his black hair. “But that need to see inside to know who was driving. Sophia Dedoesn’t mean it’s okay for you to just kill him.”
    veraux had arrived. I got to my feet.
    “And just because Dawson has money doesn’t make it Donovan tensed. “Trouble?”
    right for him to intimidate people into getting whatever
    “Relax, detective. I called a friend to come help Finn he wants,” I pointed out. “So which is worse—me assaswatch the Foxes, while you and I sneak off to Dawson’s sinating Dawson for threatening the Foxes or him telling mine.”
    his brother to go rape and murder Violet just to send a Sophia opened the driver’s door and stepped out. message to her grandfather?”
    The detective frowned. “Isn’t that your cook from the Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 194-195
    12/17/09 9:32 PM
    196 JENNIFER ESTEP
    Web of Lies 197
    Pork Pit? The one who was working when Jake McAllister But Jo-Jo was almost as strong as Sophia—and she had her tried to rob you?”
    Air elemental magic to supplement her natural strength.
    “Yeah,” I replied. “She moonlights as a badass, just Even I didn’t know if I could take Jo-Jo in a fight. like me.”
    “Come on,” I said. “Let’s go inside where the others But Sophia wasn’t alone. The passenger side door are.”
    opened, and a mound of bleached, white-blond curls appeared, partially covered with a sheer pink headscarf. Sophia had brought her big sister, Jo-Jo, along with her. Jo-Jo said something to Sophia that I couldn’t hear, and the Goth dwarf grunted back in response. Then the two women shut their car doors and headed toward us. They stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Sophia gave Donovan a flat, uninterested look, but Jo-Jo’s eyes lit up at the sight of the rugged detective. In addition to being a social butterfly, the dwarf was also a terrible flirt, just like Finn was.
    “Well, now,” Jo-Jo asked, her pale eyes landing on Donovan. “Who is this?”
    I stood and made the introductions. “Jo-Jo Deveraux, this is detective Donovan Caine with the Ashland Police Department. And vice versa. The Goth chick is Sophia, Jo-Jo’s sister.”
    Jo-Jo held out her hand, as though she wanted Donovan to kiss it. Disappointment flickered across the dwarf’s face when he merely shook it instead.
    “I asked Sophia to watch Warren and Violet while we check out Dawson’s mine,” I explained to the detective.
    “And I’m here for moral support,” Jo-Jo chimed in. Donovan Caine eyed the dwarf’s rose-covered dress, pearls, high-heeled sandals, and manicured nails. No doubt he thought she wouldn’t be much good in a fight. Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 196-197
    12/17/09 9:32 PM
    Web of Lies 199
    ears and took up a position on the front porch steps to keep an eye out for Tobias Dawson and his