Elemental Assassin 02 - Web of Lies

Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 238-239
    12/17/09 9:32 PM
    240 JENNIFER ESTEP
    hadn’t expected the detective to come around so easily. I wondered what had caused the quick turnaround. His friendship with Warren Fox? Me? Something else?
    But I didn’t feel like celebrating my victory in making the detective agree to my plan. Something was bother22
    ing Donovan. Me, most likely, and what had happened between us in the backseat of his sedan. But the detective’s anger over my assassinating Cliff Ingles, his corrupt partner, seemed to have faded away, for whatever reason. Donovan hadn’t mentioned it once all day. So what had I done now that was so terrible besides give him a couple of orgasms? I couldn’t help but wonder.
    But now wasn’t the time to focus on Donovan Caine and this curious warmth I felt for him. Things needed to be done tonight before I made any kind of move against
    “First of all, the two of you,” I jerked my head at the Tobias Dawson. So I pushed thoughts of the detective Foxes, “need to disappear for the next few days. Take a away and looked at the others.
    vacation somewhere.”
    “Here’s what we’re going to do,” I said.
    Warren shook his head. “No. I’m not running from Tobias Dawson. Never have, never will.”
    “And what about Violet?” I asked. “She almost got raped and killed last night because Dawson wanted to send you a message. If he even thinks the breakin at the mining office tonight is connected to you, he’ll come down here, kill you two, and burn everything to the ground. Is that what you want?”
    “of course not,” Warren snapped. “But I’m a Fox, of the Ridgeline Hollow Foxes. My ancestors have lived in these mountains for more than three hundred years. The settlers didn’t drive my people out, and I’ll be damned if one greedy dwarf is going to make me go anywhere. I’ve never run from a fight. I’m not about to start now.”
    Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 240-241
    12/17/09 9:32 PM
    242 JENNIFER ESTEP
    Web of Lies 243
    A mulish look spread across his wrinkled face, and I I looked at the two dwarves. “You two think you can knew he wasn’t going to budge. Not on this point. Warstand guard duty for a few days?”
    ren might die, but he’d do it in his own store—just like
    “of course,” Jo-Jo said. “Anything you need, Gin. You Fletcher had. My heart twisted, and the old man’s ruined know that.”
    face awam before my eyes. I shoved the image away. War“Um-mmm.” Sophia grunted her agreement. ren T. Fox wasn’t going to end up like Fletcher Lane—not
    “What about me?” Finn asked.
    if I could help it.
    I smiled at him. “Fletcher’s gone, so you’re my handler
    “Fine. You can stay here in the house.”
    now. I want everything you’ve got on Tobias Dawson. Warren smiled.
    You know what to do with it.”
    “With Sophia and Jo-Jo as protection,” I added. “And Finn nodded.
    you’re going to close the store for the rest of the week. And then there was one. I stared at the detective, who That’s not a request.”
    still wore a stricken look on his face. “What are you going His smile slipped. “Why?”
    to do, Donovan?”
    “Because Tobias Dawson will be sure to be watching. He stared at the carpet underneath his muddy shoes. If he sees the store’s closed, he might think you’re finally The detective knew what I was asking—if he was going to softening up. It should buy us a little extra time.”
    try to stop me or worse, warn Tobias Dawson that I was
    “What about me?” Violet asked. “I can’t exactly leave coming for him.
    either. I’ve got classes and exams coming up.”
    “Nothing. I’m not going to do anything. Not a damn I turned to her. “Do you have a friend you could stay thing.” Donovan scrubbed his hands through his black with for the next few days?”
    hair and let out a bitter laugh. The detective had just She nodded. “I could stay with Eva Grayson.”
    sided with an assassin, with the Spider. He’d just conI flashed back to that night in the Pork Pit when demned another man to death, and he knew it. owen Grayson had told his little sister she was getting a
    “Good,” I said. “Then let’s get to work.”
    bodyguard whether she liked it or not. The guy I’d seen Eva with at the community college had looked capable An hour later we were all set. While Finn slid his laptop enough. So had owen, for that matter. Staying with the into its leather case, Violet gave her grandfather a long,