Elemental Assassin 02 - Web of Lies

entirely. It’s mostly But I’d made the first move twice now. I wanted the about me. Finding out about Cliff, it’s made me think. detective to want me, Gin Blanco, the good, the bad, and About a lot of things. And now, this mess with Warren the ugly. Not just succumb to my charms in the heat of and Violet . . . I’ll help Sophia and Jo-Jo watch out for the moment, then feel guilty about it afterward. them as best I can.”
    “It appears we’re at an impasse then,” I said in a low
    “But . . .”
    voice.
    “But I’m not going to help you with Tobias Dawson.
    “Guess so.”
    Not like I did with Alexis James. I can’t, Gin. I just can’t. Donovan didn’t look at me. He’s not the one for you, Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 248-249
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    250 JENNIFER ESTEP
    Warren T. Fox’s reedy voice whispered in my head. I didn’t want his words to be true, but it looked like they were—at least for tonight. Besides, I had Tobias Dawson to take care of. Fletcher Lane had trained me to put the job first, ahead of my own wishes. Distracted assassins 23
    got sloppy, and then they got dead. I especially needed to focus this time, since I had a couple of innocent people to protect. one problem at a time. I’d deal with Donovan and his conflicted feelings about us later.
    “All right,” I said. “You watch out for Warren and Violet. I’ll get Finn to help me with Tobias Dawson.”
    Donovan nodded. “I think that’s for the best.”
    There was nothing else to say. Not tonight. So I got out of the car. The detective didn’t look at me as he threw the vehicle in reverse, turned around, and drove away. I I’d just finished pulling a blackberry cobbler out of the stood there and watched the fog and darkness swallow oven around noon the next day when I heard the sound him up.
    of tires crunching on the gravel outside. I padded into For some reason, my heart felt as icy as the rain drizthe front living room and peered out a crack in one of zling down around me.
    the curtains. A silver Aston Martin crouched in the driveway. I unlocked the front door, then went back into the kitchen.
    A minute later, Finn stuck his head inside the room. As usual, he wore an impeccable suit, this time in a dark charcoal gray. His cheeks were ruddy from the ever-present drizzle, and water droplets glistened in his walnut hair. He carried his laptop in a black leather waterproof case.
    “About time you got here.” I dumped a tin pan full of orange-cranberry muffins onto a white plate. “Coffee’s on already.”
    Finn helped himself to a mug of the hot chicory brew. Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 250-251
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    Web of Lies 253
    He took a couple of sips, then moved a basket of sourFinn took another sip of his coffee. He examined the dough rolls out of the way so he could set his laptop on various treats I’d baked and grabbed two orange-cranthe kitchen table. “Looks like somebody didn’t get any berry muffins to start off with.
    last night.”
    “I hope you did something last night other than hit on I glared at him.
    those two girls,” I said, dishing up a generous portion of Nonplussed, Finn threw his arm out and gestured blackberry cobbler into a large bowl.
    at the kitchen. “C’mon. I see a cobbler, muffins, rolls,
    “If you consider sifting through reams of information a chocolate cake, and what I assume are strawberry preon Tobias Dawson, then yes, I did do something useful serves. You always cook more when you’re upset.”
    last night, although it was a thoroughly eye-glazing exHe had me there. The situation with Donovan Caine perience. The man doesn’t have nearly enough vices to hadn’t been resolved to my liking, and it had affected me make things interesting. All he does is mine coal and buy more than I’d realized. Why couldn’t the detective just equipment to mine coal and look for more places to mine accept me for what I was? Morals. They always ruined coal. Did I mention he mines coal?”
    everything.
    “once or twice.” My lips twitched up. No matter how I’d gotten up early with nothing but time to kill until bad I felt, Finn could always make me smile. I loved him Finn showed up. So I’d started cooking. But the mixing, for that.
    stirring, and baking hadn’t relaxed me nearly enough. I used my Ice magic to frost a mug and create some Maybe if I made another pound cake or two—
    small Ice cubes, then poured myself a glass of milk and
    “I take it things