Elemental Assassin 02 - Web of Lies

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    of giant guards, and his house is in a flat, remote area.
    “I don’t know. The Five oaks country club, maybe?”
    They’d see you coming. And after your breakin last That’s where a lot of upper crust types held their funcnight, I imagine he’s doubled the guards at his office and tions.
    the mine. Getting in would be tricky, getting out would
    “Nuh-uh,” Finn shook his head. “This shindig is be a serious problem. Especially if he puts up a fight begoing to be held at Mab Monroe’s house—her own perfore you kill him.”
    sonal estate.”
    I trusted Finn’s judgment just as much as I’d trusted
    “Fuck,” I said.
    Fletcher’s. If he said the house and office were out, they
    “Fuck, indeed,” Finn agreed.
    were out. “What about going to and from work?”
    “Dawson has a driver who’s been with him for years. I sat there and ate my blackberry cobbler for several minTakes the dwarf everywhere. He drives that big SUV we utes. Mab Monroe’s house was the very last place I’d want saw at Country Daze. Bulletproof glass, airbags, reinto do a hit. The Fire elemental wouldn’t take too kindly to forced frame, all the usual assorted safety features.”
    my stiffing someone within the confines of her own home.
    “Which means sniping him through the glass wouldn’t Not to mention the fact it would seriously undermine her work, and the dwarf is probably tough enough to survive own security and standing in the Ashland underworld. a car accident or even a bomb under the hood,” I finished. Killing someone at Mab’s mansion was the kind of thing “You got it.”
    people would talk about for years . Mab would do every“So what do you suggest?” I asked. “Because the clock thing in her power to find out who killed the dwarf in her is ticking. Violet can only stay with Eva Grayson, and own territory. Who had the audacity to thumb her nose Sophia and Jo-Jo can only watch Warren at home for so at the Fire elemental like that. She’d have to just to keep long. Tobias Dawson’s going to come back to the store to the challenges to her power base to a minimum. brace the Foxes again sooner, rather than later. The dwarf But if that’s where Tobias Dawson was going to be, needs to get dead, Finn. In a hurry.”
    then that’s where I’d have to do the job—whether I liked Finn grinned. “Ask, and ye shall receive. Dawson it or not. I just hoped I was up to it.
    doesn’t get out much, but he is scheduled to attend a
    “Tell me the rest of it,” I said.
    party—tonight, as a matter of fact.”
    Finn cut himself a piece of the chocolate chip pound Short notice, but I could make do. I’d had less time to cake. “officially, the party is a business mixer. Mab’s indo other jobs. “But . . .”
    vited all her business associates, and everyone else she
    “But there’s only one problem. No, that’s not true,”
    wants to do deals with in Ashland and beyond. Lots of Finn said. “There are several problems. But the biggie is bigwigs expected to attend. Security to get in is going to this. The party? Guess where it’s going to be?”
    be very, very tight.”
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    “So?” I asked. “We’ve crashed lots of parties before. Tobias Dawson’s eye, get him alone, and do him before he Surely, Jo-Jo can get us in.”
    does me. So to speak.”
    Finn shook his head. “I already called her and asked. Finn winced. “More or less. Sorry, Gin. I know it’s not You know she can’t stand Mab. Jo-Jo declined the invite ideal, gambling on whether or not you can attract Dawtwo weeks ago. You can’t use her invitation now and kill son. But I think this is our best shot at him.”
    Tobias Dawson.”
    I helped myself to some more blackberry cobbler and
    “Because it’ll look too suspicious and point Mab in thought about things. As an assassin, as the Spider, I’d Jo-Jo’s direction,” I finished his thought. “okay, so how played a variety of roles over the years. Waitresses, hotel do we do it? There has to be some way to get into Mab’s maids, musicians, even a cop a time or two. Dressed up mansion so I can get close to Dawson.”
    in wigs, makeup, skimpy clothes, and more, all in the Finn hesitated. “Well, there’s something, but you’re name of doing the job. So I wasn’t worried whether or probably not going to like