Well, this op had taken a downward turn in a hurry. Ash had a choice to make. He could take down Rhinehart and his goons, capturing an evil man whom the world believed to be dead. His cover would be blown, and he’d have Omar and his guards to contend with, too. Between him and Jules, it’d be a rough go, but they had the element of surprise going for them.
Another option might be harder to pull off and was iffier. Could he manipulate the situation so that Rhinehart and Lang bid against each other, giving him access to both of them? Turning Rhinehart down and insisting on going to auction as planned could have deadly consequences. Offending the bastard might be the last thing he did. Plus, he’d be putting Jules at greater risk. That wasn’t something he took lightly. She had agreed to work with OZ, knowing the danger, but this was different. She didn’t sign up for certain death. That’s exactly what she’d get if this plan went awry.
“Darling,” Elsa said calmly, “introduce me to our new friends.”
With those words, Ash knew she was all in on whatever decision he made. If it wouldn’t have been completely out of character for Humphrey and Elsa, he would’ve grabbed her and kissed her in front of everyone.
In a split second, he decided on a third option. Günter Rhinehart could not leave here alive.
Taking Jules’s hand, he moved toward the trio. Rhinehart had an unhealthy pallor, so even though he wasn’t dead, the explosion thought to have killed him had done some kind of damage. He was, unfortunately, breathing, and that meant he was still a threat.
Standing before the murderer of thousands, Ash held out his hand. When Rhinehart merely shook his head, Ash looked down curiously and noted that one of the man’s hands was mangled, and the other was missing three fingers. Rhinehart was notorious for making his own bombs and had apparently had an accident with one of them. Or had the explosion that was supposed to have killed him destroyed his hands? Either way, Ash was glad to see that there was some justice in the world.
“Please excuse me for not rising, Mr. Humphrey. As you can see, I am a bit under the weather.”
“Many believe you dead.”
“And that is exactly what I want them to think. With enough money and influence, you can make people believe anything.”
Yes, but only for a short while. The truth always came out. Maybe not as quickly as some would like, but usually someone or something revealed the secrets.
“I’m sure you’re right. May I present my companion, Elsa Olsen. Elsa, this is Günter Rhinehart, one of the most hated and revered men of this century.”
“Lovely to meet you, Mr. Rhinehart.”
“And you as well, Ms. Olsen. May I introduce my companion, Renee Kirkson.”
As the two women nodded greetings to each other, Ash studied Rhinehart’s female companion. Their relationship had been well known, and since Renee hadn’t been seen since the blast, it was believed she had been killed alongside him. There wasn’t much known about Rhinehart’s private life, but Ash had seen many reports in which a wife and several young children were mentioned. Were they holed away somewhere, or did they, too, believe he was dead?
“And this is?” Ash raised a questioning brow at the large man standing beside Rhinehart’s chair.
As if the man was of no consequence, Rhinehart flicked a mangled hand with a careless gesture. “Fredric, my bodyguard.”
There was a small awkward silence and then Omar, practically glowing with pride, said, “Now that we’ve all met each other, let’s get refreshments all around. Dinner will be ready in a half hour or so. After that, we’ll get down to business.”
Humphrey and Elsa settled onto a sofa together. And while he made small talk and pretended to enjoy the hors d’oeuvres, he gauged the atmosphere and the man across from him. One wrong move, one way or the other, and everything could implode. He and Jules would be lucky to get out of the resulting mess alive.
By the time the dinner bell rang, Ash had devised a plan. It was risky and could blow up in their faces, but it was the only one he believed might work for what they needed.
Now if he could just get the message to the woman beside him.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Jules often faced danger without blinking an eye. She hadn’t chosen what had happened to her, but she had made the choice on how to live in the aftermath. There had been circumstances when she felt that if she even twitched, she could be dead. This was one of those times.
The monster before them, enjoying his steak, which Renee cut up and fed to him, was the vilest kind of evil. Every news outlet in the world had covered him, and there had been numerous celebrations at the news of his death. And he should be dead. Three other countries had joined with the US to hunt down this man. They had found him in a warehouse outside of London. Troops had surrounded the building, and they’d been set to go in and capture him when the entire building exploded. Days of searching the debris had finally uncovered Rhinehart’s mangled body. The entire world had breathed a sigh of relief.
So how was it he was sitting across from her now?
She didn’t yet know what Ash planned. If necessary, the two of them could take on Rhinehart and his two companions. The woman’s mild manner didn’t fool her. If she was loyal to this creature, then she was deadly. Three against two weren’t bad odds, but what about Schrader? Omar talked a good game, but she couldn’t see him fighting hand-to-hand. She could, however, imagine he had no problem with shooting anyone. And strolling through the house earlier today, she had spotted at least a dozen guards roaming the grounds.
She would follow Ash’s lead, whatever he chose to do. From the beginning, she had known that working for OZ could cost her everything, including her life. She hadn’t expected it to happen so soon, but she was prepared for whatever came next. Twelve years ago, she had survived against impossible odds. Maybe tonight, for this one event, was the reason.
The meal in front of her was lovely, but sitting across from a mass murderer greatly diminished her appetite. She forced herself to eat anyway. Until she knew Ash’s plan, she couldn’t draw attention to herself.
Fortunately, Ash was seated beside her. When she felt his hand on her thigh, she lowered her gaze in the pretense of concentrating on her meal. When he signed the words, her heart caught in her throat, but she knew she hadn’t misunderstood him. This was as serious as it got. Rhinehart was going to die tonight.
Jules dropped her hand to her lap and signed, “When?”
Ash’s reply came swiftly. “After dinner.” His fingers moved rapidly as he spelled out what he needed her to do.
She had trusted Asher Drake long before she’d met him. Even though he didn’t know it, would never know it, she would follow him anywhere.
Preparing herself, Jules took a silent, deep breath and then threw a polite smile to Omar. “The meal is delicious, Mr. Schrader.”
“Thank you, my dear. I’m glad you’re enjoying it, but please, you must call me Omar. Humphrey and I have been friends for years. It’s only right that his lady love is my friend, too.”
“Thank you, Omar. And please call me Elsa.”
“Delighted to do so.”
They went on to have a trite, frivolous conversation about the weather and wine preferences. Humphrey provided a couple of amusing anecdotes that made Omar laugh. The couple across from them kept out of the conversation. Rhinehart chewed, swallowed, and waited for his next bite from Renee. Though her expression didn’t change from the blank one that seemed frozen on her face, Jules had to wonder how she felt about being a nursemaid. The woman’s own food was getting cold.
By the time the meal was over, a headache pounded and every particle in Jules’s body felt explosive with tension. How the next few minutes played out was anyone’s guess, but one thing was certain: Günter Rhinehart would not leave this house alive.
For the first time since they’d sat down to eat, Rhinehart spoke. “Now that our meal has finished, I would like to begin our talks. We will be leaving within the hour.”
<
br /> No one mentioned that Renee had not taken more than a couple of bites from her plate. The man was finished with his meal, so apparently that meant Renee was, too.
Omar’s expression was one of both excitement and confusion. “But we have rooms ready for you to stay the night. We—”
“I don’t sleep in anyone else’s home. How do you think I’ve stayed alive all these years?”
“Of course, of course.” Standing, Omar pointed to a door. “Elsa, if you and Ms. Kirkson would head to the front parlor, you’ll find coffee and desserts have been provided. It will—”
“No. Renee does not leave my side.”
“But we’ll be talking business. I’m sure the ladies would prefer to—”
“Renee knows almost as much about my business as I do. She stays with me.”
Humphrey added, “I prefer that Elsa remain with me as well. She’s quite adept at business herself.”
Looking a bit deflated that his plans had been rearranged, Omar shrugged. “Of course. That is not a problem. Let’s proceed to the library.”
With Omar leading the way, the eclectic group headed to the library. It had been obvious from Rhinehart’s demeanor that he was paranoid and trusted no one but Renee and Fredric. This became more apparent when he insisted that Humphrey and Elsa go ahead of he and Renee. The man likely wanted no one behind him other than his bodyguard, who walked several steps behind him.
Playing on Rhinehart’s paranoia would be Jules’s gateway.
When they were all seated and one of Schrader’s servants had served coffee and then left, Omar nodded toward Rhinehart. “Do you have questions before we begin our talks?”
“A few.” A gleam in his eyes, Rhinehart gave Humphrey an assessing gaze. “Tell me about your product.”
“It was created to cure a blood disease, but an enterprising young scientist realized that with a few elemental changes, it could be made into an odorless, almost invisible substance. One drop can kill a grown man within a matter of seconds.”
“How is it distributed?”
“In any way you like. We used a spray bottle for our experiment, but a canister introduced into an air vent could reach hundreds.”
“This scientist who created the weapon, where is he now?”
“She is no longer alive. The product is mine exclusively.”
“I see. While a canister sounds quite intriguing, I am looking for—how should I say it?—more bang for my buck.”
There was no mistaking Rhinehart’s meaning. He wanted to kill more than just a few hundred people. If she and Ash didn’t end the man here and now, he would find some way, somehow, to accomplish his goal.
“With the formula, you should be able to create as much as you like. But you also must understand that if you’re going to offer an amount that would keep me from auctioning it off, it’s going to need to be substantial.”
“How does three hundred million sound?”
There was complete silence after everyone took a startled breath. That was double what Ash had told Jules he’d proposed to Omar.
Before anyone could question the stunning amount, Rhinehart went on to explain, “As you might guess, I am not in good health. I fear I will soon be unable to make the impact I’ve always longed to make. This would be my swan song, you might say.”
Humphrey gave a cold smile. “It would be a song for the ages.”
“Excellent. So do we have a deal?”
“Omar”—Humphrey turned to Schrader—“what do you think?”
“I don’t believe you would get near that amount at auction.”
“I concur. Very well. I will—”
Jules felt the slightest nudge from Ash and knew this was her cue. She leaned over to him and, in a loud, urgent whisper, said, “Did you just hear a helicopter?”
All eyes zeroed in on Elsa, but it was Rhinehart who said, “What did you say?”
She gave him a polite smile but directed her question to Schrader. “Do you have a helicopter, Omar?”
Not yet catching on, Omar sent her a polite, distracted smile and shook his head. “No. I am not a fan of flying. Anywhere I need to go, I prefer to drive. So, gentlemen, do we have a deal? I’d like to—”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rhinehart stiffen. “Why did you ask the question, Ms. Olsen?” His voice held more than a shade of suspicion.
All innocence, Elsa shrugged. “I thought I heard a helicopter.”
Building on that theme, Humphrey sent Omar a concerned look. “You know, I thought I heard something, too. Perhaps there’s an airfield close by?”
Rhinehart’s entire body went stiff with fury. “Have you betrayed me, Omar?”
His eyes round and startled behind his glasses, Schrader shook his head. “Of course not. I would never—”
“Then why did we all hear a helicopter?” Rhinehart asked.
“You heard it, too?” Omar started to rise. “Perhaps I should—”
“Stay seated,” Rhinehart snapped at Omar and then bellowed, “Fredric!”
Fredric was at his boss’s side in an instant. “Yes?”
“We must leave.”
“No,” Omar said. “This is ridiculous.” Disregarding Rhinehart’s orders to stay seated, Omar stood, gesturing wildly. “I assure you there is no helicopter. No one else is coming. You’re completely safe here. I would never—”
Hoping to add to the growing paranoia, Elsa said, “Oh, Humphrey, perhaps we should go, too.”
“No!” Omar shouted. “This is—”
A gun appeared in Fredric’s hand, pointed at Omar.
Looking more insulted than frightened, Omar snapped, “I told you there were to be no weapons at this meeting.”
“Understand this, Omar. I have no need of you,” Rhinehart snarled. “Fredric could shoot you, and the deal with Mr. Humphrey would still go through.”
“How dare you?” Omar barked.
The drama center stage held everyone’s attention, giving Ash the opportunity to skirt behind both Fredric and Rhinehart, snagging the poker from the fireplace on the way.
“Do it,” Rhinehart barked. “Shoot him!”
Before Fredric could get a shot off, Ash swung the poker, crashing it hard across the back of Fredric’s skull. The big man teetered. Ash grabbed the gun from Fredric’s hand before he keeled over.
Squealing like an enraged hyena, Renee lunged toward Ash, a knife glinting in her hand. Jules flew through the air, tackling the other woman before she could make contact with Ash. They fell to the floor together.
* * *
Ash whirled to see Jules and Renee grappling for a knife. He rushed forward and then jerked to a stop when he heard a gunshot. Looking back, he saw Omar slump to the floor.
Holding a gun awkwardly in his damaged hand, Rhinehart turned to Humphrey. “Now you don’t have to share your profit.”
Ash raised Fredric’s pistol and fired rapidly, hitting Rhinehart in the head and then the chest. He turned just in time to see Jules plunge the knife into Renee’s chest. The woman grasped hold of Jules’s hair, pulling her forward.
Ash leaped over a coffee table and kicked at Renee’s arm, forcing her to let Jules go.
“You hurt?”
Gasping, her head still slumped over Renee’s body, she said, “No, I’m okay.”
Turning, he rushed toward Omar, glad to see that the bullet was a through-and-through to the man’s shoulder. Having Omar dead would seriously impede his ability to go through with the auction and get to Lang.
“Omar, can you hear me?”
Schrader opened his eyes and said weakly, “The man’s insane.”
Since the idiot was stating the obvious, Ash saw no reason to point out that Omar should have been smart enough to figure that out. When dealing with psychopathic people, crazy things tended to happen.
Grabbing a handful of napkins from the coffee table, he pressed them to Omar’s shoulder. “I’m surprised none of your guards showed up.”
“At Rhinehart’s insistence, I told them to stay back unless I called for them.”
As that was one of the dumbest things he’d ever heard, Ash couldn’t help but ask, “How the hell have you stayed alive all these years?”
Giving him a weak smile, Omar said, “My charm and good looks?”
Shaking his head, Ash stood and strode over to Jules, who was still on her knees beside Renee’s body. “You sure you’re okay?”
“She’s dead.”
“If you hadn’t tackled her when you did, she would have killed me.”
She looked up at him then, and he realized she was in shock. Regret mingled with tenderness. This was most likely her first kill. Killing someone was never easy, but Ash knew from experience that the first one lingered forever.
When he held out his hand to pull her up, he saw another reason for her shock. She was bleeding.
“Where are you cut?”
“My arm. Maybe my shoulder. Not sure.”
Ash lifted her in his arms and laid her on the sofa. “Omar, this might be a good time to get your people in here.”
Omar had propped himself up against the back of a chair. “Just sent a text. Should be here in a few minutes. A doctor, too.”
Ash nodded absently, his concern for Jules overriding anything else. Her face was sheet-white, and she was beginning to shiver. Shrugging out of his jacket, he covered her and then examined her arm. She had two cuts. The one on the top of her shoulder wasn’t deep. The other, on her forearm, would require a few stitches. He quickly checked the rest of her body but saw no other obvious injuries. Her pulse was strong and steady.
“You did good,” Ash said quietly.
“Thanks. It got messy.”
“Yeah.”
“How’s Omar?”
“He’ll live. He—”
What sounded like a herd of thundering boots rushing toward them had Ash surging to his feet. Six men, all armed to the teeth, exploded into the room.
Omar shouted, “Stop. Everything’s under control.” He nodded toward the three bloody bodies in the middle of the room. “Take them out of here. I’ll decide later what to do with them.”
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