practice with my knives lately, the weapon felt cold and
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snapped. “Like I said, I’m not interested in letting you do
“By the way, Miss Violet,” Tobias drawled in his that to my land. My whole backyard’s turned into a damn twangy voice. “You haven’t seen my brother Trace around sinkhole already from you and your mining.”
anywhere, have you? Short guy, looks a fair bit like me, Tobias’s face hardened, and his mustache bristled with has a stick of dynamite tattooed on his arm. Drives a great barely restrained anger. “I’m tired of waiting you out, old big ole truck.”
man. You can either sell out now, and get a good price for My gray eyes narrowed. Dawson had a brother named your land. or—”
Trace? With a dynamite tattoo on his arm? That must be
“or what?” Warren snapped, cutting off the dwarf’s the dwarf that Finn had pancaked in the parking lot last threat. “You’ll send some of your boys over here to make night. The one whose body Sophia had disposed of. me see the light of day? You’ve tried that before, and it
“He was going to take care of some business for me didn’t work. A couple of shotgun blasts in their asses sent in Southtown, over near the community college,” Tobias your boys running for the hills.”
said. “But he didn’t come home last night. I thought you Tobias glared over his shoulder at his men, who all might have seen him, seeing as how you take all those shuffled on their feet and stared at the ground. classes at the college.”
I looked at Warren with a little more respect. Violet Violet’s eyes widened behind the frames of her black had told me that Warren had fought off Dawson’s goons glasses. She’d just realized Trace was the dwarf who’d atby himself, but I hadn’t realized the old coot had put tacked her, and she didn’t know how to respond to Tobuckshot in their hides. Brave but stupid of him. Because bias Dawson’s veiled innuendos, hints, and threats. But Warren’s shotgun and sheer stubbornness must have been Finnegan Lane, being the Southern gentleman he was, part of the reason why the dwarf had decided to go after stepped forward and intervened.
Violet instead.
“Southtown’s a dangerous neighborhood,” Finn said Tobias turned back to face us and spit another mouthin a soft tone. “Who knows what could have happened ful of tobacco juice onto the porch. “All I’m saying is it to him in a place like that? Just about anything, I imagwould be a damn shame if something was to happen to ine. Rough crowd, down in that part of Ashland. Junkies, you—or your sweet granddaughter.”
vampire hookers, pimps. Not safe for a man to walk those The dwarf leered at Violet, staring at her boobs like he streets by himself.”
wanted to bury his head between them. Behind him, the Tobias fixed Finn with a hard stare. “I wasn’t talking giants and other men did the same. Violet’s face paled a to you, son. And what the hell would you know about it little more, but she crossed her arms over her chest and anyway?”
lifted up her head. She wasn’t backing down any more Finn smiled. “I grew up down there.”
than her grandfather was.
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picion. The two giants and two other men sensed their reconsider his options. Ashland might be a dangerous boss’s displeasure. They shifted forward on their feet, as city, and the cops might be as crooked as the surroundif to storm past him and come up onto the porch. Tobias ing mountain roads, but folks still stopped to think betensed, ready to give the order. I palmed another knife. fore they took out a member of the po-po. There were This was not going to end well.
payoffs to consider, bribes, chains of command. Not to But before the dwarf could tell his men to charge and mention the fact Donovan Caine was something of a folk take care of Warren T. Fox once and for all, Donovan hero in the city—an honest cop among a sea of corrupt Caine stepped down off the porch and pulled open his ones. Caine’s death would raise a lot of questions, even coat. The noontime sun made the gold badge on his belt for somebody as well connected as Tobias Dawson. glisten next to the dark shadow of his gun. The dwarf ’s eyes went to Donovan, then Finn, then Tobias took in the badge and weapon. The dwarf’s Warren. He didn’t glance at me or Violet. Evidently us pale blue eyes flicked to the sedan sitting in front of the mere womenfolk weren’t much of a threat. Sexist basstore. He knew a cop car when he saw one too. “Who are tard. Still, Tobias could count as well as the next person. you?”
Five of us, six of him and his men. Not great odds, even
“Detective Donovan Caine. I’m an old family friend if we were saddled with an old man and two women. of the Foxes.”
But Donovan Caine’s badge was the tipping point—for Finn flashed another grin and pointed his finger at now.
the detective. “Maybe you’ve heard of him. He was the Tobias stared at Warren again. “You have three days to one who killed Alexis James, that loopy Air elemental think about my last offer. And it is my last offer. I suggest who was stealing from Halo Industries, her own comyou think real hard on it. Before I have to come back and pany. Happened about two months ago. It was all over ask you to reconsider it.”
the news. Mayor even gave him a medal for his stellar The dwarf spit out another stream of dirty tobacco investigative work.”
juice, turned on his snakeskin boot heel, and stalked back Donovan grimaced at Finn’s sly, mocking praise. The to the SUV. He made a circle gesture with his hands. detective knew what had really happened. That I’d been Round up and move out. one by one, his four goons the one who’d killed Alexis James and her flunkies in the turned and fell in step behind him.
Ashland Rock Quarry. And that he’d accepted the credit Donovan Caine stayed where he was, face hard, hazel and accolades for something he didn’t even do. eyes cold and flat, until the vehicle pulled out of the Tobias Dawson knew who the detective was, all right. parking lot. The driver took a right at the crossroads and The knowledge flashed in his icy eyes. But Caine’s status zoomed out of sight. once it was gone, the detective blew as a member of the Ashland police force made the dwarf out a breath and rubbed a hand through his black hair. Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 180-181
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“Well, that certainly was fun,” Finn said in a cheery front she’d put on for Tobias Dawson’s sake had vanished, voice.
leaving her round face ashen and sweaty, despite the fall chill. “You didn’t do anything, Gin. Why didn’t you do The five of us stayed on the porch a few more minutes, something? Why didn’t you tell Dawson to back off and but Dawson and his men didn’t turn around and come leave us alone?”
back. When I was sure they were gone, I tucked my sil“Because I didn’t want him to notice me,” I said. “Not verstone knives back up my sleeves. Then I stepped off here, not now. That would make getting close to him the porch and walked over to the spot where Tobias Dawlater more difficult. The dwarf barely looked at me. He son had stood so I could get a better sense of his magic. won’t remember what I look like later, when I approach The gravel underneath my feet hummed with so much him again.”
power it made my skin tingle and the spider rune scars on
“You mean when you kill him,” Donovan Caine said my palms itch. So the dwarf was a Stone elemental then. in a cold, flat voice.
Someone who could control and manipulate the element.
“Yes,” I said. “When I kill him.”
Strong in his magic, just like me.
Donovan stared at me. His eyes shimmered like liquid I wondered if the dwarf had any other magical or gold in his tight face. After a few seconds of scrutiny, he special tal
ents I needed to know about—before I killed shook his head. “You know I can’t let you do that. I can’t him. Either way, Tobias Dawson had just morphed from let you go after Tobias Dawson.”
a challenging kill into an exceptionally difficult one. I’d I sighed. Despite the fact the detective and I had have to take him out hard and fast before he even realworked together before, we were once again right back ized what was happening. otherwise, I’d be the one who where we started. With him clinging to his oh-so-high, ended up six feet under.
moralistic ideals and standing in the way of me doing
“What are you doing?” Donovan Caine asked, watchwhat simply needed to be done. ing me turn around in a circle in the spot where the dwarf
“I don’t see how you have much of a choice, detective,”
had stood.
Finn cut in. “Because Tobias Dawson isn’t going to stop
“Nothing.”
harassing the Foxes until he gets this land. Which means The detective knew that I had magic, that I was an Ice he’s not going to stop until they’re both dead. The bastard elemental, but I’d never told him about my greater, Stone sent his brother to rape and murder Violet last night. A power. My magic wasn’t something I advertised, and I nineteen-year-old girl who’s probably never hurt anyone still wasn’t quite sure what my relationship with Donovan in her entire life. And here you are trying to protect him, Caine was—or what it would ever be.
when you should be worried about a young woman and Violet Fox hugged her chest with her arms. The brave her grandfather. What’s wrong with this picture?”
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Donovan turned his hot glare to Finn, who stared back Violet. But yeah, I’m going to take care of Dawson for at the detective. Both men had their hands clenched into you.”
fists. I sighed again. Finn was on my side, of course, just
“Why?” Warren Fox asked. “I knew the kind of fees like a brother would be, and his words and logic were Fletcher Lane got for his services—and that was years dead-on. But there was only one way to get the detective ago. I certainly can’t pay you anything close to that.”
to go along with the assassination of Tobias Dawson—
“Don’t worry about the money,” I said. “Just give me one small step at a time. Which meant it was up to me a couple of jars of honey to take back to Jo-Jo, and we’ll to tap-dance Donovan Caine in the direction I wanted call it even.”
him to go.
“You’re not even going to charge them?” Donovan
“Finn?” I asked.
Caine asked with suspicion. “Why? So you can take their
“Yeah?”
land for yourself?”
“Did you bring your laptop with you?”
I raised an eyebrow. “And what would I do with a store He sniffed. “Do I ever leave home without it?”
up here in coal country? I already have a barbecue restauQuestion asked and answered. Sometimes I wondered rant to run. That’s plenty for me. So no, I don’t want their how Finn pulled himself away from his computer long land. Believe it or not, detective, I occasionally lend out enough to chase after anything that had boobs. my services for free. Pro-fucking-bono, as it were, when
“Then get on it. I want you to find out everything the situation warrants it.”
you can about Tobias Dawson. Habits, hobbies, business
“But why?” Caine persisted. “Why do you want to kill interests, anything that might be useful.”
Tobias Dawson so badly?”
Finn nodded and headed toward his SUV.
My gaze flicked to Violet. The image of her ruined
“And what are you going to do?” Donovan Caine face flashed before my eyes, and the sounds of her choked asked in a low voice.
sobs rang in my ears. Despite the fact Jo-Jo Deveraux had I gave him a bright smile. “Not me, detective. We. healed her, Violet had lost some of her innocence last We’re going to go check out the dwarf’s coal mine, and night. Some small, pure, happy part of her that she wasn’t see if we can figure out why Tobias Dawson suddenly has ever going to get back. Just like I had the night my family a hard-on for the land Warren’s store sits on. What do had been murdered, when everything and everyone I’d you say, detective? Up for a little breaking and entering loved had been burned to ash in the space of a few hours. tonight?”
Maybe I wanted to make sure Violet didn’t end up like Donovan grimaced and looked away.
me—hard, cold, distant from all but a very few. Maybe
“So you’re going to help us then?” Violet asked. I wanted to get her revenge for her, since I was having so I looked at her. “I’ve been helping you for a while now, much trouble getting mine. Maybe I just wanted her to Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 184-185
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be able to sleep a little easier at night, knowing that Tobias Dawson was feeding the worms. I couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason myself, and I couldn’t tell the detective all that. I didn’t want to reveal that part of myself to him. Besides, he wouldn’t have be17
lieved me anyway. So I went for my usual flip answer.
“Because Tobias Dawson is nothing more than a rich, spoiled bully who wants to be a cowboy,” I said. “Because I’m bored. But mainly, because I’m going to thoroughly enjoy knocking his pompous ass out of that ridiculous hat and ugly boots before I slit his throat.”
There was no further argument about my services or murky intentions, so we got to work.
Finn retrieved his laptop from his SUV and set it up on the counter inside Country Daze. Violet rustled around and found an extension cord so he could save his battery. Finn gave her a saucy wink and a sly, charming grin, working his magic. Violet smiled, ducked her head, and leaned down to get something else for him. Behind Violet, Warren T. Fox narrowed his dark eyes, crossed his arms over his thin chest, and cast a significant glance at the shotgun on top of the counter. Finn cleared his throat and turned his attention to his laptop. He might be able to charm women, but Finn always had considerably less luck with their male relatives. Especially ones as protective and suspicious as Warren. Donovan Caine stalked back and forth down the store’s aisles, his cell phone stuck to his ear. The detective had Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 186-187
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begrudgingly offered to help Finn get background info burning down the store with the Foxes inside. So you’ll on Tobias Dawson, although he’d made it clear he still be on bodyguard duty, along with Finn. Think you can wasn’t on board with my plan to assassinate the dwarf. handle it?”
Still, it was a baby step in the right direction. Because I
“Numbers?”
was killing the dwarf whether Donovan Caine liked it or
“He brought two giants with him and two other guys not.
who looked like half giants. I don’t know exactly how While the others worked, I stared out the store’s front many men Dawson has at his disposal, but I imagine he windows and kept an eye on the crossroads outside. Tocould strongarm his whole payroll, if he really wanted to.”
bias Dawson might have said he wasn’t returning for a Sophia thought about the odds for a few seconds. couple of days, but I didn’t put it past him to double
“So are you coming?” I asked, although I already knew back—with even more men. Which is why I also took what the answer would be. Sophia liked a challenge just the precaution of pulling out my cell phone and calling as much as I did.
Sophia Deveraux at the Pork Pit. The phone only rang
“Um-mmm.” Yes, in not-so-many words. twice before she picked it up. Despite my instructions
“Good,” I said. “We’ll be waiting.”
to the contrary, the Goth dwarf was still at the barbecue We hung up, and
I slipped the phone back in my restaurant.
pocket. The wooden floorboards creaked, and Warren T.
“Hmph?” Sophia answered with her usual, monotone Fox came to stand beside me. He too stared out the front grunt.
windows of the store. Two cars zoomed by, barely slowing
“It’s Gin. This is going to be a bit more difficult than long enough to make the left turn at the crossroads before I’d originally thought. I need you to close the restaurant heading toward the interstate.
for the day and come up here. Might as well put a sign We didn’t speak. Silence was one thing that had never on the door saying we’re closed the rest of the week, while bothered me. Didn’t appear to bother Warren much eiyou’re at it.”
ther. But we needed to get on with things. Because the
“Problems?” Sophia rasped.
Foxes couldn’t hide here in the store forever, and I wanted I glanced at Violet, who was now handing Finn a cold to make sure they were someplace safe when I left them bottle of Dr. Enuf, and Warren, who was still glowering at to go snooping over at the mine.
him. “Not so much a problem as a concern. I need to go
“Where’s your house?” I asked. “Does Violet still live do some recon work on Tobias Dawson, and I don’t want at home with you?”
to leave Violet and her grandfather alone in the store Warren nodded. “She does. The house sits on the back while I go do it. I don’t want Dawson and his men comedge of the lot, behind a stand of trees, next to a small ing around behind me and doing something stupid, like creek. You can’t see it from the road.”
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So not only did Tobias Dawson want the land where
“You’re hard like he was,” Warren continued. “Able to Warren’s store sat, he also wanted the old man’s house. put his feelings aside and do what needed to be done no In the South, taking someone’s ancestral home was even matter what. I always admired that about him. Fletcher worse than merely wanting their land. Even more reason was always stronger than me. Even when Stella left us for me to kill the dwarf.
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