Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd

by Web of Lies (pdf)

  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 didn’t end with the good detective in dug into the cobbler. I didn’t bother with ice cream this your bed last night?” Finn asked in a sly tone. time. I just wanted warm sugar, and a lot of it. In addition to treating me like a sister, Finnegan Lane

  “But you were right about the diamonds,” Finn said. also had an annoying tendency to analyze my sex life—

  “According to the cell phone photos the detective took along with everyone else’s.

  in Dawson’s office, the dwarf is planning a major expan“No,” I snapped. “The detective didn’t spend the sion of his current mining operation. And guess where night, although I invited him to.”

  the new primary shaft leads to?”

  Finn shook his head. “Idiot. The man’s an idiot. But I didn’t even have to guess. “Warren T. Fox’s country don’t feel bad. I didn’t have any luck myself last night.”

  store.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “You mean the evening didn’t end Finn nodded. “Actually, our good friend Tobias Dawwith you having a threesome with Violet Fox and Eva son has already started shoring up the mine, and he’s even Grayson?”

  crossed over into Warren’s land.”

  “Touché.”

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  they’ve heard and felt.” I took another bite of cobbler. The it wouldn’t be much of a stretch. The woman’s got her oat topping provided a crunchy, chewy contrast to the hands in everything in this city. Including Dawson’s syrupy sweetness of the blackberry filling. Mmm. Perfect. pocket, I imagine.”

  “But wait, there’s more,” Finn said. “Dawson might be

  “In a big, big way,” Finn said. “Mab’s been floating mining his brains out, but he’s not making a lot of money him money for the past several months. She’s writing it doing it anymore.”

  off as a speculative business venture.”

  “Why not?”

  I looked at him. “Speculative venture? So she knows Finn shrugged. “The usual reasons. Equipment’s more about the diamonds then.”

  expensive, the coal’s harder to get to, and there’s less of it,

  “Probably,” Finn said. “Dawson must have told her which means more man hours and more money invested about them, maybe even given her a couple of samples as in getting it out of the ground to start with. Dawson also a good faith gesture.”

  got sued last year. There was a cave-in at one of his other

  “So all Dawson has to do is get rid of the Foxes, and mines further up in Virginia. Killed almost a dozen men, he can tear up the whole mountain mining diamonds.”

  injured that many more. Despite the dwarf’s attempts to

  “Pay off his creditors, become solvent again, and make keep it quiet, the accident got a lot of press. Dawson had himself and Mab Monroe a pile of money,” Finn added. insurance, but he still had to pony up almost thirty mil“You were right, Gin. Tobias Dawson isn’t going to stop lion for the families.”

  until Warren Fox’s land is his. He can’t afford to. Not with I whistled. “That’ll put a dent in anyone’s wallet.”

  Mab Monroe breathing down his neck to come up with Finn polished off his muffins and reached for the bassomething worthwhile.”

  ket of rolls. I passed him some butter. “It put a bigger

  “Knowing the dwarf’s dirty secrets is all well and good, dent in Dawson’s wallet than most. It wiped out most of but we knew I was going to have to kill him all along,”

  his personal fortune. He’s barely making ends meet these I said. “What I want to know now is how I can pull it days and is mortgaged to the top of his ten-gallon hat.”

  off—and get away clean afterward.”

  “So he just doesn’t want the diamonds, he needs them.”

  Finn buttered another roll. “I’ve been working on that

  “Like a wino needs wine,” Finn agreed. “But wait, too. Like I said before, Dawson is all about his business. there’s more. Guess who one of his primary lenders is?”

  Mining is his life.”

  Another easy guess. “Mab Monroe.”

  “So I take him out at his house or the mine office. No Finn pouted. “You ruin all my fun. How did you big deal.”

  know?”

  Finn shook his head. “I did some more digging last I shrugged. “I remembered seeing Dawson’s name night. I wouldn’t suggest either one of those options. in the file Fletcher compiled on Mab. Even if I hadn’t, Dawson has a pretty tight security setup at home. Lots Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 254-255

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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 break-in 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 it.”

  not I could pull off being a hooker. What concerned me

  “Spill it.”

  was the fact I was supposed to do that, lullaby Tobias He stared at me. “First of all, you have to realize it’s Dawson, and get away afterward—all on Mab Monroe’s not enough for you to just get into the party. You can’t go home court. Still, Finn was right. This was probably my into Mab Monroe’s mansion as you, Gin Blanco. Jonah best, quickest shot at Dawson, and the dwarf needed to McAllister’s on the guest list. He’d spot you in a minute.”

  die—right now.

  “So I’ll wear a disguise. Not like I haven’t done it be“All right,” I said. “So I’ll go in as a hooker.”

  fore.”

  Finn nodded. “That’s actually where it gets a little Finn polished off his cake and cut another slice. “True, easier.”

  and I have an idea about that. As part of the evening’s

  “Why?”

  festivities, Mab has arranged for a variety of . . . entertainHe grinned. “Because I happen to be very good friends ments for her guests.”

  with the person supplying the evening’s entertainment—

  My gray eyes narrowed. “What kind of entertain- Roslyn Phillips.”

  ments?”

  First, Donovan had mentioned her name last night, Finn cleared his throat. “Hookers. Men and women. and now Finn this morning. I hadn’t thought about the Humans, giants, vamps, dwarves. Her guests pick out vampire in weeks, but here she was, popping up all over who they like, do whatever they want, and she foots the the place, even if she didn’t realize it. Even if I didn’t like bill for the whole thing.”

  the fact of how closely we were tied together.

  “So you’re telling me the best way, the only way, to get Not only did Roslyn Phillips run Northern Aggresinto this party is for me to pretend to be a hooker, catch sion, the most decadent nightclub in Ashland, the vamEstep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 258-259

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  pire used to be a hooker herself. She had worked the Southtown streets for years before she’d saved enough money to move up into management and open her own gin joint. All vampires needed blood to survive, of course, but lots of them also powered up through sex, which is 24

  why so many of them worked as prostitutes. Plus, vamps could live a very long time, and hooking, well, it was a skill that would never go out of style or demand. Vamps needed cash just like the rest of us.

  Roslyn Phillips was the best of the best. She could do things to men and women I’d never even dreamed of—

  and she’d taught her staff most of her tricks. But more important than that, the vampire owed me for killing her abusive brother-in-law and for not telling Finn how her loose lips had inadvertently led to Fletcher’s death. So RoIt was a little after one when we pulled into the parkslyn was going to have to deal with me again, whether she ing lot of Northern Aggression, which was located in liked it or not.

  Northtown, as befitted its name. By eight o’clock toI scraped up the last of my warm cobbler, then pushed night, high-end cars of all makes and models would fill my bowl away. “Well then, I guess it’s time to pay Roslyn the lot, and a long line of eager men and women would a friendly visit.”

  be waiting to get inside and satisfy their desperate deFinn grinned. He and Roslyn had been special friends sires.

  for years. That is, they often met for dinner, drinks, and But on this cold November afternoon, the nightclub a night of hot, sweaty sex when they weren’t seeing other looked like some anonymous warehouse. A big, gray, people. Sometimes, even if they were.

  metal box you’d find in any one of Ashland’s industrial

  “oh, goodie,” Finn drawled. “A field trip.”

  parks—except for the enormous rune over the door. A neon light shaped like a heart with an arrow through it perched above the entrance to the nightclub, marking it as something out of the ordinary. The pierced heart was Roslyn Phillips’s personal rune and the symbol for her club. From previous visits, I knew the sign would flash red, then yellow, then orange when it was turned on. But Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 260-261

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  right now, it was just a hunk of metal and glass hovering up that little mess the other night. Shouldn’t you be out above the door.

  arresting lawbreakers?”

  “The place looks deserted. You’re sure Roslyn’s here?”

  Xavier’s grin widened. “Ah, the cop thing’s just a partI asked. “I thought she stayed home during the day and time gig. Besides, why go out there when they’ll all just be watched her niece, Catherine.”

  coming here later on tonight?”

  Finn shrugged. “Not today. She said she was here look“Good point.”

  ing over the books since it was getting close to the end of Xavier grabbed a couple of wooden boxes that had the month. She’s expecting us.”

  been stacked by the front door, and the tink-tink of glass

  “Marvelous,” I murmured.

  inside caught my ear. Looked like a delivery of liquor We got out of the car and headed toward the entrance. of some sort. The giant hefted his burden and headed The front door was locked, so Finn rapped on it. His deeper into the club. Finn and I followed him. knuckles made a hollow, ringing sound on the reinforced The outside of Northern Aggression might have been steel door. A few seconds later, something clanged, like a faceless shell, but the inside had a distinct personality, a security bar being thrown back, and the door rattled even during the middle of the day. The few overhead open. Xavier, the nightclub’s head bouncer, stuck his head lights that were on highlighted the heavy, crushed red outside. The giant looked even larger, wider, and stronger velvet drapes that covered the walls. The floor was a wonin the weak afternoon sun than he had at the Pork Pit derful springy bamboo that cushioned our feet, but our when he’d arrested Jake McAllister a couple of nights ago. steps still echoed in the hollow, empty building. His dark eyes flicked over Finn, then me, then moved We crossed the dance floor, and Xavier veered off back to Finn.

  to the right toward a long bar made entirely of Ice elFinn knew exactly what was expected. He smiled and emental. The structure was almost a hundred feet long stretched out his hand. Xavier shook it and palmed the and more like an elaborate sculpture than a piece of offered C-note with surprising grace for someone with furniture. Runes had been carved into the slick surhand
s as big as a melon. face, mostly suns and stars, the symbols for life and joy. The giant grinned. “Always a pleasure to see you, Finn. Both of which could be found in abundance here late at Come on in.”

  night, as long as you had enough money to pay for the Finn and I stepped inside, and Xavier shut and locked privileges. The bar, of course, had been created by the the door behind us.

  Ice elemental who worked as the club’s bartender, and

  “You know I’ve seen you manning the door here,” I he’d used enough of his magic to make sure his creation said. “But I didn’t realize you worked for the police dewouldn’t melt before his shift started tonight. I could partment too until you dropped by the Pork Pit to clear feel the cool caress of power halfway across the club. My Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 262-263

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  own Ice magic, weak and sluggish though it was, stirred saying Sherman only set a few fires in Atlanta—a comin response. plete understatement. Her eyes and perfect skin were Xavier put his liquor boxes on the bar and gestured for a rich toffee, and her cropped, layered black hair highFinn and me to go on without him. “I’ve got to get these lighted the edge of her strong, square jaw. Silver glasses unloaded. Roslyn’s waiting for you guys in her office. You perched on the end of her button nose and made her eyes know the way, Finn.”

  seem even larger and more expressive. The vampire had Finn straightened his tie. “Indeed I do.”

  the kind of face that made you do a double-take to wonHe headed for the back of the nightclub and pulled der if such symmetrical perfection was possible. on her, open a door discreetly set into the crushed velvet that covyes. ered the wall. It opened up into a small hallway that ran Since the nightclub wasn’t open for business yet, Roin either direction before branching off at both ends. Finn slyn was dressed down in a pair of skinny jeans and a turned left, and we zigzagged through a series of hallways button-up white shirt. But the simple outfit still showed before he stopped at a closed door. Finn knocked on it. off her body to its full potential. Plump breasts, lush

  “Come in,” a muffled voice said.