“It’s too improbable,” I said, shaking my head. “Too many unknowns. We can’t make that assumption.”
“Then what do you think?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll find out.”
“Convenient.” He shifted and leaned toward me. “What makes you think you can solve this puzzle?”
“Redmond,” I said, tone warning.
“No, I’m curious. Unless you had something to do with it.”
I threw up my hands in frustration. “You think I’d sabotage this? I didn’t even want to get involved with you in the first place. Why the hell would I agree to be—” I stopped as he began to laugh. “Oh, you asshole.”
He leaned back, grinning. “I had you going.”
“You’re such a bastard. How are you joking right now? One of our men is dead.”
He sighed and regained control. I noticed the soldier was glaring out the window with a very angry look on his face, and suspected that he wouldn’t be the most loyal person moving forward.
“There’s nothing we can do for the dead,” Redmond said, nodding his head, laughed dying away. “But we can do for the living. We need to make sure we understand what happened in there before we strike again. No more mistakes.”
“I can agree with that.”
“Good.” He put a hand on my thigh. “Then use that beautiful brain of yours to come up with an answer.”
I brushed his hand away.
Chapter 11
Redmond
I left Erin back at the hotel. She brushed me off when I offered to stay with her, said she could think better without me around.
That made me smile. I was worming my way into her brain.
I liked that I distracted her, but I needed her working at full capacity. I put several guards on the door and left.
Palmira met me outside the hotel. It was a balmy Chicago evening. Sirens screamed in the distance and I smelled smoke on the horizon. Palmira wore black, tight pants, tight jacket, hair up in a bun.
“I got word from the others,” she said and we began to walk together.
“And what did they say?”
“Kaspar’s not happy.”
“I didn’t think he would be.”
“He still wants Erin dead. He thinks she’s a liability.”
“I wonder what his pretty wife thinks.”
Palmira shrugged like that was none of her concern. “Darren’s angry. He wants to talk.”
“I bet he does. Darren loves to talk. What about Roman?”
“Roman’s quiet. Keeping to himself.”
“And the others? Nervoso?”
“Not responding to messages. I suspect the remaining few Oligarchs aren’t interested in our squabbles. But you know Nervoso, he doesn’t get out much.”
“Typical lazy West Coast bastards.” I stopped beside a traffic light and watched a lone car roll down the block. Palmira shoved her hands into her jacket pockets. “Tell Darren I’ll meet with him. Tell Kaspar he can fuck himself.”
Palmira laughed. “I don’t think Kaspar will like that?”
“He can double fuck himself then.”
“And the girl?” She tilted her head toward me, fluttering her eyelashes. “Are you as smitten as I think you are?”
“You know I am.” I looked away toward the closed shops and quiet houses. Each building was filled with people living their own stories. It was strange how we all could exist together, but be so far apart. “She’s coming around.”
“I doubt that very much.” She touched my arm gently. “Don’t let her distract you from the goal.”
“Which is?”
“World domination, of course.” Palmira laughed and took her hand away.
I watched her walk off. She’d ferry my messages to the other Oligarchs and I’d work out something with them—either that or they’d join together and crush me. I wasn’t sure which way this would go yet. Darren and Roman didn’t want more blood, but Kaspar was never easy to predict. I had to hope Penny would keep him from hunting down Erin and finishing her off, for a while at least.
I turned to head back to the hotel but stopped. Standing in the shadows was a man with a cigar clamped between his teeth. I tensed, reaching for my gun, until James pushed off the wall and stepped into the light.
I relaxed marginally, but kept my hand on the weapon.
“What are you doing out here?” I asked. He was supposed to be with Chika and the rest of Erin’s people in a nearby safe house.
“I was going to ask the same thing.” He puffed out smoke and pointed the bright red cherry in my direction. “Who was that woman?”
“An old friend. She works for me.”
“And what’s she doing out here in the dark?”
“It’s not your business.” I stepped closer, seething. I didn’t like that this jumped-up nobody was inserting himself into my affairs.
Erin trusted him. He seemed competent enough and I was willing to keep him in the loop. But if he proved to be a hindrance, I wouldn’t hesitate to cut him away.
“Erin’s my business, and what you do in the darkness affects her now. So tell me, Oligarch. Do you have her best interest at heart?”