Sonata (Butcher and Violinist 2)

Did I look that much of an injured animal? Or did she really believe all the things that Jean-Pierre had told her?

We headed to the car as guards still searched the building for the Mouse.

Gwen walked ahead with Louis. He’d agreed to stay close to her the whole time, take a bullet if he needed. I’d volunteered for that part too, but everyone had stared at me, as if I was unstable.

I walked on Jean-Pierre’s side.

He watched Gwen be guided into the limo. A strained expression covered his face.

I stopped him. “Are we really doing this?”

Jean-Pierre turned to me. “The plan is simple.”

“Also insane and impossible. Gwen can’t pose as the Lion’s mouse. He’ll know the difference.”

“Of course he will, but Eden will be there. Just give me time to grab her, before Kazimir figures it out.”

I glared at my cousin. “Kazimir is not letting go of Eden, until he has confirmation it’s Emily.”

“I don’t need him to let Eden go. I just need to see her, have her in the same vicinity as me. It’s a simple plan.”

“Fair point. Insane. Idiotic. Suicidal. But fair point. What could go wrong?”

“Everything.” Jean-Pierre walked off.

“Where are we meeting?”

Jean-Pierre walked off with me. “Forums de Halls. In the Cinema. Theater 7. I had the local police clear the place, as much as they could without alerting too many people. Apparently, the theater could not be emptied, due to a private businessman renting it for the day.”

“Kazimir.” I whistled. “It’s going to be fireworks at the mall today. I hope they got out as many people as possible.”

“I did my best to warn all the authorities. They’re emptying the area now and stopping the trains.”

“Why did he pick it?” I asked.

“Three levels, but the theater is close enough to the underground subway. Tons of places to sneak off and exit. Even if I know the area, there would still be a way out for him.”

The Forum des Halles was its own little underground city. It had 150 stores along with high end restaurants, a hip-hop center, swimming pool, library, and gymnasium. It would be a maze getting out of that place.

“And if the Mouse has already contacted the Lion?” I asked.

“Cellphone towers are down.” Jean-Pierre gripped the phone hard. “I had to put in a call to make it happen. That keeps things tricky for the next hour.”

“The Mouse can’t contact the Lion, but you can’t contact Eden either.”

“We need to end this today.” I climbed inside the limo.

“Before everyone dies.”

Silence fell upon the limo, as we headed to the mall. No one had gotten any sleep. Not even Gwen, who’d I’d woken up to make food for Giorgio yesterday.

Or was it two days ago?

I didn’t even know how many days had passed. A darkness had pooled around time as each tragedy struck—Eden’s kidnapping, Shalimar’s death, and even the destruction of the restaurant—the one symbol I’d had of my love for her. Now those crumbled bricks on the ground truly represented us.

I thought back to the moment on the balcony.

Gwen brought out my plate. “You should eat.”

“I’m not hungry, but thanks.”

She handed me the damn plate and put the fork in my hand. “Two bites and I’ll leave you alone.”

I frowned. “You’ll leave me alone regardless.”

She looked nervous, but defiance hit her voice. “I won’t. You should eat. A lot has happened.”

“You don’t know the half.”

“Then, tell me.”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

She shrugged. “I might understand, more than you think.”

What had that meant?

I’d been talking about Jean-Pierre and our way of life—guns and death, women and obsession. She’d gazed right back at me, as if there wasn’t much that would shock her.

Earlier, she’d been shaken, but she hadn’t flinched at the restaurant’s destruction. She’d run though, faster than all of us to the car. When we got to Shalimar’s Airbnb, she’d been silent as the men moved around, watching, but not watching. Staying quiet and out of the picture.

On the balcony, she had pointed at the food. “Two bites.”

“I’m not a child.” I lifted the food and ate, unable to limit myself to two bites. “But, thank you.”

“I’m sorry. I watch my nephew all the time. It’s hard to not be a bit motherly.”

I shoveled more food into my mouth, realizing I’d been starving.

“If you ever want to talk about anything, you can.” She walked off to the edge of the balcony and stared out at the city.

Smoke rose in some sections. Police sirens blared. Kazimir and Jean-Pierre had made a mess of Paris. Soon none of us would able to live here.

She shook her head. “I left New Orleans to get away from this. I thought Paris would be different.”

I didn’t know why I said it, but I did. “Give me a few weeks.”

She turned around. “What do you mean?”

“Give me a few weeks to show you Paris.”