Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103719 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103719 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
She glanced over his shoulder. Then she stepped back without a word and indicated the way in.
He’d never been inside her sanctum sanctorum before, and he was not surprised that the stark, glossy decor of the rest of the house was front and center. Had the woman never heard of knickknacks? A pop of color?
She really needed to watch some Scott Living by Drew & Jonathan.
Did she even know what QVC was?
C.P. went across and sat behind her slab of a desk. As she leaned back in her black leather chair, her eyes were steady and he admired her composure given all the shit that was going on: him flaking out on trying that compound of hers, dead body on her front lawn, possible law enforcement issues—although if she could hide from the FDA as effectively as she did, disappearing a corpse was probably not a problem that was new to her.
“I’m not unaware of the nature of your work,” she said remotely. “Or that my lab was likely your target. You were on my acreage with a bomb and detonator. I am not confused as to your intent.”
“And yet you let me stay on.” He went over and sat down in the chair opposite her. “But by then, you knew what was wrong with me—did you hope I was a candidate for your trial right away?”
“No offense, I’m not really in a chitchat mood right now.”
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure you aren’t. Then again, neither am I.” He sat forward. “I know who killed your guard—and no, it wasn’t me. You can check your security feeds. Gus and I were in your guest bedroom.”
“I know where you were.”
“I think my old boss is back in action and still wants to take you down.” A return of that sudden tightening across his frontal lobe made him rub over his eyebrows again. “Back in the spring, my commander attempted to leverage my relationship with Lydia after I tried to pull out of my mission—and I had hoped, when things stayed quiet through the spring and summer, that he’d moved on to another target. But your dead guard last night? I think you’re in play once more.”
“So who did you work for?”
“The Federal Bureau of Genetics.”
C.P. shook her head. “I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
“That’s the point.” As his headache seemed to be sticking around, Daniel shifted his position to relieve the pressure on his spine. Not that it helped. “No one has. We were tasked with protecting the integrity of the human genome against unlawful manipulation—by clandestine labs just like yours. I was part of an expert team of mercenary soldiers who, shall we say, were deployed to dismantle such operations.”
“And to think I assumed I only had to watch out for my competitors,” she said dryly. “I’m impressed the government managed to keep you such a secret. So who is your boss, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“He goes by the name of—” A real spear of agony rocketed through Daniel’s skull, but he refused to be derailed. “Blade. It’s code for fuck only knows what. He had resources that were very deep, and he coordinated our squads of two to three soldiers, doling out the assignments and priorities. He’s efficient, highly rational, very deadly. I can only assume from the way he operated with such autonomy, and stayed so far outside the reach of conventional law enforcement, that his orders come from the highest levels.”
“Well.” C.P. laughed a little. “If I can do it, why can’t the president of the United States? Function under the radar, that is.”
“Listen, I’ve been really grateful for you.” He shrugged and was relieved as his headache began to ease up. “For taking Lydia and me in. Even if your intention was for me to be your first test subject, when I changed my mind and stuck to it, you haven’t kicked us out.”
“Don’t make a hero out of me, Daniel.”
“I’m not, don’t worry. But I’m surprised that you let me stay at all. Given what you know about me. What if I were a fox in your henhouse?”
“You aren’t. I monitor everything that happens around here. I know what everyone is doing—all their conversations, their calls, their movements. I have quite a comprehensive system—although there are certain provisions that are made for… privacy purposes.”
With a smile, he thought about what he’d done with Lydia the night before in their bed—when they hadn’t been able to sleep. “I appreciate the discretion.”
Her mouth lifted briefly at the corners. “You’re welcome.”
“Anyway, I’m a quid pro quo kind of guy. So in return for what you’ve done for me and my woman, I’d like to offer you a little help.”
A finely tended-to eyebrow lifted. “How so.”
“I have some ins with the organization I worked for. I’m prepared to exploit them to find out what’s going on with respect to your lab—and before you ask, you can have one of your security guys sitting at my shoulder when I do it. At least if you know what you’re dealing with, you can drive your strategy of retaliation better.”