Page 158 of Riordan's Revenge

He swore. “That’s her. She seemed nervous. I forgot all about it.”

In all the fuss, I’d skimmed over that part, too, but I’d had my own suspicions about that woman.

Genevieve said, “Lara tried to break you up? But she’s my friend. Why would she do something like that? Does that mean she left Alisha’s note as well?”

Fresh anger had me clenching my jaw. “I spoke to her recently. She had me all wary over the fact she reduced her hours but moved into an expensive flat. She also brought Moniqua to me, though she claimed not to know her name. Shite. That’s the connection, isn’t it? The Four Milers were managing them both? Paying them off?”

The men at the door stalled, listening.

Genevieve’s blonde eyebrows formed a line. “That liar. She does know Moniqua because I’ve talked about her in the past.”

Riordan swung his gaze between us. “Which reminds me, I saw her in Four Miler territory. I barely thought anything of it, but the clues were all there.”

Genevieve snarled, “At Red’s meeting, did he seem surprised that Moniqua was putting herself forward for Bronson’s job?”

I nodded. “Yes. He suggested she’d be better off working on her back.”

She stuck out her tongue. “Pig. But it implies she wasn’t already, so my point is that Moniqua isn’t in that gang. Her cousin, Don, was a member, but she was making a play for it tonight. That doesn’t smack of someone whose strings are being pulled by Red.”

“She can’t have left the notes,” I said. “She didn’t work here then. She had a membership to Divine, that’s all. No access to the other floors.”

Arran cut in, concluding what we were all no doubt thinking. “But Lara would’ve. I’ll have Manny pick her up from her new address. Are you good to get the information out of her?”

By way of an answer, I cracked my knuckles.

A brand-new picture was forming in my mind, one where the warehouse had been infected by a ghoul and I’d even helped her. Felt sorry for her. Meanwhile, she’d taken Lonnie and Lara over to her side, assuming she was the instigator in both cases.

In the background of that, she had her eyes on Bronson’s job. What had Lonnie claimed? That she wanted the security of it?

I almost,almostfelt sorry for her.

For the fear that drove her, and for the lengths she felt she had to go for safety, all to lose her life in that fiery inferno in the church.

Behind me, Riordan swore.

I twisted, and he raised his phone to show me someone was calling him. I recognised the number ending six-one. I blinked, but it was still there.

“Holy shite,” I told the room. “Moniqua’s calling.”

The witch wasn’t dead after all.

Chapter 49

Riordan

A ripple of explanation sped across the room, and all gazes fell on me, heavy anticipation coming with a hush of complete silence. I swiped to answer, setting my phone to loudspeaker.

“Hello?”

A choked sob met my greeting. “Riordan? It’s Moniqua. I need your help.”

Fucking hell. It really was her. “With what?”

She hesitated. “You sound upset.”

I curled an arm around a silent, vicious Cassie, bringing my wild girl close. Moniqua would’ve happily let Red kill her. She’d die for that, which meant getting to her. “I got dumped then my girlfriend was in a fire. It hasn’t been the best day.”

She made a sound of sympathy. “I’m so sorry Cassie died. That’s tragic. Listen, you helped me so much when Don went missing. I need to tell you something. He’s back.”

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