Page 13 of Agent vs. Assassin

“Does he know Dad?”

“I’m not sure if it’s about Dad or something personal to Ghost that makes him relate.”

“Okay. I wouldn’t have seen this coming. He could be on his way to kill Dad now.”

“Yes, but I think he’s far more likely to kill the sister first. Elsa. Unless his wording was meant to trick me.”

“Why warn us if that’s the case? We have time to protect Dad.”

“I doubt he thinks we want to protect him.”

He breathes out long and hard. “Do we?”

I almost laugh, but the drama that would cause with Andrew would not be worth it, at least not in our present circumstances. “Where’s my choir boy brother?”

“Dead,” he says. “He’s dead. What are we going to do?”

Enrique pokes his head into the room. “I got the door open.”

I glance at Andrew. “We’ll talk later.”

He eyes Enrique. “We’re not done.”

“Okay,” Enrique says, but he doesn’t move.

I have to admire his stubbornness under my ire, even if it is the end of him. “He’s fine,” I say to Andrew, “and too stupid to be a problem.”

“Fuck you, Lilah,” Enrique snaps.

“Fuck you, too, Enrique.” I whirl on him and place myself between him and Andrew. “Fuck you, all the way to the damn grave where I’m going to put you if you ever pull that shit again.”

“I was being loyal.”

“To yourself. If you were loyal to Kane, or me for that matter, you’d have risked Kane’s wrath to protect him. And he would have understood. Go start searching the room you just opened.”

He stares at me several beats, not a waiver to his gaze, and then turns and walks out of the room. I rotate to face my brother. “What was that all about?”

“Focus on the case.”

He looks like he wants to push, but seems to get the priorities. Small miracles do happen, like me allowing Enrique to keep breathing. I’m angrier with him than either of us realized, or I’d be past it now. I am not. “Did Ghost kill Mark Walker?” Andrew asks.

“Yes,” I say, certainty filling me that I’d lacked earlier. “His presence was him taking credit for the kill. He doesn’t want what he doesn’t earn, but you won’t find proof.”

“Why was he here?”

“He wanted to taste my strawberry pie.” I motion to the door. “Let’s go work the scene.” I start walking.

He catches my arm. “Lilah. Why was Ghost here?”

“I already told you. To kill me.”

“You told me neither of you thought both of you were leaving, but I assumed that was because you surprised each other.”

“My relationship with Ghost is complicated, Andrew. I’ve got it handled.”

“Does Kane know just how complicated?”

“Are you serious right now? Does Kane know? This from the brother who wanted to throw him in jail only six months ago?” I’m out of patience for my fickle brother and his likes and dislikes. I jerk away from him and exit the kitchen.

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