Page 109 of Final Exit

Gannon.

“No, sir. I haven’t worked with Special Agent Faegan in some time, not since I switched agencies. I don’t know why you think I might know something about some operation in Colorado Springs or another one in Asheville.”

A pause, then, “Of course, Special Agent Kendall. Yes, I heard that. It is a tragedy that our brothers at the FBI lost Special Agent Simmons... No, I never met him...

“Understood. Faegan was a loose cannon back when he was my boss. And so was Quinn... I’m not surprised at all to hear you say that Quinn could potentially be involved. He’s been spiraling out of control for months... What’s that? Well, of course sir. I’d be happy to contact the FBI and act as a liaison until this is all properly investigated. It would be an honor. Yes, sir...”

He mumbled something else into the phone that Kade couldn’t make out, then said, “Thank you, sir. Good night.”

Footsteps sounded from inside the room.

Kade aimed his Walther PPK at chest level, just as Gannon appeared in the doorway. The other man froze, his eyes widening as his gaze met Kade’s.

“Quinn, what the hell are you doing here?” His dark gaze dropped to the gun before looking up again. “Put that away.” He slowly raised his hands, his suit jacket tightening across his shoulders. “There’s no need for a gun. I’m unarmed.”

“Yeah, well. Forgive me if I don’t believe a single word coming out of your mouth.” He waved his hand in the air, gesturing toward the paintings on the walls, the coffered ceiling twenty feet above them. “Nice place, if you don’t mind living in a museum. Seems to me I remember you more as a beer and nuts kind of guy. Where’s the big-screen TV? The carpet? You’ve changed, Gannon.” He moved his finger from the frame of the gun to the trigger, and enjoyed the flash of fear that crossed Gannon’s face as he followed the movement. “And not in a good way. Lose the jacket. I want to see for myself whether you’re wearing a gun.”

“Why are you here?” Gannon asked, as he slowly pulled off his jacket, then tossed it aside to land on the floor near the bookshelves.

“I’m one of the people who’s going to make sure that everyone knows you colluded with Faegan to kill innocent people and line your pockets. Did you really think you two would get away with trying to set me up as your fall guy while you both garnered millions of dollars and killed the Enforcers and anyone else who could bring down your scheme?”

He took a step closer, then another, but was careful to stay out of range so Gannon couldn’t lunge at him.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Let’s sit down and figure this out together.”

Kade laughed harshly. “Still lying, even up to the end, huh Gannon?”

“I’m not lying. I don’t know anything about... what did you call them?”

“If I didn’t know you better, I might actually be convinced. You’re a good liar, I’ll give you that. But the problem is, conspiracies have a way of getting out, don’t they? How did it happen? Did you meet up with Faegan at one of those dinner parties they make us go to? And he told you about EXIT and that he’d been ordered to shut down the remnants of the Enforcer program? You must have realized right away that you both had a gold mine at your fingertips. Most Enforcers made hundreds of thousands of dollars per hit or protective detail. And you thought that money was yours for the taking. But you knew you’d need a fall guy just in case things went wrong. Clever, really, to choose two. Me, as the first fall guy. Faegan as the second. Too bad you didn’t plan a way out of this if both of your scapegoats didn’t work out. Turn around.”

“You’re talking crazy, Kade.”

“Am I? Tell me, are you still working on that background report I asked for? Sure is taking a long time.”

“I told you in my email that stuff like that takes time. I had to keep it under the radar so I wouldn’t tip off Faegan if he was doing something wrong. If I’m guilty of anything it’s that I didn’t follow up.”

“Oh, I’m sure you followed up—with Faegan, to let him know I suspected something was going on. Now turn around.”

Gannon slowly turned. He wasn’t wearing a holster, and Kade didn’t see the telltale bulge of a gun anywhere.

“Lose the pants.”

He swore and looked over his shoulder. “What the hell for?”

“Don’t look at me like that, asshole. Lose the pants so I can be sure you aren’t concealing a backup gun anywhere.”

Gannon mumbled beneath his breath and took off his shoes, then shucked off the pants, tossing them onto the jacket. He held his hands out, looking ridiculous in his dress shirt and tie, black socks and red-silk boxers peeking out from beneath the bottom of his shirt.

“There. Satisfied? I just got home from work a few minutes ago. I locked my gun in the safe and was about to go upstairs to change. I’m not armed.”

“Excellent. That makes us even.” Kade held up his gun, popped out the magazine, then ejected the bullet from the chamber. He set them aside on a skinny, decorative table by the stairs, vaguely surprised the thing didn’t collapse beneath the gun’s weight. He clenched his hands into fists. “Now you can’t say that I didn’t give you a fair chance.”

The surprise on Gannon’s face quickly changed into a sneer. He took up a boxing stance, fists raised and stepped toward Kade.

“Leave it to you to let your ego get in the way. You should have kept the gun, Quinn.”

He took a swing at Kade’s jaw, but Kade had anticipated the move and ducked down, swinging his own fist in a vicious uppercut.

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