Page 78 of The Wolves Come at Night
It was Angelie’s turn to smile. “Help me, and I will tell you where John Baldwin’s son is.”
Forty-One
Taylor felt faint. She tried not to show her shock, but knew it was for naught; at the offer, the assassin had leaned back, finally relaxed, like a cat contemplating settling in for a nap. Taylor’s thoughts raced.
Baldwin’s son. He will die of joy if we find him.
His son with that horrible woman.
What would happen if we found the child?
Would he come home to live with us? Can I be a mother to Charlotte’s son?
She couldn’t imagine that Baldwin would walk away from his son if he was found. Which meant she wouldn’t have a choice.
Hell. She’d cross that bridge when she got to it.
She palmed the Glock in a heartbeat, so quick the assassin tensed. “What do you know about Baldwin’s son? Tell me right now, or I will shoot you dead, I swear it.”
“No, you won’t. We are all aware of John Baldwin’s illegitimate child with the profiler who worked for him. Charlotte Douglas was trés fou, insane in the head, as you well know. We are all well rid of her. But the child…oui, I know where he is. I am willing to trade that information for your help. But I will not give it until Carson is recovered.”
“I can’t guarantee the girl is still alive.”
“I know you can’t, nor would I make that a part of the bargain. But she is. I know it. This situation is meant to draw me to this moment. Game is a terrorist, but he’s not stupid. He took Carson from Vanderbilt so I would come here, murder you, and get myself tangled into his web. I am not as reckless nor hot-headed as he believes me to be. I have no desire to kill you. Not anymore.”
Taylor ignored that little aside. “Baldwin’s. Son. Now.”
“You will help me?”
“If you tell me, and I can verify you’re telling me the truth? Yes. I will.”
Delacroix let out a breath, and Taylor realized she was still in control of this situation. The assassin did need her help. Which made Game an even more frightening proposition.
“The boy is in London at the moment. He is safe. He has a loving mother who is a doctor. She’s with Médecins Sans Frontières. He travels with her and has known no other world since he was born. She’s had him the whole time. She has raised him, and he is well.”
“Who is she?”
“Her name is Tamsin. Now, that is all you get until we find Carson.”
“I have to tell Baldwin. Please.”
The assassin shook her head. “No, no, you don’t. Besides, I know he is not reachable. The boat he is on does not have personal cellular access outside of the port, and he will not be in port for three more days. Three days, that is all I ask. If we have not retrieved Carson by then, I will give you the rest, and you can tell him everything.”
Taylor was disconcerted yet again by how much Angelie Delacroix knew about her. But not everything. She didn’t know Baldwin was back in port and very reachable. At least Taylor had that little bit of backup. She wondered for a moment if Angelie was behind Charlaine getting sick and Baldwin being assigned to the conference too but decided she didn’t want to know.
“I can’t hold this from him. It’s a betrayal.”
“Like he did not betray you by not telling you the truth when he learned of the boy’s existence?”
“Stop,” Taylor said. “Stop peering into my life. I don’t know why I’m even in this room with you. You’re an assassin. You are the kind of person I hunt. The kind I put behind bars. You are not allowed into my world.”
“Ah, and yet, here we are. I am in your living room, drinking your wine, from your glasses, talking to you about your most intimate situations—the son of your lover—and doing a business deal with you. Perhaps we are not so different, you and I. You could be considered an assassin as well, could you not?”
“I could not. People don’t pay me to kill.”
“Then why are you joining Macallan?” Angelie leaned forward, spitting out the words. “You are no better than me. You and I are the same. You are cloaked in righteousness, but in your heart, your soul, you are a killer, just like me. You take life when you need to, just like me. That is why you are struggling now. That is why you want to leave your precious job and throw in with us. Because you are tainted. I, too, am tainted. This world, it breaks us in too many ways, and we are bound by our consciences to do what is right, even if it is wrong in the eyes of some.”
“I am not any of those things.”
