Page 71 of A Touch of Treachery
“He was a lot more dangerous than a bloody deer,” I rasped.
I limped over, plucked my knife off the ground, and tucked it up my sleeve.I also grabbed Floyd’s gun and slid it into my waistband.Then I knelt beside the dead guard and rifled through his pockets.
He was carrying a phone and a walkie-talkie.I used my galvanism to drain the charges out of both devices and sent those spikes of energy to my grazed arm and bruised ribs.The fresh influx of power lessened the pain of my injuries, and I sighed with relief, my breath frosting in the cold air again.
“So that’s what galvanism looks like,” Gabriel murmured.“Did you know your eyes glow this weird silver-blue when you’re using your power?”
I rolled said silver-blue eyes.“Why the surprise?You saw me use my galvanism in Germany during the Tannenbaum mission.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t get an up-close-and-personal look at it.I was a little more concerned about the mercenaries attacking us than watching your eyes light up like Christmas trees.”Gabriel shuddered.“Galvanism is kind of creepy if you ask me.”
I slid the dead phone and the walkie-talkie back into the guard’s pockets.“It’s no creepier than watching your body dissolve into a smoke cloud like you’re a nightmare monster.”
“Nightmare monster, huh?”Gabriel grinned.“I like it.Maybe I’ll use that as a code name sometime.”
I huffed.“Well, Mr.Nightmare Monster, make yourself useful, and help me carry the guard’s body down to the lake so we can sink him in the water.With any luck, no one will notice he’s missing until morning.”
“And after that?”Gabriel asked in a chiding voice.“Bryce is no fool.He’ll know you killed this guy.”
“Just like I know Bryce sent this guy to capture me, and we’ll both pretend like nothing happened the next time we see each other.It’s how the spy game is played.”
Gabriel nudged the guard’s leg with his boot.“Bryce wanted this guy tocaptureyou?Why not just kill you?”
“Bryce hates me.He probably has some grand dream of stringing me up like a side of beef and butchering me a piece at a time,” I replied.“What about you?Did you find anything by the lake?”
Gabriel shook his head.“Nope.No sign of Henrika’s lab.No guards either.I didn’t even come across a couple having an ill-advised tryst in one of the boathouses.”
We’d come out here and risked our lives, and we had a whole lot of nothing to show for it.The risking-my-life part came with the job, but I wanted—needed—to get back to the hotel and make sure Charlotte was okay.
I bent down and took hold of Floyd’s shoulders.“Come on, Gaby.Heave-ho.Time to put all those muscles to use.”
Gabriel muttered his annoyance, but he bent down and grabbed the dead guard’s legs.Together, we carried the body toward the lake.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHARLOTTE
Imaintainedmypositionby the shelves, not daring to move, silently cursing my own recklessness.As soon as I realized Henrika wasn’t in the library, I should have backtracked and waited in the foyer.Not waltzed right in like I owned the place and let Henrika snap her trap—or whatever this was—shut behind me.
Henrika’s gaze locked onto the Grunglass Necklace around my throat.I’d known it was a risk to wear the necklace, but it was one of the few things she coveted, and I was hoping the sight of it might throw her off her game just a little bit.
Hunger creased Henrika’s face, and she drew in a sharp breath.I tensed and curled my fingers around my purse a little tighter, remembering what Joan had said about the bag being lined with explosives.If Henrika ordered Bryce and the guards to take the necklace, I’d twist the rhinestone clasp, toss the purse bomb at them, and duck behind the closest table.
Henrika opened her mouth, but then her gaze flicked past the necklace and landed on the two photos on the shelf.A shadow passed over her face, but she jerked her head at Bryce and the two guards.“Leave us.”
“Are you sure that’s wise?”Bryce asked, his hand still on his gun.“Given who she works for?She might try something stupid.”
“It’s fine,” Henrika replied.“Charlotte and I have an understanding, and she is far from stupid.It’s one of the things I admire most about her.”
Truth, my inner voice whispered, although a chill slithered down my spine at the compliment.
“I’ll be right outside if you need me,” Bryce said.
Henrika smiled, then reached up and cupped his cheek in her hand.“Of course, darling.You always take such good care of me.”
Bryce took her hand in his and pressed a soft, gallant kiss to her knuckles, playing the part of a debonair gentleman.Henrika’s smile widened.I’d thought Bryce was just a hired gun, but he and Henrika were obviously much closer than that.
Was there any genuine affection between them?Or were they just convenient lovers for each other?Hard to tell, and for once, even my synesthesia was quiet on the matter.
