Page 30 of His Puppet

“Who’s the mark?”

“That’s not important.”

I turn to Blade, my eyes narrowed. “Of course it’s important. This isn’t a snatch and grab, remember? I have to get invited in. I have to have enough of his trust to get access to his computer. I can’t do that if I don’t know who he is.”

“You can’t?” he asks, his eyebrow raised.

The meaning in his question is clear in his tone. Not being able to do it isn’t an option.

“Ican. Of course I can, but it’s unrealistic to—”

“It sounds like you can’t, Emily. If that’s the case, let me know now before you waste any more of my time. Luis can have you at Sixth street in a half hour.”

I take a deep breath to try to calm the irritation brewing. “Do you know who the man is, Blade?”

“Yes.”

“Then doesn’t it make the most sense to give all the information you have to the woman you’re working with?”

Blade smiles. This is amusing for him. “Workingwith?”

“Excuse me.” I clench my teeth and resist the urge to roll my eyes. “The woman who is workingforyou.”

“Hmm.” He faces forward and tilts his head like he’s thinking while absently watching the house. “It’s strange that you would feel that way, considering you told me you had no idea who you were stealing from when you robbedme. You supposedly weren’t concerned with having all the information then. Or did you lie to me?”

“No, I didn’t—” I take a deep breath through my nose. “That was a simple lift off who I was told was a tourist. That is not the same thing as what you’re asking me to do.”

“I’m not asking.”

My frustration simmers at the hint of violence in his voice. I look at the house and breathe while trying to calm down.

“I told you, I want to see how you are on your feet. It’s not that big of a deal. Just copy a file onto a flash drive.”

“In a stranger’s house. Without him knowing I’m doing it. He, this man I know nothing about, is going to invite me in and leave me unattended long enough for me to break into his computer, which without a doubt has a passcode blocking access from this delicate information you apparently need.”

“If you can fool me, you can fool him. I don’t care how you do it.” His eyes drop to my lips. “Use all the assets you have.”

“You are anass-hole.” I grit out each enunciated word. Blade’s eyes darken, his expression turning serious, and it’s enough for me to remember who I’m talking to.

My jaw unclenches as my face softens. I break eye contact and go back to studying the house. I wait for Blade to say something, to threaten me some more, but he stays silent.

“Is he going to be home for a while?” I ask, my eyes finding the digital clock on the dash and noting the time. Four thirty.

“I don’t know, but you have the next hour to get this done. So, work fast.”

“And if I can’t get it done?”

There’s a pause.

“You know what happens,” Blade says.

I close my eyes and swallow, doing my best to block out my fear so I can form a plan.

This is just another job. Just another mark. It isn’t typical, no, and I have way less information than I would get otherwise, but it doesn’t matter. It’s happening.

I can do this.

“The clock is ticking, Emily.”

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