Page 32 of The Ghost Assassin

He laughs. “Yeah, well if this job sticks, I’m going to Washington. I should probably get used to being miserable.” He pauses. “Based on your investigation, how likely do you think it is that we’re targets?”

“If they wanted us all dead, most likely, there would have been a coordinated attack last night, but it depends on the assassin’s orders. If they were told to make us squirm, we could be walking, talking targets. Still want to meet in a public place?”

“Yep. See you in thirty.” He disconnects.

I text Tic Tac: I need everything you can get on Calvin Adams. Director Casey stepped down. Calvin is stepping into Casey’s role but absorbing Murphy’s duties as well. I’m on my way to meet him, and Lucas is supposed to be working on it but he’s too slow.

I gather my things, including a coat—it is winter in cold-ass New York City—and shout out, “Jay! Let’s go.”

He appears in the kitchen doorway. “Go where?”

“I have a meeting with my new boss, so you have to be invisible.”

“Already?”

“Someone has to run the FBI,” I say, and I’m already headed to the door.

Once I’m in the hallway, he’s on his phone, about to call for a ride when I knock his phone away. “We’re walking.”

“I have to object. If there’s an assassin hunting you—”

“It’s three blocks, Jay. We’re walking.”

He curses, grabs his coat on the way out the door, and joins me in the elevator with a crowd of people. When we exit to the lobby and step out of earshot of the other tenants and guests, he says, “Kane would not approve.”

“Kane can come tell me himself if he has a problem with me or anything I’m doing. Or you can go tell him, and I’ll see you after the meeting.”

We’re at the front door when Kit steps between me and the exit. “Where are you going?”

“Sometimes I catch killers instead of hanging out with them. And why are you not with Kane?”

“He wanted me with you.”

“Right. Because he’s going to do something stupid, Kit. That’s why he left you here.”

“You have less confidence in him than I do.”

“You have less knowledge of him than I do.” I step around him and exit the building.

I’m a few steps into the walk when Kit and Jay appear on either side of me. “What do you think he’s going to do?” Kit asks.

The answer is simple and gut-wrenching. “Kill his father and walk away from me to protect me.”

“He’d never walk away from you, Lilah.”

He’s wrong, I think.

That’s exactly what Kane is thinking about doing.

My cellphone rings with Tic Tac’s number, and I answer to hear, “Lilah, it’s Rich.” I stop walking.

“Are you stupid?” I demand. “What part of Kane will kill you if I don’t do it first do you not understand?”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t want Tic Tac to hear this and freak out. I met Calvin Adams in Europe, and there were rumors about him.”

I step to the side of the walkway, against a wall with my bodyguard entourage following, which is not in my best interest, considering who I’m talking to right now. “What rumors? And why was he in Europe?”

“Some sort of joint FBI/CIA operation. I never knew the details. Just that I was told don’t turn my back on him. I can try to get more info.”

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