Page 50 of The Ghost Assassin

“He’ll target Lilah.”

“What happened to wives being off limits? He has to know you will kill him.”

“In his mind, if he dies and takes Lilah with him, I inherit the cartel without Lilah to hold me back. He believes she’s all that stands between me and the cartel besides him. So as to your question, he will say she’s protected and off-limits. But that is all for show. Because that’s what liars do. They lie.”

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Director Ellis stays behind at the White House while I’m escorted to the Pentagon, where I meet a bunch of people I don’t care about and search Murphy and Rodriguez’s desks. I’m sitting behind Murphy’s desk when I dial Kane, only to land in his voicemail. I glance at the clock, which reads 7:00 p.m. and I’m not sure how it got this late. When my attempt to reach Kit results in reaching his voicemail again, I assume Kane’s in his meeting. My next and final call is to Jay, who has sent me about ten text messages.

I’m here.

Where are you?

Lilah.

Lilah.

Lilah!

Needless to say, he answers on the first ring. “Where are you?”

“I’m about to head to the airport. Do we have a chopper waiting?”

“Yes. Where are you? I’ll come and get you.”

“The Pentagon, and you can’t get to me. I’ll Uber. Give me about half an hour.”

“The Pentagon? And they won’t give you a ride?”

“The last thing I want is more time with any of the Secret Service team. Have you talked to Kit or Kane?”

“I talked to Kit about an hour ago. Why?”

“Did he have Murphy’s LA place searched?”

“I have no idea. I can find out.”

“I’ll talk to him,” I say. “I’ll see you in forty-five.” I disconnect, and my cellphone rings with Kane’s number.

“How’s Washington?” he asks when I answer.

“How’s your meeting?”

“I’m on my way to the airport for his arrival now. When are you coming back? I can wait there for you.”

“I’m about to meet Jay at the airport in a few. Do you know if Kit had Murphy’s LA place searched?”

“He did, but that wasn’t useful. No one knows what to look for like you.”

Rich does, I think. “Kane, there are a lot of reasons for me to be in New York with you and a lot I have to tell you. I already told Rich to fuck off and I was pretty brutal to him, because frankly, he’s gotten stalkerish, but he knows what to look for at Murphy’s place. And right now, I don’t think there are many people we can trust. I need you to be okay with me sending him.”

He draws a breath, and I can see the tic in his jaw in my head. “But you trust him?”

“Being good at his job is not a statement of love, Kane. And I’m not sure he’ll even do it. I was thinking Tic Tac can ask him to do it, not me.”

He’s silent a beat. Then two. “Tic Tac is on a plane here.”

“Right. Tell Kit to call him.”

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