"Which one of you killed Erin?" I asked. "Was it you, Solomon?"
Was she working with him as well? That would explain why she knew him. Why she let him into the restaurant.
Gina lifted her chin. "It was me. Stupid girl. She idolized you. I tried to get her to walk away, but she refused. Wouldn't take advice from her dear friend." She clicked her tongue.
"That was how Fairfield got photos from her," I said. "You sent them to him." What other photos had she passed along?
"You were supposed to figure out who they were from and back off, for her sake," Gina said. "But you didn't. You couldn't help yourself." Her tone was scathing.
"So you killed her." Could I get to her and strangle her before Solomon stabbed one of my boyfriends? Probably not. I'd have to bide my time. Again. That was becoming a theme this week. I preferred other themes, like Halloween, Christmas and an impromptuBuffymarathon.
"As a distraction," she said as if it was the most reasonable thing in the world. "Solomon and the men he works with, they aren't fucking around. They wanted to take care of you. All of you. All at once. And you made it so easy." She gestured around the apartment, taking in me and my four guys.
"Archer's face was caught on camera at Granger Fairfield's brownstone," she said. "They've been looking for him. When I saw the footage, I knew exactly who he was. When you found Erin, you all ran off here, like scared mice. I was surprised you reopened the restaurant, but I kept an eye on you while Solomon and a couple of his men came here to deal with those two." She jerked her head toward Boner and Archer.
"It's me you want," I said softly.
Archer and Boner both struggled, shouting out their frustration.
"Harlow, no," Cass said, grabbing my wrist.
"It's all of you," Solomon said as a couple of thugs stepped through the door. Both looked like they could throw a fully grown cow across a busy street. "You're all problematic."
"Because you don't want this to get back to Hypnos and Zeus," I said.
Of course, he couldn't leave any witnesses. I should have done better at keeping them all out of this.
Anger flared in his eyes. "I've worked too hard to lose it all now."
"Why would you lose it?" I asked. "Are they that powerful they'd destroy you if you put a toe out of line? Or are they just that powerful compared to you?"
I was provoking him, but if we were all going to die, we should know why.
"They have empires to maintain," he said. "They'll kill anyone who makes waves."
"You should have picked your friends better," I told him. "In my world, friends don't kill their friends." I slid my accusing gaze to Gina.
She rolled her eyes.
I really had misjudged her. Of course I had. She’d pretended to be friends with me and Erin, and then she'd betrayed us both. I didn't usually kill women, but I'd make an exception for her.
Boner glared at her, clearly thinking the same thing. Not being able to talk must be driving him nuts. Whatever the situation, the man always had something to say. A joke to make. Now, all he could do was scowl and watch.
"I guess you won't be leaving any loose ends then," I remarked.
I watched as the words sank in, first with Solomon and then with Gina.
Her eyes widened and she stepped back. "I'm not?—"
He was faster, grabbing her and pulling her in front of him, her back to his chest while he sliced the knife across her throat. The blade was soaked with her blood in a moment.
In the next, her body fell to the floor.
Boner sighed out his nose with disappointment. Not that she was dead, but that he wasn't the one to do it.
Archer let out a softer sigh, his gaze on the pool of blood now decorating his floor. No doubt he wished he could clean it up before it left a stain.
"Since you're going to kill us anyway, can you tell us who Hypnos and Zeus are?" I asked. It didn't hurt to try, right?
