Louis reckoned it to be one of three brokers.Once he’d dealt with Sturgis, he’d send a warning.For now, the paper remainedactive, even if Kade claimed to have no intention of fulfilling the contract.Tackling Sturgis might nullify it, but that depended on the truth or otherwise of his claim.Louis didn’t know how one went about discouraging an angel from seeking one’s death, but he was sure it wouldn’t be straightforward.
“What about Angel?”Louis asked.“My Angel,” he added.
“The paper related only to you.”
pain, said a child’s voice from nearby.Louis spotted her in the shadows: a girl, a ruined girl.
the reason is pain
Jennifer Parker.
they want Angel to suffer, continued Jennifer,because it’s his turn
Louis almost responded, so clear was her voice, only to catch himself just in time.
his turn to watch the man he loves die
Then she was gone.
“Are you okay?”Kade asked.
Louis continued to stare at the darkness for a second or two.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You went elsewhere just then.”
“It’s a lot to take in,” said Louis.“A man I’ve never met wants me dead on the word of an angel.”
“I won’t say I’ve come across stranger reasons for a contract,” said Kade, “but I’ve come across worse.You sure you’ve never heard of Sturgis before?”
“The name doesn’t register, but I’ll need to see that file on your boy’s iPad to be certain.”
“Just tell me where to send it.”
“He can print it.The one here is AirPrint-compatible.”
Even with end-to-end encryption, Louis wasn’t about to ask that a file on a man he might have to kill be sent to an email address.He and Kade sat in something approaching companionable silence while Amir did what was required, and a few minutes later the blond bartender handed Louis a sheaf of five or six pages.Louis was halfway through the second page when he paused.
“Damn,” he said.
“You start swearing like that,” said Kade, “and I’m going to hyperventilate.Want to share?”
“Sturgis is a member of a club.”
“He’s a white guy with money,” said Kade.“That’s a big club all to itself.”
“A physical club,” said Louis.“In Boston.”
“And why is that bad?Because I’m guessing it’s not good.”
But Louis didn’t elaborate.He skimmed the remaining pages before folding them in half and placing them in the inside pocket of his jacket.
“What’s the time frame?”he asked.
“The client’s instructions were ‘as soon as is practicable,’” Kade replied.“I’d say I can hold Sturgis and the broker off for a week or more.Is that enough?”
“All I need,” said Louis.He extended a hand to Kade.“You really didn’t owe me, but if you ever thought you did, we’re square now.”
