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"See, guys?" she said. "No rush, like I said. She wasn't going anywhere."
"Take her to the secured room," Nast said.
Leah leaned over me and said in a mock-whisper, "Just a tip. Next time, run for the front door."
Friesen and Sandford laughed.
They put me in a secured basement room, but bound and gagged me, leaving me incapable of spell-casting. Then Shaw shot a dose of sedative into my arm. I was unconscious before they left the room.
I don't know how much time passed, but when I awoke, I found myself staring into Cortez's eyes. I struggled to sit upright, smiling behind my gag. The eyes blinked and I saw within them something so cold I shuddered and skittered backward. Somewhere in the room Gabriel Sandford laughed.
"Scared of her own shadow," Sandford said. "Just like a witch."
The man bending over me blinked and the illusion shattered. They were Cortez's eyes, but older. Older and soulless. He moved back and I saw that the resemblance ended at the eyes. This man was in his early forties, shorter than Cortez, with a severe, patrician look that might have been handsome if he smiled, but with frown lines that suggested he never did.
"You're certain?" he said. "About the relationship?"
"Certain?" Sandford said. "What do you want? A videotape of your brother banging her?"
The man turned a cold stare on Sandford, who straightened and cleared his throat.
"I can't be absolutely certain, as she's not likely to admit to it," Sandford said, his tone formal. "Yet all evidence points to that conclusion. Your brother is searching frantically."
"Frantically?"
"Very."
The other man's brows lifted. "I don't think I've ever seen Lucas frantic about anything. That seals the matter, then. Kill her."
"And put her head in his bed?"
The man's lip curled ever so slightly. He only shook his head, as if Sandford's quip wasn't worthy of an answer. Sandford stiffened, then dropped his gaze.
"Would you prefer I sent a videotape, then?" Sandford said. "Of her death?"
"That should do."
"Degree of suffering?" Sandford asked.
"Average. Enough to hurt him, not enough to convince him it was overtly personal."
"I'll send my best."
"No, you'll send your most expendable. An independent contractor. That will be more cost-effective and will make it more difficult for Lucas to trace it back to you. You'll involve no one else from the Nast organization in this matter, and you'll eliminate the contractor once he's finished the job. As soon as I leave, you'll move her to a second location. From there you'll arrange for the contractor to kidnap and kill her. You'll then include this note with the videotape."
The man handed an envelope to Sandford. When Sandford looked down at it, the man went on, "The note simply makes it clear that her death is his fault, that had she not become involved with him, and his 'crusade,' she'd still be alive."
Sandford smiled. "A little guilt's always good for the conscience."
"Now make sure this cannot be linked to you or the Nast Cabal. As for me, I was never here."
"That goes without saying. We have a deal, then?"
The man nodded.
"Just to, uh, be clear ..." Sandford continued. "If I do this, I'm guaranteed a position in the Cortez Cabal, at a twenty-percent salary increase."
"That's what I said, isn't it?"
