Page 26 of The Hunter's Empire

A faint pause hums through the line. "Disappointed?"

The question comes smoother this time. Less mocking than last night. More curious.

"No." I answer honestly before I can stop myself. "Surprised."

A low and amused leaves him. "I was beginning to think you wouldn’t call."

"I considered not doing it."

"But you did anyway."

I glance toward the city outside my office windows. "I needed clarification."

"About?"

"Whether that envelope was business-related," I say coolly, "or just another attempt to entertain yourself."

A quiet chuckle travels through the speaker. "You think highly of your effect on me."

"I think men like you usually enjoy games."

"And women like you usually pretend they don’t."

That earns a faint narrowing of my eyes. I should end the conversation before it turns into another pointless sparring match.

Instead, I say, "I'm calling because there's a job."

The shift in his tone is immediate. The teasing disappears, along with any trace of amusement.

"Talk." Straight to the point. Good.

"The one from the envelope." I say. "I'm assuming you read it."

Silence follows, but it isn't confusion. It's consideration, careful and deliberate, and I wait patiently for him to reach whatever conclusion he's working toward.

"You're ambitious." He says eventually.

"I'm practical."

"The Keegans don't leave many people alive after they notice them."

"Which is why I'm not calling ordinary people."

Another brief pause follows before he asks, "What exactly are you looking for?"

"Financial routes. Hidden assets. Internal movement."

"You already have someone backing this operation."

It's not a question. I let the silence stretch for a moment, and apparently that tells him everything he needs to know.

"Rinaldi." He says.

Interesting. He reached that conclusion faster than I expected.

"You know him?"

"I know of him."