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“You don’t already know?”
“I don’t keep tabs on everyone who works for me, Mr. Binder. My time is more valuable than that.”
“Well, he’s dead, and it was messy.”
“That’s unfortunate. He was impressionable, which made him useful.”
“Just not useful enough for your coven?”
“Exactly. Not enough raw talent, but he was a good talker, a real rabble rouser. Still, I have several other tools in my box.”
“You don’t sound broken up about it.”
“I would think that by now, Mr. Binder, your adventures in idiocy would have taught you that the bumper stickers lie. Not all lives matter.”
Adam checked that box off on his mental list. He’d been right when he’d guessed that Cole had helped Wilcox with recruitment.
“Well, I’m sorry you’re down a spy.”
“You don’t sound too broken up either. Careful, Adam, you might be turning into someone I could admire.”
“Yeah, I’m working on that. You should know it didn’t work. The plan to bring the banshee through him. We stopped it.”
Adam didn’t say exactly how they’d contained it. He didn’t want Emily on Wilcox’s radar any more than she already was. He also didn’t mention the others. He didn’t want Wilcox thinking he’d succeeded in any of his attempts.
Wilcox paused.
“I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about. Now if you’re done I have matters to attend to.”
“Oh, yes, I wouldn’t want to keep you when you’re on the lam.”
Wilcox disconnected.
It wasn’t like Patrick to let Adam get the last word. Maybe the feds were closing in. Maybe they were raiding whatever beachside compound he and his wife were hiding at. That would be nice. A perp walk in an orange jumpsuit on the evening news would be nicer.
Still, Wilcox might be telling the truth. He might not be behind the banshees and whatever Cole had been up to.
Wilcox and his family had worked with the Wolf to build their money and power over generations. So far the banshees had only caused chaos. They’d acted like suicide bombers, killing people, disrupting the Night Market, crossing over into realms where they could not survive. Tearing down the system—the kind of anarchy Cole espoused, which wasn’t to Wilcox’s benefit. It didn’t profit him or his business interests.
Hopefully Adam would get confirmation when Vic got home, if he agreed to Adam’s idea.
22
The sun set. Adam lit a few candles to set the mood then realized that Vic might misinterpret the vibe and blew them out.
He picked at his homework but his heart wasn’t in it. Maybe EVs just weren’t for him, or maybe the situation with the banshees simply loomed too large for him to focus.
Vic’s key finally hit the lock, and even though he’d been waiting for it, he jumped.
The door opened, the panel beeped, and Vic frowned.
It was just a moment. Then he caught himself and turned to shut off the alarm.
Adam sank.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“For what?”
