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“She was obviously using a disguise both times, dear Daniel,” Alexander said, laughing. That’s what he used to call me when he thought my analytical mind was working too hard, which it usually was.
“From what little you’ve told me, I find it hard to believe she was a professional assassin. If she had been, the drugs would have worked. Whether she prepared the poison herself or was given the substance, no highly paid assassin would fail both times.”
“Then what are you suggesting?” Alexander asked.
“That this was personal.”
Both Alexander and Brogan nodded, a light going off in the mafia prince’s eyes.
“I rechecked Dahlia’s employment record myself. There was nothing to indicate she’d been lying.” Alexander seemed so sure of himself.
“Except she obviously was.”
Brogan laughed. “We were hunted by two mafia organizations all those years ago, yet it took a tiny woman with no understanding of narcotics to almost bring us down? Priceless.”
We remained quiet for a full two minutes. I walked toward the window, staring out at the glistening lights of the pool encompassing a huge portion of Alexander’s backyard. We’d all wanted to push the past away, pretending that what we’d experienced and the lies we’d decided to maintain hadn’t occurred. While I was the only one to remain a law-abiding citizen, it would never excuse the horrific acts we’d participated in in the past. It didn’t matter how many scumbags I dragged off the streets. I deserved to serve time behind bars.
At least two of us had felt guilty. Brogan’s anger had gotten the better of him, landing his ass in prison for an unrelated charge. But Alexander was a piece of work, a man with no conscience. We were a strange trio, once a foursome. The four musketeers, we’d called ourselves while everyone else had used the term, the Wild Boys. Maybe that had been more accurate.
“Did she say anything to make you suspicious?” I asked.
Brogan laughed, shaking his head. “Not until I was already losing consciousness, but I will never forget her words. ‘Each of you will pay for what you did.’”
Alexander stiffened. “That’s exactly what she said to me as well.”
Sighing, I looked away. “That means it’s very personal.”
“That also means you’re on that list,” Brogan suggested.
My skin crawled from the obvious. How many people had we crossed over those four years?
“How long are you remaining in the country?” Alexander finally asked me, breaking the silence.
“A week, maybe more.”
“Any public events on your schedule?” Brogan asked.
“I have a special request, a security gig for a senator, some fancy party he’s throwing in DC.” It was a request that I hadn’t been able to turn down, required by my director. I wasn’t in the mood to babysit prima donnas and pompous assholes for a night, but the extra pay was a nice perk.
I turned around to face them, feeling the tension in the room. We’d believed that everything we’d done could be kept secret. It would appear someone had kept track of all of us, likely keeping some damning evidence. But going straight to murder instead of blackmail meant this was all about revenge and not extortion.
In my gut, I believed I knew the reason why.
“Garrison,” I muttered.
Brogan immediately bristled, and Alexander swore under his breath. “I find that hard to believe,” he said, but there was no conviction in his voice.
Our biggest dirty secret was not coming to Garrison’s aid before the shit hit the fan. He’d paid for his loyalty with spending years behind bars, just like Brogan had, only the fourth musketeer hadn’t walked out a free man.
I looked from one to the other, waiting as they absorbed the thought. “I can’t allow her to get inside the senator’s estate. That will raise too many red flags.”
Alexander eased back in his seat, crossing his legs and rubbing his index finger across his lips. “Then don’t, but that’s where she’ll strike. She managed to find out our itineraries without any problems. She is knowledgeable with regard to poisons and has no issue using her seductive capabilities. Professional or not, she’s dangerous.”
“And deadly, but she tastes mighty fine,” Brogan chortled.
While the event had been made very public, the fact I’d been placed on the senator’s detail was only known by a few people in the CIA. I couldn’t imagine how she’d figured out where I was, but if what they were saying was true, I couldn’t let my guard down as the others had done.
“What do you want me to do with her if I manage to foil her plan?” I asked, but I definitely wasn’t certain I wanted to hear their answer. I knew what Alexander would say.
