discuss things.”
“Yeah, fine. That makes sense. Be at Handyrock’s at eight tonight.”
“I’ll try to be there.”
“If you’re not, I’m dead and you’re ruined, so you’d better try hard.”
Chapter 9
Dusk’s failing light glinted off the ends of the sniper rifles pointed at the square in front of the Infi-Moderno building, headquarters of the ventala syndicate. Merrick appreciated the irony. Years earlier after a breach of the building, he’d been asked to consult on security upgrades. He’d made several suggestions, including that men with Special Forces training be added to the staff and positioned on the rooftops as snipers. Now those men’s weapons were pointed at him.
He slid his sunglasses down so that the camera above the entrance could capture his eyes. A moment later, he punched in his code and opened the door.
The brunette sitting at the reception desk was flanked by two paramilitary guards. She swept her hip-length hair over her shoulder and smiled.
“Hello, Merrick.”
“Hello, beautiful.”
“Nice suit. Do you really pay ten thousand dollars for each one?”
He shook his head, and she looked disappointed. “Fifteen.”
“Fifteen?” She gasped. “Are they really worth it?”
“You tell me.”
She made a show of looking him up and down, then grinned. “You do look good in a suit, but I bet you look better out of one. And it’d be a lot cheaper.”
“Sure, but where would I keep my pens? I’m a businessman now, you know.”
Her grin widened. “I do know. Everyone’s noticed how well you’re doing. South of Firenze was the worst part of the Varden. Used to be, people tried to claw their way out of there before they ended up dead. Now look at it. There’s a waiting list to rent, and if you want a high-rise apartment, forget about it. I bet if I wanted to live on Delphi Saint near the Crimson, I’d never find a place in a million years.”
“There’s always room for another pretty girl.” He put his palm over the scanner. “Call the club and talk to Ox or Tony. They’ll take care of you.”
“Thanks, Merrick.” She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Listen, be careful up there. Cato’s been stirring it up all afternoon about you. Then he got in a shouting match with Tamberi and smashed his fist through the display case in her office. Broke half a dozen pieces of her millefiori collection. She shot him twice in the shoulder with that old Colt.45 she keeps in her desk. You know how the old guns make that popping sound like firecrackers? Everyone heard it and came out to see what was going on. The bullets were only lead with copper jackets, but he bled all over the new gray carpeting.”
“So Victor’s in a good mood then,” Merrick said, making her laugh before he went to the elevator. On the way up, he glanced at the photo of boss Victor Jacobi with his son and daughter. Tamberi’s black hair was buzzed short in the picture, but when combined with the sexy suit she wore, it worked somehow.
In the hall on his way to Victor’s office, Merrick passed the workmen who were already replacing the carpet. Victor’s efficient sixty-one-year-old secretary gave Merrick a pained looked and waved him through.
“They’re in a meeting downstairs, but I’ll let him know you’re here.”
“Thanks, Sil.”
“The snack in the office is for you. Don’t hesitate if you’re thirsty.”
He raised his eyebrows. That was surprising. There’d beentension for months, and hospitality had been pretty thin whenever he’d been summoned to headquarters recently.
He was only a couple steps into the office when he went still. Standing at the giant silver-framed window was Alissa North.
Cato cursed as Tamberi wrapped the bandage tightly around his wounded shoulder. He glared at her, but she only shook her head and didn’t say a word as she taped.
“You fucking had to shoot me twice? You got my attention the first time.”
“Lost my
“Yeah, fine. That makes sense. Be at Handyrock’s at eight tonight.”
“I’ll try to be there.”
“If you’re not, I’m dead and you’re ruined, so you’d better try hard.”
Chapter 9
Dusk’s failing light glinted off the ends of the sniper rifles pointed at the square in front of the Infi-Moderno building, headquarters of the ventala syndicate. Merrick appreciated the irony. Years earlier after a breach of the building, he’d been asked to consult on security upgrades. He’d made several suggestions, including that men with Special Forces training be added to the staff and positioned on the rooftops as snipers. Now those men’s weapons were pointed at him.
He slid his sunglasses down so that the camera above the entrance could capture his eyes. A moment later, he punched in his code and opened the door.
The brunette sitting at the reception desk was flanked by two paramilitary guards. She swept her hip-length hair over her shoulder and smiled.
“Hello, Merrick.”
“Hello, beautiful.”
“Nice suit. Do you really pay ten thousand dollars for each one?”
He shook his head, and she looked disappointed. “Fifteen.”
“Fifteen?” She gasped. “Are they really worth it?”
“You tell me.”
She made a show of looking him up and down, then grinned. “You do look good in a suit, but I bet you look better out of one. And it’d be a lot cheaper.”
“Sure, but where would I keep my pens? I’m a businessman now, you know.”
Her grin widened. “I do know. Everyone’s noticed how well you’re doing. South of Firenze was the worst part of the Varden. Used to be, people tried to claw their way out of there before they ended up dead. Now look at it. There’s a waiting list to rent, and if you want a high-rise apartment, forget about it. I bet if I wanted to live on Delphi Saint near the Crimson, I’d never find a place in a million years.”
“There’s always room for another pretty girl.” He put his palm over the scanner. “Call the club and talk to Ox or Tony. They’ll take care of you.”
“Thanks, Merrick.” She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Listen, be careful up there. Cato’s been stirring it up all afternoon about you. Then he got in a shouting match with Tamberi and smashed his fist through the display case in her office. Broke half a dozen pieces of her millefiori collection. She shot him twice in the shoulder with that old Colt.45 she keeps in her desk. You know how the old guns make that popping sound like firecrackers? Everyone heard it and came out to see what was going on. The bullets were only lead with copper jackets, but he bled all over the new gray carpeting.”
“So Victor’s in a good mood then,” Merrick said, making her laugh before he went to the elevator. On the way up, he glanced at the photo of boss Victor Jacobi with his son and daughter. Tamberi’s black hair was buzzed short in the picture, but when combined with the sexy suit she wore, it worked somehow.
In the hall on his way to Victor’s office, Merrick passed the workmen who were already replacing the carpet. Victor’s efficient sixty-one-year-old secretary gave Merrick a pained looked and waved him through.
“They’re in a meeting downstairs, but I’ll let him know you’re here.”
“Thanks, Sil.”
“The snack in the office is for you. Don’t hesitate if you’re thirsty.”
He raised his eyebrows. That was surprising. There’d beentension for months, and hospitality had been pretty thin whenever he’d been summoned to headquarters recently.
He was only a couple steps into the office when he went still. Standing at the giant silver-framed window was Alissa North.
Cato cursed as Tamberi wrapped the bandage tightly around his wounded shoulder. He glared at her, but she only shook her head and didn’t say a word as she taped.
“You fucking had to shoot me twice? You got my attention the first time.”
“Lost my
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