Jigsaw (Black Raven Book 2) by Stella Barcelona Page B

that team would require, could quickly rival and surpass the value of the bounty.”
    Sam raised a brow. “Ten million is a lot of money.”
    “I agree,” Dixon said.
    “Yeah. If we had the time to search for him. But time is money, as you well know. Black Raven requires a client to bankroll the job, because without someone paying us, well, once we netted out our expenses, ten million dollars is not a significant sum of money.”
    “Well, you’ve found your client for the job,” Dixon said. “Your fees and expenses, of course, plus, you get to keep the damn bounty when you find Maximov and hand him to President Cameron. Consider it bonus money.”
    Shit! Talk about double dipping. Samuel wants to bankroll a job on which I’m already working.
    When Zeus didn’t immediately respond, Samuel continued, “I want to hire Black Raven to find Maximov. To be perfectly clear, Zeus, your job is to protect Samantha. Your eyes are to be on her at all times, but I want you to monitor and direct the team hunting for Maximov. Put your best men and women on it.”
    “That’s crazy,” Sam told her grandfather, her face pale. “An international task force with military expertise is looking for Maximov. Let them do their job.”
    “Won’t be the first time I’m called crazy,” Dixon said, his voice sharp. “I didn’t get where I am by running from risk or sitting around, waiting for the government to get a damn thing done. The world is scared right now. Terrorists have created a humanitarian disaster and an economic disaster and it’s time to teach them a goddamn lesson. Maximov might be a phantom, but he’s only a man. If he’s gunning for the ITT proceedings, and my granddaughter is front and center, he won’t get away with it. Find Maximov, Zeus, and the world will make headway in the fight against terrorism, compliments of Dixon Enterprises.”
    Sam slowly shook her head, her lips parted, a frown line bisecting her brows. She held the phone in a white-knuckled grip as she glared at it. “Samuel, you can’t do—”
    “I can, and I will. If you’re fighting terrorists, I don’t see why I shouldn’t as well. We’ll try to tackle these sons of bitches from both sides. One of us is bound to hit them on their blind side. Goodnight, honey. Let’s talk after you’ve slept.”
    Dixon clicked off the call. Zeus and Samantha stood in surprised silence.
    “God,” Ragno said. “I love that man.”
    Zeus chuckled. Ragno, he was sure, had enjoyed what had just transpired. Together, he and Ragno would have to come up with a method of creative accounting that didn’t cheat Samuel out of his money. Black Raven routinely bent laws to satisfy the needs of their jobs, but the almighty dollar—the oxygen on which the company thrived—was always treated honestly and with the respect it deserved.
    His chuckle faded as Sam drew in an exasperated breath. Her eyes were strained, as though her argument with her grandfather had worn her out, and his decision to hire Black Raven to lead a bounty hunt for Maximov was only icing on the cake of a day that needed to end. “Ragno, give me a few minutes.”
    Ragno clicked off, and he and Sam were alone.
    “You okay?”
    “My grandfather is picking a fight with the most feared terrorist in the world, two people who were close to me have died in the last forty-eight hours, and”—she glanced at her watch—“I need to function in less than seven hours on the most important trial in which I’ve ever been involved. Why wouldn’t I be fine?”
    “If it’s too much you could re—”
    “Don’t go there.” She drew a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “I need to be up at seven, at court at eight forty-five. Proceedings start at nine.”
    “I’m aware.” He didn’t think he needed to explain to her that for the next thirty days, his every breath would revolve around the details of her life. He wouldn’t be doing his job if he didn’t know her schedule