Page 59 of Villains Never Die

“We both know the importance of doing whatever it takes to accomplish our ambitions,” he said as he stood to leave. “Consider how dirty you’re willing to get your hands to make it happen.”

“And your hands?”

“Could probably use a wash,” he joked, but his flashy golden boy smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Call me when you decide.”

You should do it.

The dead started up the moment the door clicked shut.

“Why is that?” I muttered.

He’s shady like you.

“Shady sounds like some back-alley dealer. I am a businessman.”

We’re just saying he’s your best choice for an ally.

That Emmett guy is going to mess this up for you.

If you spend too long considering this, you’ll miss the other important things.

“What important things?” I asked.

The Prague shipment will be here soon.

The masked man is watching someone new.

You never answered that text message.

I almost laughed at the last one. They just couldn’t help but insert themselves into everything with Rook, like obnoxious spectral matchmakers. Except I didn’t laugh because I realized what they had said right before that.

“Who is the masked man watching?”

We think he’s watching Emmett Graves.

Their pronouncement split my attention down the middle. Protect myself from the killer or let them eliminate another threat to my position in Ashbruck? Perhaps I could resist intervening a little longer. I clearly wasn’t at the top of their hit list, or they would have made a move already.

“What else do you know about the masked man?” I asked them.

He followed you home again three nights ago, but then he started hanging around Council buildings, especially the magicians’ office.

“And you’re just now telling me this?”

We’ve been busy. We don’t know why he shifted his attention.

“Probably because Emmett is somehow a bigger threat than I am to whatever he is trying to accomplish. Find him, find out more about him, and report back to me.”

Bossy.

“If you want me to continue entertaining you with interruptions in my bland existence, you’ll do as I say.”

You’re lying. You like the pretty one too much.

“I swear to God I will sit at this desk and do paperwork until I’m dead—nine more times. Don’t test me.”

Fine.

Thus far, the victims were mostly Council people—Blackwell, Kathy, Emmett. I couldn’t imagine how Pope and I were connected. One more fucking thing on my never-ending list of things to deal with.