JК
The Killing Dance :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 15 из 285If I take the contract, I only get to kill you."
"Comforting. Did you say guard?"
"I'll be in town tomorrow."
"You're that sure someone else will take the contract?"
"I don't even open my door for less than a hundred grand, Anita. Someone will take the hit, and it'll be someone good. Not as good as me, but good."
"Any advice until you get into town?"
"I haven't given them my answer yet. That'll delay them. Once I say no, it'll take a little time to contact another hitter. You should be safe tonight. Enjoy your weekend off."
"How did you know I had the weekend off?"
"Craig is a very talkative secretary. Very helpful."
"I'll have to speak to him about that," I said.
"You do that."
"You're sure that there won't be a hitter in town tonight?"
"Nothing in life is sure, Anita, but I wouldn't like it if a client tried to hire me and then gave the job to someone else."
"You lose many clients at your own hands?" I asked.
"No comment," he said.
"So one last night of safety," I said.
"Probably, but be careful anyway."
"Who put the hit out on me?"
"I don't know," Edward said.
"What do you mean, you don't know? You have to know so you can get paid."
"I go through intermediaries most of the time. Keeps down the chance that the next client is a cop."
"How do you find wayward clients if they piss you off?"
"I can find them, but it takes time. Anita, if you've got a really good hitter on your tail, time is something you won't have."
"Oh, that was comforting."
"It wasn't supposed to be comforting," he said, "Can you think of anyone who hates you so badly and has this kind of money?"
I thought about that for a minute. "No. Most of the people that would fit the bill are dead."
"The only good enemy is a dead enemy," Edward said.
"Yeah."
"I heard a rumor that you're dating the master of the city. Is that true?"
I hesitated. I realized I was embarrassed to admit the truth to Edward. "Yeah, it's true."
"I had to hear you say it." I could almost hear him shake his head over the phone. "Damn, Anita, you know better than that."
"I know," I said.
"Did you dump Richard?"
"No."
"Which monster are you with tonight, bloodsucker or flesh-eater?"
"None of your damn business," I said.
"Fine. Pick the monster of your choice tonight, Anita, have a good time. Tomorrow we start trying to keep you alive." He hung up.
"Comforting. Did you say guard?"
"I'll be in town tomorrow."
"You're that sure someone else will take the contract?"
"I don't even open my door for less than a hundred grand, Anita. Someone will take the hit, and it'll be someone good. Not as good as me, but good."
"Any advice until you get into town?"
"I haven't given them my answer yet. That'll delay them. Once I say no, it'll take a little time to contact another hitter. You should be safe tonight. Enjoy your weekend off."
"How did you know I had the weekend off?"
"Craig is a very talkative secretary. Very helpful."
"I'll have to speak to him about that," I said.
"You do that."
"You're sure that there won't be a hitter in town tonight?"
"Nothing in life is sure, Anita, but I wouldn't like it if a client tried to hire me and then gave the job to someone else."
"You lose many clients at your own hands?" I asked.
"No comment," he said.
"So one last night of safety," I said.
"Probably, but be careful anyway."
"Who put the hit out on me?"
"I don't know," Edward said.
"What do you mean, you don't know? You have to know so you can get paid."
"I go through intermediaries most of the time. Keeps down the chance that the next client is a cop."
"How do you find wayward clients if they piss you off?"
"I can find them, but it takes time. Anita, if you've got a really good hitter on your tail, time is something you won't have."
"Oh, that was comforting."
"It wasn't supposed to be comforting," he said, "Can you think of anyone who hates you so badly and has this kind of money?"
I thought about that for a minute. "No. Most of the people that would fit the bill are dead."
"The only good enemy is a dead enemy," Edward said.
"Yeah."
"I heard a rumor that you're dating the master of the city. Is that true?"
I hesitated. I realized I was embarrassed to admit the truth to Edward. "Yeah, it's true."
"I had to hear you say it." I could almost hear him shake his head over the phone. "Damn, Anita, you know better than that."
"I know," I said.
"Did you dump Richard?"
"No."
"Which monster are you with tonight, bloodsucker or flesh-eater?"
"None of your damn business," I said.
"Fine. Pick the monster of your choice tonight, Anita, have a good time. Tomorrow we start trying to keep you alive." He hung up.