as a battlefield, and Jane had just planted a landmine at the center. The image replayed in his head-grainy, humiliating,

m. Something explosive.

e careful.

the door pulled h

it crisp, expression

toward the seat across f

ed his face and muttered,

d an eyebrow

ething. A video. In my office. I didn't know the cameras were run

orward. "What's

ing the edge of his desk.

dn't flin

to use it. She hinted at going pu

ich

perations. Business decisions. Travel schedules

t's more than just blackmail

kno

ant he

decades. My father trusted hers before he died.

we don't even know who she's workin

ho's backing her. Track her calls. Follow he

d. "Conside

ion of a man slowly losing control. What he didn't know-what Jane m

-

Shadowy

steering wheel rhythmically. The glow of his dashboard clock

ges from Shadrach tonight. But tha

moved across

ing Dubai. Digging deep.

ed. Then the

eding us. Your l

ges were never signed. No names.

act-one that involved an even more mysterious client. One he'd never see

out corporate espionage anymore. Someone wanted Ch

number, hand

icked up.

th a banker in Dubai next week. He's

l intercept

ed. "And if h

dly: "He won't liv

ne wen

eat and rested his head against the wheel.

-

' Reckl

ed with bass, neon lights f

rin that didn't reach his eyes. A woman danced on the table, but his attention

de said, his voice a lo

lazily. "I've got

You said that last week

new deal in Gambia. Money's mo

ll teeth. "You think your

ff the tension. "The Lazaro name s

s. Until the body it belongs

oze. The g

two hours. After that, I start

o his seat, pulse racing. He hadn't told Ben a

ed in a debt he could

A message from a

might save your life-or ruin it.

ll crawling up his spine. Someone w

-

ws Co

ty, Jane adjusted her silk robe and sipped a glass of

icked

e the bait?

"Hook, line

Tom

. Let him. It'll dist

se two beg

itated.

ned my life. Took everything I had.

d to the balcony, the

loyalty. She cared about pow

that across the street, a thi

owered camera, an unseen fig

ollins. All in play.

of them were ready for the e