Page 149 of Intent to Kill
“Got it!” Dan announced as he stumbled through the door, waving a file folder in his hand.
“About time.” Adam approached him, arms folded. “These are well overdue.”
“I know,” Dan said. “Access issues, obviously. But they’re here now.”
Accepting the will and estate documents, Adam opened them carefully, reading the files line by line before raising his eyebrows at Dan. “Do you think these will hold up? Especially given the timing?”
“They’re solid,” Dan said.
A tap on Dan’s shoulder had him being lured away. “Where can I take these?” The man asking after Dan was holding a large box of files.
“What are they?” Dan asked.
The man looked down into the box. “I think working documents for the girls.”
Dan nodded and walked away with the man, directing him to the door.
Adam missed the last part of the conversation as he left Dan to it. There were too many people rushing around in the small space that he had to duck and weave just to make it the few steps to his bedside table where the phone was.
Holding the phone, he hesitated once before dialing. Their plan was close, but he was nervous. No more stalling. Just time to take his shot. The finality of it all had him hiding his trembling hands.
He held the phone to his ear as it rang.
“Hello?”
“Ready for tonight, baby?” Adam said.
“As I’ll ever be,” she said.
“Look, we’re all over here putting on the final touches. You should get back here.”
“It’s early,” she said. “Dorian expects me at the ball.”
“Then stay here right up until you have to go back. I don’t like the idea of you being there alone while all this is going on.”
He heard her laugh, and the trembling in his hands stopped. “Didn’t I tell you to stop trying to save me?”
“Can’t help it. Will you come?” He smiled.
“Sure, I’ll come right over.”
Adam hung up and cast a look over his shoulder. His friends were herding the last of their people out of the room, having offloaded all the weapons, supplies, and files that they could before taking one last stand against Dorian Blake.
Once everyone was out, Paul shut the door and leaned his head against it with his eyes closed. Left alone, it was just Adam, Dan, Paul, and Carlos. Walking in a strange kind of unison, they came together in a circle around the dining room table. Though they all hung their heads, they weren’t unhappy.
“Tonight’s the night,” Adam said.
“Tonight’s the night,” Paul smiled back.
“Have you all briefed your people?” Adam asked.
“Everyone knows what to do,” Carlos said. “Blake won’t see it coming.”
“There’s only one thing left to do, then,” Adam said. He went to the kitchen where he opened one of the top cupboards and pulled down a bottle of whiskey with five glasses. Placing the glasses on the table, he poured five fresh drinks.
“When the whole team is back here, we’ll toast, and we’ll relax, and just have fun. Because tonight, everything will change.”
* * *
