Page 107 of Asher Black (The Five Syndicates)
“And Monica?” I ask, remembering what the guy said about a woman letting the attackers in. As far as I know, she’s the only other woman with access to the penthouse.
“She’ll be taken care of.”
“How involved in this do you think she is?”
“She let them in and probably gave René access to the security detail.”
I remember the late warning she gave Asher about the polo match. “And the polo match?”
Asher winces. “She probably thought I wouldn’t reroute my flight to Dubai.”
“But you did, and she was pissed off.”
He nods. “I’m not sure why she’s doing this, though. I was under the impression that she likes me. I had no idea that she wants me dead.”
I cringe. “Maybe you’re not the target for tonight either? I was the target for the last two shootings, after all.”
I eye the dead bodies guiltily. It’s their fault they chose this line of work, but it’s also my fault they’re dead. All this death for me. It hardly makes any sense.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Asher says, his eyes intently on my face.
“Of course, you do.”
“This isn’t your fault.”
“Not entirely. It’s also René’s.”
“And mine.”
I nod, because he’s right, but it doesn’t make me love him any less. “So, what are we going to do about this?” I gesture a hand toward all of the dead bodies.
There are over two dozen in total.
“I’ve called Vince, and we’ll g—”
“No.”
“Excuse me?”
“No, you’ll call the cops.”
“I can’t. If I call the cops, I have to do this their way.”
“Exactly. Do this by the book. You have enough evidence.”
“Do I?” He eyes René’s men. “They’re dead. They can’t exactly testify against René.”
He’s right, but I’m sure there’s something connecting them. “If that guy met him in person, then there has to be something to connect him and the rest of these guys to René. Footage of the meet? Wire transfers?”
“Are you willing to risk everything for that?”
I’m okay with René being free if it means Asher keeps his company. I’ve seen how much he loves Black Enterprises, and I refuse to stand idly by while he risks his position there again. This isn’t like punching Steve in front of the whole company.
This is, judging by what Asher’s capable of, killing René. If he does this, there’s no going back, and I can’t let that happen.
“Yes, I am.”
“Well, I’m not.”
