reason to believe that Tkaron, or even the entire Realm of Terene, would be better off without him. And based upon what he’d just said, the opposite could be true.
All right, if she’s changing the rules, then so am I. I took a deep breath and hoped I wouldn’t regret what I was about to say.
“Elaine Ramsey hired me to retrieve her money and eliminate you.” Call me a fool, but telling him felt right.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his bodyguard, pull out a gun. Richard motioned for him to hold back and quietly said, “Eberhardt doesn’t respond well to attempts on my life.” He hesitated for just a moment. “What do you know?”
“I know that Richard Burke III is your real name and Oren Johnson isn’t.”
“Is that all?”
Eberhardt held his position. I hadn’t given them enough.
“There’s more, and I’ll tell you when he lowers the gun.”
Richard looked at his bodyguard and nodded. Eberhardt lowered the gun and clicked the safety into place.
“You’re Guy Bensen,” I said.
Now it was his turn for silence. My contact had assured me that this alone was what was most important about Richard Burke III.
He narrowed his eyes. “Does Elaine Ramsey know about my ties to the Resistance?”
“She never mentioned it.”
“She only hired you because of the money?”
“Yes.”
“Then you learned about me all on your own.”
“Yes.”
Richard was a member of the Resistance. He had just confirmed it. My source had neglected to mention that. It was the game we played. If I hadn’t been so evasive about what I was going to do with the information, she may have told me more.
“Madeline, you’re very good at your job.”
“You have no idea.”
“We could use your talents.”
Me, fight for the Resistance? Their goal was to return balance to our society. I believed it was a losing battle yet hoped I was wrong. It surprised me that someone as wealthy as Burke was involved.
“I live between the light and the dark,” I said. “The dark usually pays better and generally seeks to eliminate itself anyway, but maybe I can be of some assistance.”
“You can begin by returning the money.”
“I would if I could,” I responded honestly. “It was already gone when I got here.”
“I don’t believe that. The money is the only thing missing. If someone else had broken in, don’t you think they would have taken more? Is your arrival the very same night just a coincidence?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
Richard closed his eyes. “Are you willing to take a lie detect?”
“I don’t really trust old techno.”
“Don’t worry, my lie detect works every time.”
“What do you mean?”
“Eberhardt will break one of your fingers every time I suspect you’re lying to me.”
Eberhardt holstered the gun beneath his suit coat, flexed his fingers and smiled at me. At least I think it was meant to be a smile – it came across as more of a grimace.
Richard looked directly into my eyes. “So… are you ready to begin?”
I couldn’t quite read his expression. Is he serious, or is he bluffing? He held my gaze. Do I even have a choice? Either I accept his offer and hope he believes me, or I don’t and…and what? I knew what I would do in a similar situation. In their eyes, I was a threat to the Resistance, and Eberhardt had a gun that I was certain he was willing to use. I would have to convince them that their secret was safe with me, that I could be trusted as an ally. My life depended on it.
I steadied my gaze and my voice. “Sure.”
Richard walked over to the dresser. As he opened the bottom drawer and pulled out an old fashioned lie detect, I quietly sighed with relief.
He turned to me. “Is there anything you need before we begin? This will be more reliable if you’re relaxed.”
“Mouthwash or toothpaste – morning breath,” I explained with a shrug.
Richard nodded toward the bathroom. “In the medicine cabinet.”
After I took care of business, I located the mouthwash, mint flavored, sipped some and began to swish. I gazed into the mirror over the ebony sink. A slender young woman with long wavy black hair and emerald green eyes framed by long dark lashes gazed back at me. I spat into the sink, and then glanced over at the whirlpool bath.
Well, now that I had some time. It was black and shiny. I ran my fingers along the edge, clean. I hadn’t seen anything like this, well, ever. Working Class apartments had