Vengeance (14 page)

Lucinda's car in the drive reminded me to call the service, which I did before getting out the groceries. As I approached the garage, I sensed Cerberus like a pressure against my mind, a pulsating, anxious rhythm.

Open. Open. Open
.

I imagined him, forehead pressed against the wooden door. I touched the remote and the door swung outward. He stood in the laundry room.
Why are you back so soon? Where's Lucinda?

"Things got a bit complicated." I set my grocery bags on the counter, tossing my Gucci briefcase next to them. "As it turns out, Cara wasn't proposing taking the company public. Meyer wants to buy into the company. And it also appears that Meyer is sleeping with Cara and possibly Lucinda's niece, Kat." I remembered that bizarre conversation. "Or maybe not. I'm not sure."

Really?
He walked over to his dishes and sniffed.
I could use some fresh water.
What's for dinner?

I paused in my ingredient unpacking and regarded him. "You don't seem surprised."

He snorted then sneezed. I winced, imagining gobs of dog goo flying around my kitchen.
Sorry. I just had a tickle. No, I'm not surprised. Meyer is capable of just about anything. Although why would he want to buy into Delacroix Labs?

"Excellent question." I set my purchases out on the counter, arranging them in the order of use. Cerberus watched, his pale eyes curious and his tongue hanging out, probably in anticipation of food thievery. "I'm making dinner for a potluck tomorrow."

I thought you and she were having dinner tonight? That's what you said
.

"She's busy." I set the book and shabby rabbit on the kitchen island.

Hmm. Busy?
Cerberus sniffed at the bunny.
What's that?

"It's a rabbit." I cleaned the vegetables at the sink and selected a knife from the block.

I can see that. What does it do?

"It makes curious dogs ask questions."

Hmpf
. He sniffed moistly at it.
It's stuffed. Why did you buy it?

"I don't know." I glanced over my shoulder at him. "Just like I'm not sure why I took in a mangy dog and let him stay in my home."

Hmm. Did the rabbit talk to you too?
Before I could answer, he said,
Any ideas about why Meyer is in the market for a medical business?

I chopped the onions, garlic and tomatoes, relaxing as I always did during food preparation. I started sautéing them in the All-Clad skillet, then I stirred in some wine and tomato paste. "I've been thinking about that. What if he's working on a project that requires cooperation with another company? It might be hard to form a partnership as an individual, but using Delacroix Labs would provide him with good cover."

Perhaps
. Cerberus sounded unconvinced.
Why not form his own company? Is that hamburger you're cooking? Did you get any extra?

I dabbed at the hamburger, sans onion and garlic, I had cooking in a separate skillet. "Why would I?"

He started to drool, his tail wagging slowly.
Aw, come on. Share with the poor doggie.

"Don't you think I've shared enough? My house, my wallet, my time?" I snorted. "Poor doggie, my ass."

It's good for you
. Cerberus inched forward so his chin rested on the kitchen island.
It's good for the soul to share.

I decided to ignore that comment. "Meyer probably wouldn't bother setting up his own company when a company already exists with all the people in place that he needs."

Hmm. Good point
. He was silent for a time, standing in a beam of sunlight that warmed the floor.
Are you going to seduce her?

I stirred the sauce then glanced over my shoulder at Cerberus. His head was cocked to one side as though evaluating my prowess at the stove. There was a wistful quality in his voice. "She seems resistant to my charms. I don't think it will be that easy."

Would you--?
He shook his head, collar jingling.

"Would I what?"

Nothing
.

"Between you and David Delacroix, I think Lucinda has enough people looking out for her welfare."

Delacroix? He's dead, isn't he?

I turned back to the pan on the stove so Cerberus wouldn't see my face. He hadn't sounded surprised. So he knew Delacroix was alive? What kind of games was Cerberus playing with me? I set aside the un-garlic hamburger to cool and layered the lasagna ingredients into two heavy, hand-glazed casserole dishes I bought in Spain the last time I was on assignment.

Delacroix approached you?

I spooned sauce over the noodles and grated on the cheese. "He called me. He knows a lot about what's going on." And he knew a lot about how I felt, but I wasn't going to discuss that with Cerberus. "Do you think he was infected by Meyer?"

What makes you think he was infected? Perhaps he simply faked his own death
.

I hadn't considered that. I did so now as I arranged the layers of lasagna, then put Cerberus's portion onto a saucer. "Here you go."

He gobbled up the half-pound of hamburger in a few moist gulps.
Thanks. Mind if I take a spin outside? I need to stretch my legs.

I hesitated, wondering about leash laws and loose dogs. "I really don't have time to take you for a walk."

I'll be good. I'll stay nearby and away from the killer Bambi
. He leaned his chin on the island counter, wagging his tail in brisk whaps against the cupboards.
Come on. I need to run.

I suddenly envied him his freedom to go outside at any time, run like a crazy thing, then come inside and flop down to rest.

"Okay." I touched the controls that opened the door to the garage and he was away like a shot, racing down the steps and out in a blur of white and black. I followed more slowly to watch as he leapt over the low hedge that edged the driveway, twisted in mid-air and raced toward the woods with a happy bark.

I'll be back soon!
he shouted over one shoulder.

He vanished into the woods. I remained in the garage entrance, staring into the distance. What would it be like to change your shape at will? To be a cat, panther, wolf, dog, falcon all in one day? For an instant I envied him his life.

Then I remembered. Companions were trapped in a shapeshifter's body until penance had been served, either theirs or that of their loved one. What would it be like to know that you held the fate of someone's redemption in your hands? Worse yet, what would it be like to know that someone held your fate in their hands? I shivered in the sunlight then went back into the house.

Fifteen minutes later, I had the lasagna in the fridge and the tiramisu chilling. I had also hard-boiled a dozen eggs. Maybe I could talk Lucinda into dying them for me. Of course, first I'd have to talk her into coming to my house.

Cerberus returned at the same time the valet service arrived for Lucinda's car. I gave them the keys and directions to her office as Cerberus scraped his paws at the doormat. He jingled ahead of me into the office.
Feels like spring out there. Things are starting to green up. Any more thoughts on Meyer?

I paced in front of the cold fireplace. "No. None of it makes sense." My phone rang and I answered using the headset clipped to my sweater. It was Parker Madison.

"Can you talk now?"

I switched the call to the conference phone on my desk. Cerberus looked up at the sound of Parker's voice. "Yes, I'm alone."

Cerberus turned around three times then flopped onto the braided rug.
Thanks for relegating me to the ranks of non-entities.

"You know what I mean," I said in a low voice. "Why the accelerated schedule for the hit?" I asked Parker.

His response was delayed because of the security system installed on the line. "I'm not sure, but apparently something is going on at the company where the subject works. Have you had a chance to research her?"

"I've met her." I sank into my leather desk chair and propped my chin on my hand to stare out the window. "In fact, she's coming over for dinner tomorrow."

"Really? That's getting close to your target."

I recognized the cautious humor in Parker's voice. "I suppose you could put it that way. You didn't answer my question."

"I was told that it might be necessary to shift the date. Do you foresee a problem?"

"I'd like to know why she's the target."

There was a long pause. I watched as a robin bobbed across the lawn outside the window. Where was it finding food? Robins were bug eaters. Surely there weren't any insects available in Minnesota's thawing earth.

"That's not your concern." The humor was gone from Parker's voice.

Cerberus looked up at me.
Be careful how you push him. Madison's smart enough to start wondering why you're balking
.

I stared at the dog. His pale blue eyes appeared blind in the filtered sunlight that lit the room. "How do you--" I switched to telepathy.
How do you know what Parker Madison is like?

He blinked.
I told you. I'm here on special assignment
.

Special assignment. I shot him a glare. "I am concerned. I understood my previous targets once I did the research," I said into the conference phone. "They made sense. Lucinda Delacroix doesn't appear to be a threat to anyone. Something doesn't add up and that bothers me."

"You better than anyone know that looks are deceiving."

Fatuous answer
, Cerberus said with a snort.

I took a chance. "I'm not sure if I can do this by Friday."

"If you don't, I can find someone who can."

Cerberus and I exchanged a look, both of us nodding at the same moment. A line was being drawn. Did I want to cross it now or later? "This is my responsibility. I'd just like to know why the sister is so anxious to see Lucinda killed and why we're working for a private citizen." I waited, wondering if my guess about Cara hiring the hit was correct.

Parker's voice was sharp. "We're not working for a private citizen." I could imagine him in thought, picking and choosing morsels to tell me. "We have reason to believe that Lucinda Delacroix is consorting with terrorists."

I almost laughed out loud. "She's a humanitarian."

"The evidence shows she's involved with a scientist whom we've been watching."

"Masterson? She's not involved with him." Even as I said the words, I felt that stab of doubt again. Had she lied to me? Was she sleeping with Masterson?

Not Lucinda
, Cerberus said.
She doesn't lie
.

The dog's words restored my sanity. He was right. Lucinda had no reason to lie to me about her relationship with Robert Meyer.

"Our evidence shows that--"

"Your evidence is wrong. She's not sleeping with Masterson. If anyone is, it's her sister. The one who turned her in."

"I told you, it wasn't the sister."

"Then who did it? Who gave you this so-called evidence?"

"It's not the sister," Parker said. "It's the niece."

Kathryn Delacroix had it in for Lucinda? Was it her plan or did Meyer put her up to it? If my guess was right, Kat and Meyer were sleeping together. Was this part of Meyer's plan to take over Delacroix Labs?

Then I remembered that conversation with Kat Delacroix. Something didn't fit here. She didn't act like a woman in love. In fact, she acted as though she didn't trust Meyer. "I didn't know we did hits for private citizens."

"I told you. She's not a private citizen."

I digested that bit of news for a moment. "Really? What is she?"

"You don't need to know. All you need to know is that we have evidence that it's imperative to get rid of Lucinda Delacroix."

"What about the scientist?" I asked. "Why aren't you targeting him?"

"We are."

Another assassin?
Cerberus asked.

It made sense. Parker wouldn't put all his eggs into one basket. Then I shook my head. I had Easter metaphors on the mind.

"You don't need to know about that," Parker said.