She may have a thing for Gwen, but she needs me more. We’re government assassins, and I’m the key to her job opportunities. There are six of us. I run the crew, Callie’s my main operative. So she’ll come through. I’m waiting for her to say something right now about it. She’s about to say something.

But doesn’t.

“I mean it,” I say.

And I do. I stand.

“Where are you going?” Callie says.

“To visit Ropic Industries.”

“You’ll never get in the door.”

I smile. Callie doesn’t know I’ve been planning this for a full week. Gwen doesn’t know, either.

Callie frowns. “What’re you up to?”

I nod my chin toward the kitchen, indicating Gwen. “When Lucky died, Gwen became the majority stockholder of Ropic Industries,” I say.

“So?”

I let her think about that for a minute. Then a smile slowly spreads across Callie’s face.

It’s a helluva face.


 

 

 

 

6.

 

 

 

BETWEEN SWALLOWS OF LUCKY Charms, Gwen asks what she has to do.

“Show up with me at an emergency meeting of the board,” I say.

She loads a spoon with cereal, puts it in her mouth, chews, and swallows it.

“Most people take milk in their cereal,” I say.

“Most people aren’t me,” Gwen says.

Callie and I exchange a look that ends with Callie smiling from out of Gwen’s field of vision. It crosses my mind that if I tell Gwen Callie’s laughing at her behind her back, I might be able to gain the advantage in the quest for Gwen’s considerable charms. But I quickly dismiss the thought. Not because I’m above such deviousness, but because I need the two of them on my side today.

Gwen pushes some cereal around in her bowl with her index finger, separates a rainbow candy piece from the rest, and balances it on her perfect nose. “Watch this,” she says, turning her head sideways so Callie can also see. She drops her chin and catches the rainbow on her tongue, moves her tongue in and out of her mouth more seductively than it sounds, then swallows the rainbow. Then she shows us a goofy smile.

“The trick is to let it slide off your nose slowly,” she says, as gravely as if explaining how to disarm a land mine. “Most people drop their chin too fast.”

Though Callie and I both nod thoughtfully, I doubt “most” people have ever given a thought to balancing cereal on their noses.

Here’s the skinny on Gwen: she was the child bride of Lucky Peters. He saved her from a life of stripping in mob-controlled clubs, gave her a nice home and an air of respectability. But Lucky’s good fortune deserted him, and their life together went downhill fast. I doubt Gwen ever loved him. As far as I can tell, she doesn’t even miss him. Not only did she have sex with me hours before Lucky was killed, she had sex with Callie hours after he was killed!

So, yes, Gwen and I shared an intimate afternoon. Our first session was tepid at best. But then I discovered she’s a power whore. Meaning, power makes her horny.