Iron Cast(99)

He swallowed and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, smearing bright red across his lower lip.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I really am.”

Even knowing his secret, Corinne still couldn’t read his expression. Whatever he was feeling remained as guarded as ever.

“I was an idiot to have trusted you,” Corinne said. “You’re not even that good a liar.”

“Someone once told me that the smartest person in the room is the easiest to fool.”

There was a quirk right at the corner of his lips. Almost a smile, but not quite. Corinne refused to be sidetracked by the veiled compliment.

“And someone once told me that high stakes are the key to a good bluff,” she said. “So let me guess—Johnny promised you a fortune beyond your wildest imagining.”

“I was never working for Johnny. I’m guessing that’s why he tried to kill me.”

“So just the HPA, then.” In her vehemence, she had forgotten all about Agent Pierce. She glanced around, half expecting the HPA to be closing in. There were a few pedestrians on the sidewalks, but no one was paying her and Gabriel any special attention.

“They don’t know I’m here,” Gabriel said, gleaning her thoughts with an ease that made her want to punch him again.

“Are you some kind of initiate?” Corinne asked. “Were we just a way to earn your badge?”

It wasn’t the question she really wanted to ask. Judging from the look in his eye, Gabriel could see that too, but he just shook his head. He retrieved something from his pocket and pushed it into her hands.

Corinne stared down at her grandfather’s pocket watch, once again speechless.

“Do you really want explanations?” Gabriel asked. “Or do you want to help Saint? I saw Johnny and Jackson take him. I know where the warehouse is. I’ve got the Ford around the corner.”

She wrapped her finger around the brass, which was still warm from Gabriel’s coat.

“Did you know that Saint would be able to get us out of the Cast Iron?” Her voice felt ragged.

“Not for sure. But I hoped.”

Corinne managed, with some difficulty, to meet his eyes again. “And how do we know it’s not some kind of trap?” she asked.

“Number twelve, Belvidere Street,” he said.

“What?”

“That’s my mother’s address.”

“So?”

“So if I’m lying, then you can give it to the police. She doesn’t speak any English. They’ll be more than happy to deport her, I’m sure.”

Corinne frowned at him. He hadn’t broken her gaze. She was struck again by how dark his eyes were, with the pupils almost indistinguishable from the irises.

“I would never do that,” she said.

“I know,” he said. “I trust you.”

And he wanted her to trust him. She didn’t know if that was possible, but they had to help Saint, and there didn’t seem to be any other way. Even if she couldn’t trust Gabriel Stone, she could use him. She shoved her grandfather’s watch into her pocket, where it belonged.

“Let’s go,” she said.





CHAPTER TWENTY



The sun had set by the time they arrived at the warehouse. The water glimmered darkly in the moonlight, and the air whispered with the sound of ships rocking gently against the docks. Gabriel parked a few blocks away, and they walked to the wharves. When he pointed out the warehouse, Ada had to grab Corinne’s arm to slow her down.

“Wait,” she said. “If we run in there without thinking, we’re all going to be killed.”

Corinne’s breaths were coming in quick gasps, but she seemed to understand the wisdom in Ada’s concern.

“You and Charlie have your instruments,” she said.

It had been Charlie’s idea to stop at the Red Cat on the way. He had retrieved his horn and a violin for Ada that he claimed to have borrowed and not stolen. It wasn’t as nice as hers, which was still probably tucked away in the basement of the Cast Iron, but it would serve.

“There’s got to be a back door to this place,” Corinne went on. “I’ll go in the front and distract Johnny, and you two find a place to hide. Try to put them to sleep, or at least make them listen to me.”

“That’s a terrible plan, assuming they’re even in there,” Gabriel said. “And you’re not going by yourself.”

“Excuse me,” Corinne said, not quite looking at him. “But who is the only person here who doesn’t have the ability to control people’s minds? You’re a liability, Stone.”

“He’s right,” Ada said, absorbing the glare of betrayal that Corinne shot her. “Don’t be an idiot, Cor. You’re not just going to walk in there by yourself. Gabriel, I’m assuming you’re still armed?”

He nodded.

“Let’s go then. Be careful.”

Ada was pleased to find that everyone listened to her. She might be developing a taste for being in charge, because she could see why Corinne enjoyed it so much. They stayed together until they were one building away from the warehouse. There was a single streetlight ahead, but it flickered on and off. Charlie broke away for the gap between the two buildings, but Ada hesitated.