Mind Game (GhostWalkers, #2)(117)

“Martin, what are you doing here?” Roman cleared his throat and attempted a faint smile. “I thought you were on some big investigation. Louise told me you were in Atlanta.”

“I was on my own investigation. I started wondering how anyone could have found out about Dahlia Le Blanc.”

“Who? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I wish that were true, Roman, but only a very few people knew about Dahlia. We buried her under layers of flags and not one of those flags was ever raised. That’s how I knew whoever went after her didn’t find her through the computers, and they couldn’t have had personal knowledge of her. Jesse knew where she lived, but it would be ludicrous to think he tortured himself.” Martin ran both hands through his hair, dark shadows in his eyes. His face was etched with pain. “Dahlia paid Louise a little visit last night. Jesse’s condition wasn’t common knowledge, but you knew. How would you know, Roman? You didn’t think I’d be talking to Louise so soon after you told me, did you? You let me believe she told you, but she didn’t know anything about Jesse and was shocked when I gave her the news.”

Roman shrugged. “Who knew they were going to keep it a secret? Why would they? It made sense that Louise would know. A small mistake, but in the end it still won’t matter.”

“It was enough for me to know what you were doing. Why, Roman?”

Roman’s smile was a parody, his teeth bared like a wolf. “You tell me. You’re Martin, the almighty. You can never do anything wrong, but I think when they start investigating, they’ll see you aren’t so innocent.”

“You planted evidence to incriminate me.”

“Someone has to take the fall. You’re too squeaky-clean to be true. How would I ever be a suspect? They won’t find a single bug, anything at all to connect me to anything. I didn’t know the woman. I’ve never heard of the woman.”

Martin spread his hands out in front of him. “So this was all about jealousy? You wanted to get back at me?”

Roman burst out laughing. It was an ugly sound and the waves of violent energy nearly became a tidal wave washing over her. “Don’t flatter yourself. It’s about money and power. Of course they chose the golden boy for the experiment, when I had far more ability than you. And of course something went wrong, and they compensated you with a trust to set you up for life. Why you, Martin? We both know I have more natural talent than you do. You lied to them about me. You and Calhoun kept me out of the program.”

Dahlia choked back the bile rising in her throat. Her body was trembling, nearly shaking apart. She knew if she didn’t expel part of the energy, she would have a seizure. And that meant allowing the two men to know they weren’t alone. The research material was burning a hole through her skin, reminding her that she had to protect it at all costs. She was wearing work clothes. Both men would know she’d been recovering something and they would search her body.

She turned her head and focused on the middle of the street where nothing could possibly burn. Flames leapt through the air. The road blackened. Both men turned their heads toward the fiery display.

Roman swore savagely, took a step toward his brother. Martin frowned at the leaping flames, then looked carefully around him, suddenly wary. Suddenly aware Dahlia had to be somewhere close.

“What is it?” Roman demanded.

“How the hell would I know?” Martin asked. “How far are you into this, Roman? What have you done?”

Roman laughed. “I’m not into it at all. You forget you’re the one they have the evidence against. Are they going to believe I can read minds? That I’ve been reading Louise’s mind for years? I don’t think so. They’ll blame you, Martin. Louise will even blame you, her golden boy.” He stepped closer, his knife hand at his side, concealing the weapon.

“Do you really think I’ll let you destroy my reputation and everything I’ve worked for?” Martin asked.

Dahlia’s gaze was on the knife hand. The fingers caressed the hilt. She could feel Roman’s rising excitement, the lust for the kill. She stepped away from the wall. Nicolas cursed, his protest loud in her mind.

“He has a knife, Martin, and he intends to use it on you,” she said softly.

Both men spun toward her. She stayed in the shadows and kept her image as blurred as possible to prevent either man from seeing the bad shape she was in.

“You!” Roman spit on the ground, his eyes narrowed and dangerous. “I should have guessed it was you.”

“Are you going to kill both of us with your knife?” she asked. The shaking was worse, rising in direct proportion to Roman’s eagerness for violence.

“No one would believe a crazy woman.” He took another step toward Martin.

Dahlia sucked in her breath. “Don’t!” she said sharply. “Don’t get any closer to him. Can’t you feel it? Can’t you feel the guns trained on you? They’ll never let you get close to either one of us. Put the knife down and let the lawyers handle it.”

Martin looked around them, a long careful search of their surroundings. “It’s them, isn’t it? The GhostWalker team. They’re out there watching us.”

She nodded. “They have a sniper with them, Roman. He’s a remarkable shot. Put down the knife. This isn’t worth your life.”