“So, I guess we should—”
“Are you—”
“Sorry.” The corners of Emma’s bow-shaped lips curved upward. “You go.”
He shook his head. “Ladies first.”
“I was just going to say we should probably go wait at the entrance for the car. What wereyougoing to say?”
“I was going to ask if you were ready to leave.”
With a semi-smirk that held no real disdain, she looked up and him and asked, “Do I really have a choice?”
****
“What do you mean, he’snot dead?” Sadiq Khaled hissed into the burner phone he’d acquired specifically for this conversation. “Did you do as I instructed?”
“Yes, sir. I gave the package to this kid, and—”
“Youwhat?” Sadiq ground his jawbones together, his next words escaping between his clenched teeth. “Please tell me you did not put a job this important into the hand of a fucking child.”
“I misspoke,” the idiot corrected himself. “It wasn’t a child. He was a young man.”
“And where did you find thisyoungman?”
“On the street. Exactly as you asked.”
That was what Sadiq had instructed. He understood better than most how desperate street vermin often were. Some so desperate, they were willing to do anything for their next meal.
Even kill.
“You watched the exchange take place?” Sadiq asked.
“I saw the ki...manwalk into the building. When he returned, we met in an alley two blocks away. Just like we planned.”
“And he personally delivered the package to the target, himself. Yes?”
There was a pause and then, “He couldn’t.”
Sadiq controlled his breathing. “And why is that?”
“McQueen was in a meeting. According to my guy, the woman at the front desk refused to interrupt.”
Sadiq closed his eyes and drew in a breath. “What was done with the package?”
“The woman said she was going to put it on McQueen’s desk, and promised to give it to him as soon as the meeting was finished.
“And your managreedto this?”
“He had no choice, Sadiq. The bitch was insistent. If he’d argued further, it would’ve raised suspicion.”
Exhaling slowly, Sadiq clenched the small phone in his fist. “This man of yours...where is he, now?”
“I took care of him, just as you instructed. And don’t worry. I made sure it looked like he did it to himself.”
At least something went as planned.
Sadiq ran a hand over his trimmed beard. “He is not the one I am concerned with.”