Theena kept her voice even. “Open the doors, Albert.”
“Of course.”
Rothchilde hit the unlock button. Bill climbed into the back seat, Theena the front. She watched her boss try to feign concern.
“Shall we head to the police station?”
Bill shook his head. “They won’t help. Just get us out of here.”
Theena noticed the faintest of smiles appear on Rothchilde’s lips. “Are you sure you’re okay? Who were those men? Were they trying to rob you?”
“I think they’re organized crime.” Bill opened his mouth to say more, but nothing came out.
He suspects Rothchilde, Theena thought. Maybe the guy isn’t as gullible as he looks.
“Just take us home, Albert.”
“Well, I still think we should call the authorities. Do you want to go home, Dr. May?”
Bill said nothing.
Theena could understand his trepidation. They knew where he lived.
“You can stay with me, Bill.”
“Are you sure?”
Theena nodded. Rothchilde gave her a slight jab in the ribs, which she ignored.
“If I can stop at my place and pick up some things.”
“Of course. Just show me the way.”
Bill directed Rothchilde to his condo and told them he’d only be a minute. When he was out of the car, Theena turned to Rothchilde and slapped him.
“You asshole! They were shooting at us!”
Rothchilde’s eyes twinkled.
“They missed. They’re pros, Theena. They were just delivering a message to Bill. You weren’t even supposed to be involved.”
“You’re a bastard.”
He gave her knee a squeeze.
“We both have the same goal here, darling. I see you’re playing your part to the hilt. How was Dr. May? It’s been a while for him, I understand.”
Theena refused to be baited.
“Have you found out who killed my father, yet?”
“Not yet. I’ve got the whole Chicago PD on it.”
“Maybe they aren’t looking in the right place.”
“Meaning?” Rothchilde moved closer. “Oh, I understand. Maybe they should be looking in this car, right?”
Theena looked into his eyes. Beneath the amusement they were blank, dead. She wondered, not for the fist time, what she’d gotten into.
“You killed Mike Bitner, didn’t you?”
“There’s no way to prove that.”
He did, the bastard. And he was reveling in it. Theena felt a tickle of fear spider-walk up her spine.
“How do I know you didn’t kill my father, too?”
“You know I didn’t. It wouldn’t make sense. He was worth too much.”
“What does that matter? Maybe you had your own warped little reason. Once a killer, always a killer.”
Rothchilde pinched her cheeks and squeezed them together, making her lips pout. “And once a whore, always a whore.”
She shook out of his grip. He put his hand on her knee again, rubbing.
“I didn’t kill your father, Theena.”
His caress was cold, oily. She didn’t know if she believed him or not.
“How about Dr. Townsend and Dr. Fletcher?”
“What about them?”
“They weren’t at the funeral.”
Rothchilde frowned. “Yes, I noticed that, too. I’ll have Halloran check on them. I should probably put some men on you as well. If someone’s trying to sabotage me, they may go for you next.”
Theena folded her arms.
“I can take care of myself.”
“Of course you can, dear. If the bad guy comes to your door, you can always fuck your way out of danger.”
She made a fist, intent on putting a permanent dent in his long pointed nose. But Bill was leaving the building. He’d changed into jeans and a new jacket, and was lugging an overnight bag.
Rothchilde blew her a kiss. “It’s that fire in you that makes you so dynamite in the sack.”
Bill climbed into the back of the car, putting his suitcase on the seat next to him. “All set.”
Rothchilde didn’t need directions to Theena’s apartment, but she gave them anyway. Bill may have suspected Rothchilde, but he gave no signs that he suspected her. She wanted to keep it that way.
They drove in silence. Theena harbored so many doubts that sorting them out was difficult. She had originally aligned herself with Rothchilde because they shared a common goal. Whomever sponsored N-Som needed to have deep pockets and major clout. Theena was a large part of the reason that American Products acquired DruTech. She’d slept with him at her father’s request.
But sex and murder were two entirely different things.
Theena knew men, what they wanted, and how to control them. She thought she had Albert wrapped around her finger. Now she wasn’t so sure. And the stakes had gotten higher than simply getting N-Som approved.
Theena thought about Townsend, and O’Neil, and Julia and Red. She’d been working with these people for years. They were her family. Now Townsend and Red were missing, Manny had been attacked twice, and her father was dead.
Could she be next?
Theena furrowed her brow, trying to come up with a solution. Rothchilde owned the police. He had friends in both the state and federal government. He was in bed with organized crime. If Rothchilde wanted them all dead, who could she go to?
Don’t panic, she told herself. Maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe it would all work out for the best.
She knew it was a lie, but she clung to it anyway.
It was all she had.
Jack Kilborn
Disturb
Carlos was holding a napkin to his swollen lip when the car phone rang. He had a pretty good idea who it was.
“Yeah?”
“You were supposed to scare them, not shoot them.”
Carlos spat some blood out the window. He pretended it was in Rothchilde’s face.
“The prick sucker punched me.”
“I thought Gino told you to follow my orders exactly. Shall I tell your boss you’re having a listening problem?”
What was with this guy? They were doing him a favor. He could show a little respect. These big business types felt like the whole world should bow at their feet.
“No, Mr. Rothchilde.”
“I’m glad we understand each other. I just dropped them off at Theena’s place. The situation has changed. I want them out of the picture.”
“Out of the picture?”
“Theena and Dr. May have worn out their usefulness to this organization.”
Carlos shook his head. At the first little bump in the road, Rothchilde wanted to whack everybody. And saying this on an open line, yet. Gino must have been making a real mint off of this idiot to keep him around.
“That’s not a smart idea, Mr. Rothchilde. Two FDA agents dead, both on the same case, plus her father and
