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.She nodded and walked down the hall and Nick turned to the man.“Got anything yet?”“As a matter of fact there are a couple of interesting tidbits,” the man said as he followed Nick into the den.“Seems like your and the Count’s paths have crossed before.”Nick stopped and gave the man a surprised look.“This it?” The man pointed to the box on the coffee table.“Yeah,” Nick answered.“You want to elaborate on that last comment.”The man put the box containing the flask into his briefcase and sat down.“South America, remember? Seems like he was there about the same time as you.Some bit player.We did a background check and turned up some strange things.The County was virtually broke when he went to Columbia.He made his living off rich women who liked having a man with a title as—an escort.But about three months after the Columbia incident he suddenly became a very rich man.”“You’ve got my attention,” Nick said as he sat down.“Seems like a lot of property and assets suddenly changed hands during those three months.We don’t have all of it, but it looks like the bulk of it came from a mother company called ASM Odeus.”Nick’s eyes narrowed.“Is that so?”The man nodded.“Apparently he managed to somehow inherit a substantial sum of money from a guy by the name of Juan Ramirez.”“Nick looked up sharply.“But that’s the guy…”“Yeah, tell me about it.” The man nodded.“That’s the dude we found dead—the guy who was supposed to be the ring leader of the group in Columbia.”Nick looked at the man.“Listen, I want you to check and see if you can find out what happened to the rest of Kostanza’s estate.”“We’ve already tried that,” the man replied.“And you wouldn’t believe the paper trail.It’ll take us months to figure it all out—if we do figure it out, that is.Whoever set things up was a master.”Nick stood up.“Well, find out everything you can about the Count and when he got here.I want to know the exact date.”“This connected?” the man asked.Nick nodded.“If it weren’t, I wouldn’t ask.”The man nodded as he stood up.“Okay, I’ll get on it.I’ll call as soon as we know.Lab should have this analyzed by the morning.I’ll tell them to call and let you know what they find.”Nick let the man out and returned to the den.“You can come out now,” he said as he sat down on the couch.Lyra looked in the doorway from the front hall and Nick looked over at her.“Hear anything interesting?”She walked into the.“You want to tell me what that stuff about Columbia was about?”“Not really.”“Well, don’t you think I have a right to know?”“No.”“Fine.” She turned to leave but Nick jumped up and bounded across the room, grabbed her,and jerked her around.“I’d suggest that you stop eavesdropping on private conversations.There are some things I can’t discuss with you and this childish habit you have of—“Lyra jerk free and slapped him.“Take your hand off me this instant!”Nick’s face stung from the slap and his temper threatened to erupt.His grip tightened on her arm and he jerked her up close to him.“Don’t ever do that again.”“Or what?” she taunted him.Nick took a deep breath to calm himself, but the way she challenged him with her eyes made it hard.“I’m not going to get into a fight with you.”“Well, why not?” She tried to pull free.“You fight everyone else! That’s all you know how to do, anyway! If it weren’t for fighting and killing, your life would be just an empty shell.It’s all you have so why not just be true to your nature.And let go of me!”She tried to slap him again but he knocked her hand aside and grabbed her long hair, pulling her head back so that he stared down into her eyes.“Don’t push me, Lyra.”Lyra pushed at him, her eyes flashing in anger.“Let go of me now!” she hissedLyra’s eyes widened as his lips crushed hers in a brutal kiss.She struggled against him, working her hands between them to push at his chest.His breath was harsh as she shoved him away and his eyes blazed.He started to reach for her again and she jumped back, raising her hands in front of her.“Stay away from me.”“Lyra, I—”“No.Shut up.And get out.Now.”“Lyra—”“Get out!” The strength of her scream surprised even her.Nick looked at her for a long moment, then turned on his heel and left the room.Lyra ran to the door, checked to make sure he wasn’t waiting for her then raced to her room, locking the door behind her.She thought about going to Michael.Feeling his arms around her had a strong appeal.When she was with him, she felt safe and strong.But she couldn’t spend her life depending on someone else for strength.Besides, if she called him then there was a chance Nick would realize something was going on and she wasn’t ready to get into that.As cowardly as it was, she didn’t think she could face a fight between him and Michael.Particularly not one she was the cause of.She thought and fretted for hours, finally curling up on the bed.The next thing she knew she was waking up.She pushed herself up to a sitting position and looked across the room.A shadowy figure was sitting on the sofa.“Lucius?” she whispered, pulling the sheet tighter around her.“Is that you? Am I dreaming or is this real?”“Follow your instincts, Lyra.” His voice was soft.“You have all the pieces of the puzzle.Now you just have to assemble them.Don’t let anyone confuse you.”“But I don’t have all the pieces! Lucius, nothing really makes sense.These people that Adoul gathers around him; they don’t really follow any particular doctrine or set of beliefs as far as I can tell
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Tematy
IndexCidney Swanson [Saving Mars Saving Mars (epub)
Christine Wood [Life Plan 01] A Life Plan Without You (epub)
Cheryl McIntyre [Infinitely Infinitely (epub)
Clair Delaney [Coral 01] Coral (epub)
Christine Cody [Bloodlands 01 Bloodlands (epub)
Christina Ross [Unleash Me, A Unleash Me, Vol 3 (epub)
Christine Flynn [The Hunt for Once Upon a Christmas Eve (epub
Christian Fletcher [The Left Left on the Brink (epub)
Christopher G Nuttall [Royal The Royal Sorceress (epub)
Ellen G. White Życie Jezusa. Konflikt wieków