The Payback Assignment (37 page)

           
“Aaron wasn’t that anxious to come over until I filled him in on the week we’ve had,” Morgan said.
 
“And I didn’t drag his ass out this morning to sell me an insurance policy.
 
He’s also kind of an information broker, too.”

           
Felicity’s brows knit accusingly, and Aaron quickly added, “I don’t deal in blackmail, miss.”

           
“No, he just makes it a point to know things, and shares that information with interested parties,” Morgan said.
 
“For a price.”

           
“I see,” she said.
 
“And he knows things we want to know, I take it.
 
That’s why he’s here.
 
He knows you, but he wanted to meet me to make sure I was okay.
 
Well, do I pass?”

           
“That’s not it at all,” Aaron said around a mouthful of pastry.
 
“I know you too, at least by reputation.
 
I just wanted a chance to meet you in person.”

           
“Okay,” Felicity said, turning to Morgan.
 
“I assume that you didn’t bring Aaron here for a social call.
 
What is it we’re wanting to know from him?”

           
“I thought a little more background about Seagrave was in order.”

           
“I checked him out,” she said, sipping her coffee.
 
“He’s a ruthless businessman, made a lot of enemies, but seems to know how to handle his money.
 
What else is there to know?”

           
“You checked society sources,” Aaron said, leaning back.
 
“Maybe you got his business background but nothing of the real man.
 
That’s what Morgan wanted me to give you.”
 
She sat forward as Aaron spoke.
 
She really had seen the man from a single point of view, and realized the possible advantage of a different perspective.

           
“Adrian Seagrave was born forty-two years ago to a pretty well-to-do family in Bridgeport, Connecticut,” Aaron began.
 
“His father’s health was poor, and at twenty Adrian was running the family car dealership.
 
He moved from that into the import export business.
 
My contacts tell me he was handling contraband by the time he was thirty, but nothing’s been proven and no charges filed, at least so far.
 
He went into partnership with a Greek shipping man to increase his cash flow.
 
Two years later the partner disappeared.
 
There was no will and no family.
 
His half of the business went to Seagrave.”

           
“Gee, things just seem to go this guy’s way, huh?” she commented.

           
“It gets better.
 
I know he’s smuggling, but he’s never been hassled by the police.
 
He set up in New York about six years ago, same time he married a woman ten years his junior.”

           
“I’ve seen this guy,” Felicity said.
 
“She must have done it for the money.”

           
“Right, and he for the status,” Aaron said.
 
“She was beautiful at the time, a trophy wife.”

           
“Sounds like he might have some heavy connections,” Morgan said.
 
“What’s he into now?
 
Anything that’ll bring heavy heat if he meets with some bad luck?”

           
Aaron gave a short, sharp laugh.
 
“Just the opposite.
 
The man’s got no friends.
 
His latest gig is the commodities market.
 
He likes to influence the market through political maneuvering.
 
This, I believe, is how you got involved with him.
 
He sent you after a guy in Belize, right?
 
He wanted that man you went after taken out of office so somebody he liked could get in.
 
I think he’s losing what little respect he ever had for the law.
 
He’s branched out into outright extortion.”

           
“Got a personality profile on this guy?”
 
Morgan asked.

           
“He’s a sadistic, ruthless, manipulative man overcome by greed,” Aaron said, leaning forward for emphasis.
 
“He’s trying to set himself up as a private Mafia.
 
Some scattered bits of intel lead me believe he’s looking for a foreign base of operations.
 
I think he indulges his wife in the hopes of starting a dynasty for himself.
 
I don’t know all of why you’re having a run in with him, and I’ve no idea how the lady got involved, but I hope you’ve got it in for him bad.”

           
“Why?” she asked.

           
Aaron leaned back in his seat and locked eyes with Morgan.
 
“I’ve heard this Seagrave put a price on your head.
 
Well, that kind of thing works both ways.
 
It’s worth twenty-five thousand dollars to me to see this man dead.”
 
Felicity stared at him, trying not to look like she was staring.
 
When she turned her eyes to Morgan’s face she saw a cold stare there that she recognized.

           
“Aaron you’ve known me for years,” Morgan said in a low, guttural voice.
 
“You know I’m not a hired gun.”

           
“Nonsense,” Aaron replied with a lopsided smile.
 
“In fact, that’s exactly what you are.”

           
“You know what I mean,” Morgan said, looking uneasy.
 
“I’ll shoot in a war situation, but I’m no hit man.
 
When I fight with a team, there’s a reason besides money.
 
Generally politics.”

           
“What is it this time?”
 
Aaron asked.
 
“Besides money.”

           
“This time I want to help Felicity get what’s owed her,” Morgan said, his baritone dropping to a deeper register.
 
“And there’s also a debt involving a few friends of mine.
 
He’s responsible for their deaths.”
 
Then, Morgan surprised Felicity by suddenly standing and heading for the door.
 
“Well, we’ve got some things to take care of, Aaron.”

           
Aaron nodded to Felicity, mumbled that it was nice to meet her, and followed Morgan to the door.
 
Once there he turned to face Morgan, his face twisted with shame.

           
“Look, old buddy, I didn’t mean...”

           
“I’ll talk to you later,” Morgan said.
 

           
Felicity barely waited for him to close the door behind Aaron before she spoke.

           
“Well, that was rude.”

           
“He insulted me,” Morgan said simply, returning to his seat.
 
“He knows the difference between a mercenary and a murderer.
 
There are people who take money to drop a civilian.
 
I don’t do that stuff.”

           
Felicity turned her eyes to the floor.
 
In a soft, almost sympathetic voice she said, “You did for Seagrave.”

           
After a pause Morgan said, “That was a mistake.
 
A mistake I intend to erase.”

           
“But don’t you intend to...”

           
“Sure.” Morgan took a big swallow of coffee, staring with single point concentration as if he was looking over a battlefield after the action had ended.
 
“I’ll do it.
 
For honor.
 
For your safety.
 
For my team that got slaughtered in Belize.
 
Not for Aaron.
 
Not for money.”
 
A small smile curled the edges of his mouth.
 
“And since I won’t do it for him, Aaron’s safer if he didn’t hear me say I intend to do it, anyway.”
   

           
Felicity felt a need to change the subject, so she returned her attention to the shopping bag that was now between them in front of the sofa.

           
“So, my man of mystery, what did you get this morning besides Danishes?”

           
“Well, for one thing, this.”
 
Morgan pulled his jacket aside, revealing a carbon copy of the Browning Hi-power he had left in Seagrave’s office.
 

“Should I ask what was wrong with the other one?’

“I knew a guy once who was a chef,” Morgan said.
 
“He would only use a certain set of knives from a certain company, and nobody else better touch them.”

“I see,” Felicity said.
 
“Boys with their personal tools.
 
But this can’t be a big bag of guns.
 
Can it?”

When Morgan grinned and shrugged, Felicity reached into the bag herself and pulled out a small package wrapped in brown paper.

           
“Jewelry?” she asked, shaking the package to see if anything rattled.

           
“Actually, it’s about two ounces of C4.
 
High explosive.”
 

           
“Oh.”
 
She gingerly returned it to the bag.

           
“Hopefully, I won’t need it.
 
But since we’re on the subject, let’s talk a little business.
 
Can you defeat that electronic elevator somehow?”

           
“With ease,” she said, stealing furtive glimpses into the bag.
 
“I just need to have the right tools with me.”

           
“Good.
 
Let’s go back tonight.”

           
“You’re serious.”
 
Felicity said, eyes narrowing.

           
“Sure.
 
They won’t be expecting us, not this soon.
 
You can go in however you usually would.
 
I’ll go in on your tail.
 
If they’re asleep, I should be able to avoid any guards and sign off Seagrave without any gunplay.
 
If they’re alert, I picked up some unique hand grenades to liven things up.”

           
He had said it so calmly she had to replay it in her mind.
 
Sign him off?
 
And without gunplay would mean being right up close to Seagrave.
 
This was the man she had allied herself with.
 
“Have you ever thought of going legit?” she asked.

           
“What?”
 
Morgan face twisted as if her apparent non sequitur had completely disrupted his thought process.

           
“I figure I know as much about security planning and equipment as anybody.
 
I mean, I know how a thief thinks, you know?”

           
“What brought all this up?”
 
Morgan asked.

           
“Well, I was just thinking what great partners we’d make.”
 
Felicity was on a roll now, using her hands to frame her point.
 
“You know all about training men for dangerous work.
 
You know, like bodyguard stuff.”
 

           
“Slow down, girl,” Morgan said.
 
“I don’t know if I’m quite ready to settle in one place.
 
I’ll admit I’ve done some personal protection work, and I have considered starting a business like that from time to time.”