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Nothing To Lose
A Grey Justice Novel
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Nothing to Lose
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Prologue
Houston, Texas
The man’s plane landed at William P. Hobby Airport. Like any other businessman, he disembarked and headed with the seemingly endless throng of people toward ground transportation. Having no luggage other than his carry-on, he was standing in line for a taxi within minutes.
Innocuous looking, he blended into the mass of people as if he didn’t exist. If a thousand people were later asked if they had seen a slender man of medium height with short, brown hair and pleasant features, most would say no. A few might say yes and yet be unable to describe him. Blending in was part of his trade, and he was very good at his chosen profession.
When an overaggressive traveler grabbed the taxi meant for him, he did nothing but step back and wait for the next one. Attracting attention would be unwise. The rude man wou
ld never know that he came in close contact with Death today.
Finally procuring a cab, the man gave the name of a hotel in the city. Nothing particularly expensive—just one of the many hotels on the outer edges of the big metropolitan area where one wouldn’t be noticed.
After checking in, he followed a large family onto the elevator. All eyes were on the overexcited, squealing children. No one noticed the silent stranger in the corner.
Reaching his room on the third floor, he slid his key card into the slot and pushed open the door. A sniff of air brought a scowl to his bland features. He’d asked for a non-smoking room, and this one had definitely housed a smoker. A complaint or a room-change request would only bring unwanted attention and make him memorable. Shrugging philosophically, he set his bag on the luggage rack, withdrew his new, unused phone from his pocket, and punched in a number.
On the first ring, a male voice answered, “Yes?”
“I’m here,” the man said. Not waiting for a reply, he ended the call.
Most people would unpack their clothing or check the television guide. Others might take a quick look over the room service menu. He did none of those. His total focus was on the job. Once that was finished, he would leave and go about his business. He wouldn’t stay in the same hotel. Instead, he would head into the city and pay an exorbitant price for a one-night-only stay. Then he would return to his home and be someone else until another employment opportunity presented itself again.
Three minutes after making the call, a soft chime indicated he had a text message. Clicking on the message icon, he quickly took in the brief but significant information. Two targets. Both events were to look like random acts of violence—a specialty for him.
All relevant information gathered and memorized, he deleted the message, then efficiently and thoroughly demolished the phone. He would drop the decimated parts into a dumpster on the way to his first job.
After a quick check in the mirror to ensure his pleasant, nondescript appearance was still in place, he walked out the door with nothing more on his mind than to complete a successful business transaction—just like any other businessman.
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Chapter One
Kennedy O’Connell stepped back to admire her work and released a contented sigh. Yes. Even though she’d painted only a quarter of a wall with one coat, she was almost sure this color was the right one.
“Oh holy hell, you changed your mind again.”
Grinning, she glanced over her shoulder at her husband. “Eighth time’s the charm.”
His arms wrapped around her and pulled her against his hard body. As he nuzzled her neck, she could feel his smile against her skin. Kennedy knew if she looked at his face, his eyes would be dancing with good humor. Thomas O’Connell was a patient, even-keeled man, but her indecisiveness about the color for the nursery had put him to the test.
Snuggling back into his arms, she asked, “So do you like this color better than the last one?”
Without raising his head, Thomas growled, “It’s perfect.”
She snorted softly. “That’s what you said about the first seven.”