Page 32 of Before Broken Vows

I shake my head and head inside, going right for the office.

I shut the door quietly, as to not alert her I'm home, and my phone starts pulsing in my pocket before I even manage to sit down.

I pull it out. It's Ares.

"How are you, brother?" I ask, answering.

"Why do you sound tired?"

"What? I'm fine, but I appreciate the concern."

Ares exhales on the other end. I hear a female voice in the background yelling.

"Is that Katerina?" I ask.

Ares laughs. "No, it's our lovely sister. Calli has decided to take up self-defense classes. Since the near death experience with her and Katerina at the restaurant, she feels she needs to be able to protect herself."

"Well, that's good I guess. Gives her something to do."

"Oh yeah, it's great. Except she likes to practice in one of the living rooms with her trainer, and he's got her yelling and grunting with every punch and kick," Ares says with a laugh. "Something about channeling your inner strength. I don't fucking know, but she's really gotten into it."

"Well, nothing like a hit to bring out your Bruce Lee."

"Yeah, let me head into my office. I forgot she was training this morning."

I take a seat during the few moments of silence.

"Okay, so update me on things."

I sigh.

"Well, good and bad."

"Start with the bad."

"You remember the lawyer we were after?"

"Yes. Did he talk?"

"In a way."

"What does that mean?"

"He shot himself in the head when our men entered his place."

"Seriously?"

"Yes, said something about being sorry and stuck a gun in his mouth he'd been hiding in his couch."

Ares takes a breath. "Shit. So that's a pretty big sign. Whoever he's working for?—"

"Yeah," I cut him off, "Thinking the same thing. Hey, if I told you the government wanted Dad dead, what would be your initial reaction?"

Ares takes a moment to think.

"We can never rule out anything, but he's had good relationships with government men there for a long time. We always donate generously to campaigns, causes—which I'm sure are fronts for someone's yacht or second home—but we've been playing that game for years."

"You think someone could have tried to squeeze him?"