Page 256 of Shadowman

Wandering around the room, I examine things on his shelves and on his walls. There are framed pictures of him with people, degrees and plaques that indicate someone intelligent and successful in walks of lifeoutsideof the criminal. It’s quite curious…

Who is this man…Really?

IsThe Ivoryjust a persona he puts on? Or is that the real him, hiding in plain sight beneath the impeccable disguise ofManuel Blanco?

His voice from up the hall startles me out of my snooping, and I creep closer to the door.

“They’re weak. Exhausted and running on fumes,” he says to someone. “Low on food and ammunition. Sooner or later, he’ll have no choice but to come crawling back on his hands and fucking knees—”

“So the plan is to starve them out?” someone else says—I think it’s Kent.“If so, why not pull our men out of the woods?”

“Because Felix Darcey is out there,” The Ivory barks. “That little psycho is ballsier than I ever gave him credit for.”

“It’s a fucking slaughter every time we even creep west—”

“Listen to me. I want himback. I don’t care what you have to do. I don’t care how much blood we have to spill. I want The Carver back in chains.” His voice is a low, sinister command that’s obviously not to be argued with any further.

I imagine Kent nodding like the good soldier he is. “What about Russo? Yari’s been holding him off as best he can, but he’s becoming rather… insistent. He wants answers we don’t have—”

My stomach twists painfully.Governor Russo…?

“Undernocircumstances is he to set foot on this island. Do you understand me?” The Ivory seethes. “Not until I have Dascha back.”

“How much longer will that take?” Kent asks hesitantly.

“You tell me,” he bites back, tension in his tone. “You’re the one who lost eyes on him in Mexico.”

“I have my best guys on it, but he’s a slippery one. We might need to call in your contact…”

“Trust me, that’ll be a last resort.” He sounds like he’s getting closer, so I tiptoe over to a chair and take a seat, trying to act like I haven’t been eavesdropping.

“One we might need to explore.” Kent sighs.

“I have faith in you,” The Ivory grunts. “Just get it done.”

He stalks into the office, closing the door in Kent’s burdened face. I watch as The Ivory crosses the room, striding behind his large desk.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” he hums as he takes a seat, settling in.

I wave my hand in lieu of a response.

Leaning in on the desk, he folds his hands, staring at me for a few seconds in silence. It takes everything in me not to squirm.

I can’t put my finger on it, but something about him seems…off. I mean, more off than his usual foreboding persona. Yes, he’s less composed than he was before the prison fell, and he’sactively rocking the aura of someone who’s living each day on the edge of whatever sanity he had left. But it’s more than that.

There’s an imperceptible difference in his demeanor that’s unsettling me. He’s almost glowing in a way—dark eyes sparkling and some flush in his pale complexion.

Is that a… bite mark? On his collarbone?

My head slants as I zero in on it.

He clears his throat, and I jump. “I’ll cut right to the chase. If you know where Felix Darcey is, tell me now. Keeping secrets at this juncture in our relationship will ensure you, and Byron, suffer far greater than you need to.”

I’m frozen for a moment before I snap out of it. “I don’t know where he is… Byron said that Velle told him he’s out in the woods somewhere?”

He narrows his gaze. “Don’t play coy, Trevel. We both know you wouldn’t have gotten Lemuel without also going for The Carver.”

I shouldn’t be surprised that he knows more than he was letting on initially. I’m just wondering why he’s only bringing it up now…