Page 80 of The Shop on Hidden Lane

“Good evening,” she said.

He picked up the glass and raised it in a casual salute. “Perhaps you’ll join me for a drink when you return with your dog?”

“Thanks. I’m afraid I have plans.”

“Right. Newlyweds.” He winked. “I almost forgot.”

“Please excuse me.”

She raced through the glass doors, Bruce leading the way. She brushed aside the little rush of fake cheerfulness she got when she went past the fountain, and then followed Bruce into the glowing night.

Forty

“Does it bother you thatyou’re starting to sound like your artwork, Grant? Like a cartoon?”

“Shut your fucking mouth,” Grant ordered.

“When it comes to art, everyone’s a critic, right?” Luke said. “I saw yourSuccubuslast night. It was derivative, garish, uninspired, and poorly executed. In short, a cartoon.”

“You stupid bastard, you don’t know what you’re talking about,” Grant snarled. “You think you’re a critic? Well, you’re a dead critic.”

The strobe lights became more intense. They were beyond dazzling and disorienting. Luke knew that he was going under, struggling to breathe. He had to stop standing here like a target in a shooting gallery.

He could not fight the strobe. The energy of the flashing, mind-numbing lights was weakening all of his senses. His balance was off. He tried to reach inside his jacket but the leather got in his way. He flattened a hand against the nearest wall to keep himself upright.

According to the Boss, talking was a CEO’s only real power.Leadership 101.You’ve got to sound like you know what you’re doing. Otherwise everyone panics.

“That’s a Kaleidoscope weapon, isn’t it?” he managed. “I’m impressed that you were able to steal it from the Wells vault. That couldn’t have been easy.”

“Not my job. I’m a shooter, not a thief.”

“Did you murder the man in the Mirror Lake cabin and leave the body on the side of the road?”

“That was Orston,” Grant said. “He and Taylor went to Mirror Lake to get info on your uncle. But something happened. Orston said Taylor went mad and had to be taken out. Between you and me, Orston is on the way out, too. He can’t handle the guns. He’s not strong enough.”

“Who told you that you were capable of firing the weapon?”

“The Alchemist. He’s pretty smart, but he’s no genius like my brother. Trent says that when the project is completed he and I will be the only ones standing.”

In spite of the blinding light, a connection appeared between two more dots. Luke tried to take a step forward. He stumbled and almost went down.

“Hatch is your brother?” he managed.

“Half brother. Different fathers. Same mother. We’re both fucking strong talents. Just different.”

“What’s your talent?”

“The Alchemist needs me to fire the light guns and keep the mood enhancers running. They don’t last long.”

“You screwed up the mood enhancer in the honeymoon suite, didn’t you?”

“There’s something wrong with the crystal in that setup,” Grant shot back, voice rising. “It’s dead. The enhancers don’t work without a tuned crystal.”

“Why not replace it?”

“It’s not like those crystals are just lying around on the ground waiting to be picked up. You have to grow them in a lab. The Alchemist says it takes time, special chemicals, and the right seed crystal.”

“The Alchemist grew the crystals that are broadcasting his hypnotic suggestions?”