Page 50 of Braxton

“Julien Mercier is buried out here along with a woman named Monique Annette Mercier. Ring any bells?”

“Mercier?” Ryland echoed. “As in the Toxic Twins?”

“Banshee, see what you can find on her,” Brax said.

“Have him check into Papillon, too, the French assassin,” Quinn said.

“On it,” Zane responded.

“Why isn’t there a grave for Camille?” she wondered aloud.

“Probably because her ass got eaten up in a tank of acid,” Saint replied dryly.

“Acid doesn’t eat flesh,” Harper stated. “Camille took great pleasure in telling us it burns. She said the burning will cause agonizing pain as the acid extracts the water from your body.”

“So you could technically survive falling into a vat of acid?” Quinn asked.

Silence. As everyone came to a collectiveoh, shitmoment, Quinn thought of the mysterious, shrouded woman…covered head to toe…hiding every portion of her body and lighting candles for the twin brother she lost.

“I think Camille’s alive,” Quinn announced. “And I think she’s the mysterious Lady in Black.”

“Fucking great,” Saint growled.

“Camille being alive is not good for us,” Inda stated gravely.

“I found some info on Papillon,” Zane announced. “Rumors vary on what happened, but most seem to agree the assassin was a woman. Some claim Papillon met her demise when a job went south and others say she quietly retired after becoming pregnant.”

“This is a working theory,” Quinn said, her thoughts racing, “but I think Monique Mercier might’ve been Papillon.”

“If Monique Mercier was the Toxic Twins’ mother then it makes perfect sense why they were so good at killing,” Gray said.

“Trained by one of the world’s best assassins,” Quinn murmured.

“Coming from the Cardinal, that’s high praise,” Saint muttered. “No offense, Quinn.”

“None taken. But, you’re right. Papillon was a legend who dropped off the face of the earth.”

Brax swore. “Q, tonight at dinner, don’t touch anything—silverware, glasses, doorknobs. Don’t eat or drink anything. We think Zaitsev might be making a Novichok powder, and it could be on anything.”

Poison, she thought. The same way Papillon had taken out her victims. Was it a coincidence? She didn’t think so.

“Roger.” Although she had no idea how she was supposed to eat dinner and not touch anything. “What about the guests? Have you found a link between them or a reason Cross would want them eliminated?”

“Still working on it,” Zane replied.

Quinn pulled her attention off the gravestones and looked over at the manor house. “It’s getting late. I have to get ready.”

“We’re leaving soon,” Brax told her. “One way or another, this is ending tonight.”

“Be careful,” she whispered.

“You, too. I’ll see you soon,” he promised.

After hanging up, Quinn let out a low breath and glanced up at the darkening sky. It looked like a storm was brewing and she hoped it wasn’t a foreshadowing of what was to come. As long as Cross didn’t know she was helping Ex Nihilo, she’d be safe. At the moment, her concern was for Brax and his team more than for herself.

Turning around, she made her way back over to the woods and skirted around to the rear of the house. Pulling the back door open, she stepped inside and walked over to the back staircase. Halfway up, a stair creaked behind her and, without warning, something pricked her neck.

Spinning around, Quinn saw a woman wearing all black, her face covered by a balaclava. The Lady in Black had traded her flowing garments for a more fitted outfit which allowed herto move freely without being hindered. She lowered her hand which held a syringe.

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