Page 208 of Malicious Claim

Leila stood back, hands clasped in front of her. She surveyed the crowd with a tinge of apprehension. Asides from the fact that she hated funerals, something kept nagging at the back of her mind, maybe it was being out in the open, maybe it was unnecessary anxiety for the baby growing inside of her. Dragon stood just behind her, arms crossed, eyes scanning the crowd.

Makros looked at the casket. The lid had been opened for a final viewing. Stefanos's face was calm, like he was sleeping. His hair had been neatly combed and he wore a black suit.

Makros cleared his throat and looked at the people around the grave.

"Stefanos was more than my cousin," he said. "He was like a brother. Quick with words and even quicker with blades. Henever played by the books. He was loyal. He was brave. And he didn't deserve to die the way he did. None of them did."

Some sniffles came from the crowd. A few of the older men bowed their heads. Stefanos's mother had turned her face away.

Makros kept going.

As he spoke, Dragon's phone buzzed in his jacket. He frowned, pulled it out, and glanced at the screen.

Unknown number.

He stepped back and answered it.

"Who is this?"

"The sun sets blue," the voice said.

Dragon's eyes narrowed. "What?"

"The sun sets blue," the voice repeated.

Dragon looked over at Makros still giving his eulogy.

It couldn't be.

"I don't know who the hell this is, but I'm looking at Makros right now giving a speech for dead cousin. So who the fuck are you?"

"I'm Makros," the voice said. "And the one up there? That's Zandros."

Dragon froze. He looked at the speaker again. "Prove it."

"I gave you a scar on your right shoulder. That night in Greece. You fell through a window."

Dragon's hand slowly went to his shoulder.

"You said I was too drunk to remember that," Dragon muttered.

"I remembered. Listen. I'm close. But you need to get the girl. That's the only way I can walk in and expose my brother as an imposter. Zandros won't shoot if you take her hostage. He'll hesitate."

Dragon looked at Leila, standing quietly paying attention to the speech.

His jaw tightened.

"Got it," he said into the phone, then hung up.

Dragon slipped his phone back into his coat pocket and whispered to Leila.

"Come with me," he said quietly.

Leila blinked. "What? Why?"

"Just walk," he said, already moving.

Leila glanced once at Makros still speaking up front, then followed after Dragon. They moved behind a cluster of mourners, toward the line of black cars parked near the trees.

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