Page 150 of Everything That Kills Me
Jack almost spilt his coffee. He’d told Zeph not to get attached. More than that. He’d told Zeph not to fall in love with him. Jack had thought that was all he’d needed to do, to make that clear.I’m an idiot.
He’d wanted to get out for a while.Not out of Zeph’s life, but out of the life he currently had. Thomas knew that. Had he thought his death might push Jack back into the world? Could it?
He called Thomas’s burner. No answer. Called another number. No voice from the grave in his ear. He and Thomas had talked about what to do if either of them was killed or simply disappeared.
Assume the worst.Jack had already done that.
Take precautions.He’d never stop doing that.
Disappear.For how long?
Play a different game.Jack had only one move. To quit.
He was out.No more grey lines.
His heart thumped hard.
None of Thomas’s contacts had Jack’s number, though Jack had theirs and knew where to find suppliers of passports, weapons, poisons… No properties were in Jack’s name—thathe knew of. The Texan oil guy job had almost gone wrong. For the first time, Jack had come across another like him. Jack had slipped away without interacting with the other killer but it was Jack who’d taken the shot. Thomas had been concerned that Ben Craddock’s death had kicked up something that might come back to bite them. But it was months later and nothing had happened. Or had it? Had that other killer fucked things up for Thomas?
Jack checked his offshore accounts. He had enough money to last him several lifetimes, but he’d be bored if he did nothing.
What job could a retired assassin do?
Anything except for more killing. He had skills, just no qualifications. But he couldn’t sit at home for the rest of his life. So…security work, teaching, take a degree, buy a business…?
None of that might be enough to save him, enough to make him happy.
There was only one thing—one person who could do that.
When Zeph arrived back that afternoon, Jack suspected he was surprised to see him still there. Jack had surprised himself by staying. It was a start.
Zeph flung himself into Jack’s arms. “Are you okay?”
Jack held him tight.Nowhe was okay. “You’re early.”
“I have things to talk to you about.” Zeph pulled free. “None of the dead men was Thomas. We have names for eleven of them, but the twelfth guy was definitely not him. You need to pretend I didn’t tell you this, but a CIA guy came in this morning. He knew I’d spotted Thomas close to Al-Talib. He told me Thomas was dead and I should stop looking for any links.”
He stared at Jack expectantly.
“Well?” Zeph asked. “I don’t think Thomas is dead.”
Jack had been wondering too. Had Thomas faked his injury?
“I had an idea, which is why I came back early. Where did Thomas get Django?”
Jack groaned. “Good point.” He looked up the vet in the village and called them.
“Aversham Vets. How can I help you?”
“Can I speak to Penny, please?”
“Speaking.”
“Hi, Penny. Thomas told me you were looking after Django. I wondered if I could take him for a walk.”
“Oh, right, but… He’s gone.”
Jack raised his eyebrows to Zeph. “Gone? Gone where?” He made sure he sounded shocked.
