Read Online Heart of the Wolf by D. B. Reynolds - Free Book Online

for her to respond. He grabbed his jacket and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him so hard it rattled in its frame. Tommy was waiting, looking a little worried.
    “She doesn’t go anywhere, Tommy, you got that? Nowhere. I don’t care if you have to—” He thought about Kathryn trapped in a silver-lined room and didn’t finish the sentence. “Keep her here, Tommy. Keep her safe. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Chapter Eleven

    It took him nearly three hours to get to Westgate’s house, which was twice as long as it should have taken. The weather had closed in, shutting down roads and snarling traffic throughout the area. The snowplows were out, but they were focusing on the big interstate and main roadways. Ren had stuck to the cleared routes as long as he could, but eventually he’d been forced onto the narrow back roads leading to the enclave of expensive homes where the lawyer lived. These roads were plowed, too—the rich could hire their own—but they were slick with the still-falling snow.
    Not that Ren minded. He loved to drive, and the CL600 was a sweet car. He took taxis for the most part in town because what cars did in this damn city wasn’t really driving anyway. But out here, even with the snow piled several feet high all around, it was a thrill. Maybe even more so. The dangerous conditions only added to the high of speeding down the gloomy, empty roads going a good fifty miles over the limit.
    The Mercedes came to a sliding stop on the street outside Westgate’s house. There was a wall, naturally. Men like Westgate would want the facade of exclusivity that a wall provided, keeping the menials and lowlifes away from his perfectly manicured stretch of lawn, which was an unbroken blanket of white as Ren studied it through the wrought-iron gate.
    He considered using the intercom but decided he’d give Westgate a little thrill of his own instead. A few minutes’ work and the gate released, sliding open silently on well-oiled rails. Ren pushed it closed behind him. One wanted to be polite, after all. He grinned and started up the snow-covered drive, which was only marginally clearer than the yard. But then that was why he’d changed clothes. His boots provided solid footing even on the slick snow.
    He walked by the big front window on his way to the door and could see Westgate inside watching television. The rest of the house was dark, but Ren waited a few minutes, listening and scenting the area before ringing the doorbell. As far as he could tell, the lawyer was home alone tonight.
    Westgate answered the door himself, looking surprised and not altogether happy to see Ren on his front porch.
    “Mr. Roesner, how…” He looked over Ren’s shoulder, clearly wondering how he’d gotten through the locked gate.
    “Your drive wasn’t cleared,” Ren said. “I parked on the street and walked up.” When Westgate made no move to invite him in, Ren added, “My client’s in a hurry.”
    “Oh, well, yes, of course. But I—I wasn’t expecting—”
    “It’s a bit cold out here, Westgate.” Ren wasn’t really cold, but the lawyer reacted predictably. He stepped out of the doorway and, ever the good host, invited Ren inside.
    “My wife is out of town, and the housekeeper went home early. I’m afraid—”
    “This isn’t a social visit,” Ren said, cutting him off. “My client agreed to your terms. So let’s get this done.”
    Westgate was clearly flustered, not used to being ordered around in his own home or probably anywhere else. His eyes wandered to the slender briefcase in Ren’s left hand.
    “Laptop,” Ren explained. “Modified satellite uplink, two-fifty-six bit encryption. You tell me the bank, and I can have your money transferred and the deposit confirmed in real time.”
    Which was bunch of crap, but Ren was counting on Westgate not knowing that.
    The lawyer nodded and said, “Let me see.”
    And Ren knew he had him.

    * * * *

    Ren set the case on the desk