Compact with the Devil: A Novel by Bethany Maines Read Free Book Online Page A

arrived just in time to see Cano leaving the Voges’ abode.”
    “Abode?” repeated Nikki, struck by the word.
    “‘Abode’ is not right?” asked Astriz, looking faintly embarrassed.
    “No, it’s fine. Just unusual,” said Nikki, sorry she’d brought itup. Astriz shrugged and took a long drag of her cigarette. “Do we know where Cano was heading?”
    Astriz shook her head. “Voges and a house full of his family are too much for a single agent to take on. But we have a tail on Cano now.”
    “Seems like you’ve got a handle on the situation.”
    “Ja,” said Astriz in agreement.
    “That’s great. I’m really just here to support your efforts.” It was a bullshit statement. She was there to get the job done, and they both knew it, but it was the kind of thing to say when you were trying not to pee on someone else’s tree. “Do you have a sniper?”
    “Er, no. The Stuttgart branch is not equipped for assassinations.” Astriz looked embarrassed again, and a little irritated this time. “The closest sniper is Paris.”
    “OK,” said Nikki, feeling a pang of the old frustration. Carrie Mae just wasn’t equipped for twenty-first-century badness. “Well, in that case, what’s your plan for containment?”
    A sour expression crossed Astriz’s face. She didn’t like being questioned.
    “We were thinking … car accident,” said Astriz, spreading her hand out over the words ‘car accident,’ as if to give them a special glow. “I’ve got a girl who’s good with explosives. We just have to locate his vehicle.”
    “OK,” said Nikki. That was more like it.
    There was an electronic burble, and Astriz plucked her phone from the cupholder, driving now with her cigarette hand. They were pulling off the freeway now into an industrial-looking area. In the distance, a sports stadium loomed.
    “Ja?” There was a pause and some chatter from the other end. “Oh? Uh … Ja. ” Astriz frowned, shaking her head, and extended the phone to Nikki. “It’s for you.”
    For a second, Nikki held out hope that Z’ev had managed to track her down, then she put the phone to her ear.
    “Nikki?” said Jane’s hopeful voice.
    “Jane?” answered Nikki, perplexed. Then she started to think of all the reasons that an on-vacation Jane would call her. None of them were good. “Jane, is something wrong?”
    “I … I…” Jane was stumbling over her words. Nikki’s hand tightened on the phone.
    “Jane, what’s wrong?” She tried to keep her voice flat and neutral, so as not to add additional panic to the situation.
    “I had to call,” said Jane. “I had to apologize. This is all my fault! We’re being punished because I couldn’t keep my big mouth shut.”
    “Jane,” said Nikki, relaxing. “You’ve apologized enough already. It’s not your fault. I mean, you didn’t intend for the CIA to show up and we don’t even know it’s because of you anyway. We’re not being punished.”
    “Then why did Mrs. Merrivel break up the team?” demanded Jane. “Why did she make me go on vacation?”
    “Vacation isn’t a punishment,” said Nikki reasonably.
    “I’m on a beach!” wailed Jane. “I’m on a beach and I hate it. I don’t tan! I’m Goth.”
    “So go to a Goth club and mosh out to some angry metal music or something.”
    “You have no clue what Goth is, do you?” asked Jane.
    “Sure I do,” said Nikki. “They wear a lot of black and think the world is pointless?”
    Jane sighed in apathetic disgust. “It’s a lot more than that.”
    “OK, so go do something Goth-y then. You’re on vacation!” Nikki tried to sound cheerful.
    “Why? The world is pointless,” retorted Jane bitterly. Nikki laughed.
    “Jane, I would love to help you find something to do, or at least point out that I’ve seen you wear brown and even jeans sometimes, but I’m in Stuttgart. We’ve got a lock on Cano and we’re going to try to put him down before he hurts anyone.”
    “Stuttgart?” said Jane,