Brain Read Online Free Page A

can work on it without interference.” He looked back to me. “I remember seeing dominoes, checkers, and I think backgammon, and a deck of cards. How about some Rummy?”
    After we’d basically trounced Fox in a few games, he decided to go make dinner while Brain and I played a few more games. Both of us remembered every card drawn, and all of the games were close. We stopped when we’d both won six games, and he said, “Okay, doll. Decision time. I’ve given you all the leeway I can.”
    I nodded. “How long, beginning to end, do you think this will take?”
    “Up to a week to make the necessary arrangements and then get her to a ski slope and fake the accident. We already have the doctor near the ski slope in our pocket, but he isn’t the only person we’ll have to pull in. Probably another week to get you into surgery, and then however long it takes you to heal. You’ll take on her identity even before she dies, by that point she’ll be in a hospital bed in a safe house with a nurse to give her drugs so she doesn’t hurt. Our deal is to make the end of her life as painless as possible, and we will. If you don’t opt for her identity, someone else will take it. Her pimp put it up for auction a few weeks ago — we have first dibs, and another two days to pay and take her on, or the option goes to the next highest bidder.”
    “Give me ten minutes of silence, no one talking, no pressure, and I’ll tell you what I’ve decided.”
    He pulled his phone from his pocket, leaned back, and ignored me.
    I rested my head on my knees, closed my eyes, and plotted. If I said no, they’d hurt me. If I said, yes, I’d have to give them information and then I’d lose my bargaining power… or would I? There was a lot of information not on my laptop, stuff I’d picked up here and there. Hmmm .
    Several long minutes later, my plan was formulated and I was going through some of the fine points when I heard, “Time’s up.”
    “It isn’t about money or territory anymore for the Disciples,” I told him, “but about reputation. They want your territory because you’ve kicked their asses so many times. They worked a deal to bring the cartel in, giving up some income in exchange for the manpower, but then you befriended the head guy before he even moved in, worked a deal, and they still don’t get your territory. This next part is speculation, but they’re looking at a way to take you down in multiple cities at the same time, so none of the chapters can send men to help, because they’ll all be too busy at home.”
    He looked at me a few seconds and said, “That was too easy. What are your terms?”
    Damn, the man was smart, and way too sexy for his own good. What I wouldn’t give to climb on him and fuck him into oblivion right now. Hmmm, wonder if he’d release my feet if that were an option?
    Focus , dammit. This wasn’t a lie-there-and-take-it kind of guy, anyway. I might start on top, but he’d want to end there, and that didn’t work for me.
    I shook my head, brought my thoughts back where they should be, and told him, “I have ten more tidbits as good as the last. Things I either know or have deduced. You’ll get one a week until our deal is complete, and if it only takes six weeks to complete, you’ll get the final four as I’m on my way out of town.”
    He considered me a moment and said, “I need proof it was the Disciples, and I have some questions I need answered, but if you give me what I need, I’ll take it to Duke.”
    Fox came back into the room, sat in a chair, crossed his legs at the ankles, and stared at me as if he were trying to see inside me.
    I shook my head and looked back to Wulff. “You have my laptop, that’s where my proof is.”
    I spent the next fifteen minutes telling him which folders and files to look in, and kept my eyes averted from Fox. The guy was giving me the heebie-jeebies.
    Wulff stood, stretched, and told Fox, “I’m gonna ride to the bottom of the mountain and