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And dangerous Dekes was s in the photo, but the expression didn’t reach his eyes Instead, he stared at the ca, and predatory all at the sareat secret that no one else did His lips were curled back far enough to show the glittering edges of his pearl-white fangs, like he was considering sinking the whether the resulting bloodstains would be worth running his expensive suit for Oh yes, definitely dangerous - and arrogant too

"Over his three hundred and some years, Dekes has built up a vast real estate empire concentrated priia, and down into Florida, with a few recent purchases in the Bahamas as well," Finn continued "On the surface, he’s a well-respected, legitimate businessman who’s responsible for some of the most successful developolf courses, luxury spas, shopping centers If it’s on the waterfront and it’s a s it"

Bria looked up fro "And below the surface?"

Finn shrugged "He does whatever it takes to buy up the land that he wants to develop, usually for a fraction of its value Threats, intimidations, bribes In the last year, Dekes and the s and even ations related to property owners who didn’t want to sell out to hi victims survived The arson ones didn’t Like I said, I don’t knohat kind ofwith fire, whether it’s eleet with asoline"

I put the portrait of Dekes down on the table and sorted through several other pictures that Finn had included in the folder Instead of being es of the va remains of various homes, businesses, and other assorted properties Blackened bodies could be seen in all the photos, gnarled, twisted, and burned, the victims’ mouths open in silent screams

The photos reic to reducemore than ashy husks For a ht,inelse -

A waitress dropped a fork on the floor in front of our booth, and the harsh, reverberating clang-clang-clang snapped ht be dead, but I wondered if I’d ever be able to truly overcome what she’d done toCallie - so I pushed awaythe photos

It didn’t taketo realize that Dekes didn’t just limit his cruelty to the property owners ouldn’t sell out to him Many of the bodies in the photos were too small to be adults, and a feere obviously the re around their charred necks Men, women, kids, pets Dekes and his men had killed them all indiscriht have murdered people for , or some other poor, pitiful, defenseless creature who couldn’t fight back Those were the rules Fletcher had instilled in me, the code that I still followed to this day Dekes didn’t appear to have even that much decency - or s into his victims and drained them dry before he murdered them, or if he’d simply locked them in their own houses and businesses alive before he burned the buildings down around them Either one would be a horrible, horrible way to die

"So he’s got a pattern," Owen murs If that doesn’t convince you to sell your property to him, then Dekes and his men torch your home or place of business - with you locked inside it Then he buys up the property for a song after the fact, if he just didn’t get you to sign it over to hi o"

"And noants Callie’s restaurant," I said "What did you find out about the casino that Dekes is planning on building on the island?"

"It’s going to be a big, big deal," Finn said "Every kind of gaas-style shows, dancing, liquor, five-star restaurants, high-end shops, even a set of stables so they can have live horse races and polo uy - he definitely thinks on a grand scale"

"But can’t he just build the casino somewhere else on the island," Bria asked, "since he owns so much other land here already?"

Finn shook his head "Nope, like you said, Blue Marsh is an island, which means that it has a finite amount of space Sure, Dekes owns most of that space, but there are a few other movers and shakers on the island that even he couldn’t piss off without soh parcels of land strung together to build the kind of casino that he wants At least, not without the land that the Sea Breeze sits on And we all know that it would be far easier for hio after Callie than the island’s other power players"

I stared out at the fra nets strung between the and the sunken boat that make up the bar Despite my jealousy of Callie’s easy friendship with Bria, I was big enough to ad worth saving More than that, it was Callie’s hoht be on vacation, ht have wanted to leave all the blood, bodies, and violence back in Ashland for the weekend, but I wasn’t going to stand by and let so take Callie’s restaurant away fro to help her Not when I knew just how much she and this place meant to Bria

Besides, Randall Dekes had either ordered or approved of his ht The bastard was going to pay for that alone - even if I was supposed to be on vacation

"Dekes is a cocky bastard too," Finn added "Apparently, he’s having a press conference late this afternoon out on the south lawn of his estate to forh he doesn’t have the last piece of land that he needs to start breaking ground Here’s another interesting tidbit: the press conference was supposed to take place on the patio around the pool at the Blue Sands hotel, but the location was changed due to some unforeseen circumstances"

I snorted "Youin the water there"

Finn just grinned ata press conference? Really?" I asked "Is that all that bad guys kno to do? Hold press conferences and parties?"

"Why do you say that?" Bria asked

"Do you kno , and after press conferences? It’s laughable, really You basically stand up in front of everyone and brag about how rich and powerful you are It’s like an open invitation to an assassin like me Come on down, take a free shot at ine Dekes’s event will be any different The only question is how easy it will be to get in Right, Finn?"

He shot ician, you know I can’t just conjure up invitations out of thin air, especially since we’re not in Ashland anyru us invites as soon as I found out about the press conference I don’t think it will be too hard, since Dekes has basically invited everyone who’s anyone on the island I actually do business with soet in that way Friends of a friend and whatnot"

"No," I said "The three of you can get in that way I’s get a little messy with Dekes"

"And ould that be?" Owen asked

I s a press conference to announce your new multimillion-dollar casino is that you have to actually invite the press The bad guys have to have soo in as a reporter That should be an easy, plausible way to get a few minutes alone with Dekes You can create some quick credentials for ain "I ic wand and do that too while I’," I said "You know you love little challenges like this Schets your blood pu and makes you feel all clever and larcenous"

He shot ood plan," I said