Dark Tomorrow (Bo Blackman Book 6) Read Free Page B

strangely comforting.
    D’Argneau opens a door and gestures inside but I wait for him to enter first. I want him in front of me and visible at all times. As soon as the door closes behind us, he stretches out his arms and envelops me in a hug. He squeezes tightly. ‘I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.’
    I wait until he’s done and then step back. ‘I thought only important trials were running today,’ I say, to avoid hearing any more sympathy. Platitudes don’t make me feel any better.
    He frowns. ‘Oh, you mean the Aaron thing?’ He waves a hand dismissively. ‘There’s not much the government takes more seriously than tax evasion.’
    ‘Unless,’ I say expressionlessly, ‘they’re the ones evading tax.’
    He looks blank for a moment then laughs. It sounds forced. ‘Oh, they take avoiding their own tax quite seriously, too.’ He pauses. ‘Has Michael’s body been found yet?’
    I tell a version of the truth. ‘No.’
    D’Argneau’s lips tighten; I can almost imagine he cares. I examine him more closely. There are heavy shadows under his eyes and his hair isn’t as perfectly coiffured as usual. He looks almost as haggard as Foxworthy. I have a sudden flash of insight. ‘You’ve lost a lot of clients, haven’t you?’
    He winces. ‘Yes.’ His nose wrinkles and he balls up his fists. ‘Just as I was getting somewhere. No human lawyer had ever got so close to a Family as I did. I was earning respect and. I was gaining their trust. And now,’ he exhales heavily, ‘now all that’s gone to shit.’ He glares at me. ‘Before you castigate me for thinking only of myself and money, a lot of people at my firm are going to lose their jobs because of what’s happened.’
    ‘It’s early days. The Families might regroup yet.’
    D’Argneau snorts. ‘You and I both know it’s too late for that.’ He lifts his chin. ‘They’re saying it’s this religious group. Tov V’ra?’
    ‘They were just the puppets.’
    He leans towards me. ‘Then tell me. Who were the masters? Because I swear to God, Bo, I will hunt them down and…’
    ‘Kakos daemons.’
    D’Argneau shrinks. ‘Oh.’
    ‘You’re going to hunt them down and what?’
    He sits down heavily on the nearest chair. ‘Shit.’
    I don’t pretend to be surprised by his sudden volte-face. ‘Listen, this isn’t a social call. If you want to help bring down the people who did this, I need a favour.’
    His shoulders slump. ‘I didn’t think it was the Kakos daemons. They stay hidden. They stay out of things.’
    If I thought that he would swing his allegiance towards them, always in pursuit of the next big thing or next quick buck, I was mistaken. Harry D’Argneau is well and truly terrified. ‘They’re not interested in you,’ I tell him.
    He raises his head. ‘You don’t know that! I worked for one of the Families!’ He gets to his feet. ‘I need to leave. If I can get out of the city, out of the country, then…’
    ‘Harry, they got what they wanted. They wanted the Families destroyed. You’re small fry.’
    There’s enough of his arrogance left for him to manage another glare. ‘No, I’m bloody not! I’m well respected! I’m…’
    I hold up my hand. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. ‘You know what I mean. If they wanted you dead, you already would be.’
    He’s only slightly comforted. ‘I should still leave. Maybe I could come back in a few years when things have quietened down.’
    I shrug. ‘If you want to leave, then leave. You can still do me that favour from abroad.’
    He shakes his head violently. ‘I’m not going near any Kakos daemons. I’m just not.’
    ‘You don’t have to. I only need some information.’
    ‘No! Didn’t you hear me? I’m not touching them!’
    I gaze up to the heavens. There’s an odd damp spot on the ceiling in the shape of Italy. Huh. ‘I’m not asking you to.’
    ‘It’s alright for you,’ he complains. ‘You’ve already killed one. They’re probably