Exit Wounds Read Free Page B

up, his own sharp, blue eyes remained fixed on packing away his computer as he spoke. “I’ve got something I want your input on. Get Craig started on the background checks, and then meet me in my office in fifteen minutes.”
    Tony nodded once with compliance, “Sir.”
     
     
    Somewhere in Cardiff Bay
     
    It was light outside now. Paul could see the bright daylight over the seats and through the front windscreen. He wondered why they hadn’t been blindfolded. Surely if they were being taken to Giacometti, and this being their first meeting with him, then he wouldn’t want him and his brother knowing the location of where they were being taken?
    Richard was thinking the same thing. He contemplated for a few moments that perhaps the meet point was going to be somewhere public, and then of course, there would be little point in covering their eyes. Once they got there, they would know where they were anyway. The thought left Richard’s mind as quickly as it had entered. No way would Giacometti risk meeting them in public. That would leave him vulnerable and he’d have no control over them. In fact, now thinking about it, Richard almost felt silly that he hadn’t seen this coming earlier. Of course, Giacometti would want the pair of them taken to him. From what they knew of him by reputation, Giacometti was a man who liked to have complete control over everything, and right now he had both Richard and his brother right where he wanted them.
    Paul had been trying to keep a mental track of the direction they were heading, noting each change of direction in his head. He was now almost entirely convinced they were going in a circle, or a square, or any other shape that eventually closed in on itself for that matter. This driver just seemed to be turning left at every junction. They’d be back where they started soon surely.
    Dean climbed over the front seats into the back of the van with them. He picked up a discarded plastic crate off the van floor and sat down opposite them, facing Richard.
    “I gotta frisk you,” he announced.
    “Don’t bother,” Richard nodded his head towards his brother. “We’re carrying.”
    Dean looked from Richard to Paul. On cue, Paul pulled back his leather jacket to reveal the uncomfortable piece of metal, stuffed down the front of his trousers that was now digging its way into his stomach, under his ribs. Richard smiled and pulled back his shirt, revealing his own weapon.
    Dean was clearly stunned. Probably more by their blatancy than the pieces themselves, Paul thought to himself with a smile that he couldn’t completely hide. Dean looked back to Richard, and then again at Paul. He opened his hand and held it out towards him. “Hand them over.”
    Neither twin moved.
    “Hand it over,” Dean persisted. “You’re not meeting Giacometti with that!”
    “Are you carrying?” Richard asked, calmly.
    Dean looked at him like he didn’t understand the question, “What?”
    “He’s armed,” Paul nodded. “It’s pushing out the back of his trousers.”
    “And I’m betting our designated driver there is suited up too,” Richard added. “No doubt, when we get to wherever it is that you’re taking us, Giacometti will be having a few more buddies with pieces. So I don’t see why it’s unreasonable for us to have a couple friends of our own.”
    “You want a friend? How about I put a bullet between your eyes right now to keep you fucking company!”
    Paul’s fingers flickered, his shoulder turned slightly. Richard quickly placed a hand on his arm to stop him.
    Dean turned to the driver. “Pull over!”
    The van quickly came to a stop. Dean looked back to the twin brothers. “You got two choices. Either I let you out here and you’re lucky if I don’t shoot the pair of you in the back. Or you hand over those pieces and this party keeps on moving?”
    Paul had no intention of handing over his weapon. He studied Dean’s face carefully. He was an aggressive man, that was