When the Devil Comes to Call (A Lars and Shaine Novel Book 2) Read Free Page A

here. We’ll sit and talk, like old times.” He spoke in that way of his—telling, not asking.
    “It’s not just a drive down the Hudson Parkway anymore, Nikki.”
    “I know that.” Nikki voice sounded old to Lars, older than normal. He’d started the conversation strong, but now drew shorter breaths, a gravel in his voice growing more ragged the longer he talked. “You know I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t need it.”
    The only reason Lars made it to Hawaii, a big part of why he was still alive and Shaine was out of danger, was Nikki’s help. The money they lived off—Nikki. The assurance no one else would be able to find them—Nikki.
    Lars owed Nikki everything. And yet, he found himself not saying yes.
    “Nikki, I . . . I’m out of practice.”
    “So you’ll practice.”
    “I’m getting older.”
    “Who isn’t?”
    “I didn’t exactly slam dunk the last job.”
    “You’re alive. I’d say that’s a slam dunk, touchdown, jackpot win all rolled into one. You got some kind of magic, son.” Then, like he was reading it off a billboard, “The man they couldn’t kill.” Nikki chuckled.
    Lars was glad Nikki wasn’t in the same room, or close enough to drive over to see him. He was glad Nikki knew a number, but not where he was calling. Lars knew there was no risk of Nikki sending out a car load of guys to convince Lars to take the job.
    “Nikki, I’m going to have to pass.” Lars waited as his words traveled down the wires, over oceans and across the states. He waited to see if he’d broken Nikki’s heart, or made him angry. He felt like an ungrateful son, like he’d told his old man he wouldn’t be coming to the nursing home for Christmas this year.
    “Lars,” Nikki said. “I can’t say much over the phone. But, maybe if you knew who . . .”
    Lars waited. Nikki waited longer.
    “Who?” Lars asked.
    “The one who killed Lenore.”
    Lars shuddered at the name. A chill ran through the phone line like a blast of winter air. A name he hadn’t heard in years. Decades, almost.
    “You know for sure?”
    “I do.”
    The very mention of Lenore’s name twisted his stomach. A dormant anger flared to life inside Lars. A painful regret. This changed things.
    “I’ll be there,” he said.
    “Good, good.” Lars heard Nikki cough violently, a wet sound in his throat. “Thank you, Lars. I need someone I can trust right now. My list is awfully short these days.”
    “Not as short as mine,” Lars said.
    “Maybe true, maybe true. I’ll explain the rest when you get here. See you soon, okay?”
    “Yep. See you soon.”
    The two old friends hung up. Lars clenched his eyes closed, trying to force out the invading memories of a woman he once loved.

4
     
    Her gun was put away in the drawer of her nightstand and she lay in bed, but Shaine couldn’t fall back to sleep. She hadn’t been scared by the intruder. She secretly wished Lars hadn’t woken up so she could have cornered the burglar on her own. What would Lars have thought then? To wake up and find Shaine with a prisoner at the end of her gun, he’d have to be impressed. Maybe she would have gotten a chance to shoot the kid. Lars may have been even more impressed.
    No, she couldn’t fall asleep because of the phone call, of hearing his name. Nikki—the man who killed her father.
    When her dad, Mitch, worked for Nikki as an accountant, they may have had a wonderful relationship. Shaine had no idea. Her dad never mentioned he used to be a mob accountant. But when Mitch told the prosecutor’s office everything he knew in exchange for immunity and a new life, Nikki put out the hit.
    Shaine had difficulty drawing the line between the man she hated—Nikki—and the man she respected—Lars, because it was Lars who had been sent to pull the trigger. But when the time came, Lars hadn’t shot her dad. He hadn’t shot her. He’d almost lost his own life protecting her. Screw everything that came before, Lars she could trust.
    Nikki was still