Page 42 of The Brigadier

“Really? Fascinating. You’re a student?”

“Yes.”

I was curious as to what he was studying but not sure the point. “How did they approach you and why do you think they did?”

“I was taking Italian. A clean-cut–looking guy caught me when I went to a deli on campus. He mentioned he was in my class. It’s huge so I wouldn’t know. We chatted, ate some lunch together, and I must have mentioned tuition was kicking my ass. He said he had a way for me to make some money.”

“What did he look like?”

“Like a student,” he answered, becoming antsy. “Dark hair and eyes. Seemed a little older than anyone else but the campus has people from all walks of life. Nothing special.”

They would use someone who could appear like a student. Made sense.

“Did he describe the job?”

“No. When I said maybe, he asked for my phone number to text additional details when he learned them,” the guy continued. He was constantly staring at the door as if expecting bad men to come through. We were right in front of him.

“You didn’t think that was suspicious?” I’d known enough men who were hurting for money, just trying to make ends meet that they would have sold their mother for a few bucks. Living or going to school in New York was expensive no matter how you looked at it.

He shrugged, his breathing becoming more ragged. “I needed the money and there was nowhere else to get it. My dad isn’t alive, and my mom is pretty sick. No brothers. No other family.”

“How much did they pay you to act like a stalker?” Danny piped in.

“Twenty thousand dollars for two nights of work. Two. I had ten deposited in my account before the first night. Another five after the second. They meant business. I wasn’t going to hurt the girl. That’s not me and they didn’t ask me to. I just had to scare her and I was told via text they’d take care of the rest.”

I glanced at both my men. The guy was telling the truth. If I was dead broke, for twenty-k, I’d become a damn stalker for a couple of days.

That also meant if we hadn’t taken her the night before, someone else might have been planning on it. That would make them pissed at the loss. Ah, too bad.

“Why in God’s name did you not just walk away when you knew two rough-looking men had come for her?”

“Hey. I’m not rough,” Maxim growled.

I gave him a look. He was a bouncer on steroids. Nothing more.

“They told me not to let her out of my sight until the shift was over.” Now I was certain the kid was going to start crying. For allhis toughness, he’d just wanted to make extra money. What the hell was I supposed to do with that?

“Okay. You had no idea who my men were?”

He shook his head several times. “I swear to God I didn’t. I don’t.”

Exhaling, I rose to my feet, raking my hand through my hair. We’d scared him quite a bit. I motioned to Danny and Maxim with my head, taking them both out of earshot. I was more than shocked and my men would be as well I was going to let the kid live. But killing him wouldn’t solve anything. Whoever was doing this was playing a nice game. They likely suspected I’d burn the city down. No. I wasn’t going down that road.

“What do you want to do, boss?” Danny asked.

“Kill him,” Maxim snorted.

“No. He’s a real pawn. The assholes did it on purpose. You’re going to take him to get some things from school then you’re going to take him to the train station. If he doesn’t want to go, our hands are washed of him. Do you understand?” I was glaring at Maxim.

He huffed and turned away as if disgusted.

“Look. The kid didn’t know what he was doing,” I added. Although the guy must have had a feeling stalking a young woman could get him killed.

“Yeah, I get it. Whoever these bastards are, they’re trying to keep us unnerved.” Danny exhaled.

“Yes, they are. Tough. They accomplished nothing but putting us further on notice.” And shoving me together with a woman I waslusting after. “I’m going to help the guy understand he should leave town. If he doesn’t, our hands are washed of the matter.”

“Understood, boss,” Danny answered for both of them.