As she exited the bedroom, Xi came scampering up the hall, and stopping on a dime, Bennett changed direction. She cleaned his litter box, poured some dry kibble in his bowl, and before Xi could enjoy his nightly snack, Bennett scooped him up and carried him to the sofa. She sat down and looked into his eyes. “There was a problem tonight, Xi, and it’s one I need to handle. Lisa was killed, and I’m going to avenge her death. I can’t not avenge her death. That means there’s a good chance you and I won’t be seeing each other again, so I want to tell you I love you. You’re the best bloody cat I’ve ever had, and even though Max loathes your kind, I promise he’ll take good care of you.” Bennett placed Xi on the floor. “Now, go have your snack and then stink up the bathroom. I love you, sweet boy.”

As Xi silently slunk his way toward the powder room, Bennett’s eyes misted for a few moments before she blinked away her emotions and moved to the bookcase nearest the hearth. Pushing aside a few novels, Bennett opened a tiny door and punched in a code, and a second later, there was a series of clicks as the electromagnetic locks holding her collection opened.

Bennett stood in front of the fireplace for only a moment before she removed two rondel daggers and slid the twelve-inch blades into the sheaths on her boots. Four throwing knives were next, and once nested securely on her sleeves, Bennett returned to the bookcase only to stop when she heard the door to her apartment open. She spun around, and it took every ounce of restraint not to launch herself at Ruby. Bennett’s hands turned into fists. “Get the hell out of here before I finish what I started at Lisa’s.”

“No,” Ruby said, standing her ground.

Bennett narrowed her eyes, but before she could take a step, she noticed Ruby’s clothes. Like Bennett’s, they were black and skintight, and dangling from Ruby’s hand was a lengthy duffle bag in the same color. “Why are you dressed like that?”

“Why do you think?” Ruby said, placing the bag on the floor. “I know what you intend to do, and we both know it’s suicide. Napoleon is going to be ready for you, Bennett, and you’ll be walking straight into a trap. And I don’t care how strong you think you are, if you go in alone, you won’t be coming out. I know you want him dead, and I know I’m the reason he killed Lisa, so if anyone else is going to die tonight, let it be me.”

“What?”

“Let me clear the path. I’ll go in first. I’ll take out as many as I can, and that should give you a better chance of getting to Napoleon.”