‘We didn’t bring it with us, dumbass,’ said Nina. ‘It’s somewhere safe.’

‘Then you will take us to it,’ Harhund replied. ‘I was hired to get the coffin, the key and you – and I always complete my contracts.’

Eddie made a sarcastic sound. ‘Great. A killer with a work ethic.’

Harhund waved the gun again. ‘Get up.’

Nina and Eddie reluctantly stood. Miller’s habitual smugness returned, confidence rushing back now he had the upper hand. ‘The Chinese kid must have the key,’ he said as he rose. ‘Where is he?’

Nina frowned. ‘How did you know he was still alive? We didn’t tell you.’

A flash of panic – which he tried to cover by counter-attacking. ‘I didn’t know, but you just confirmed it.’

Harhund’s narrow-eyed disdain, however, told Nina that Miller had said too much. ‘Let’s go find him.’

‘I’ll have to phone him to get him to meet us,’ she said.

Harhund shook his head. ‘No phone calls, no warnings. Just take us to him.’

‘I don’t know where he is,’ she shot back as they started out of the dining area, Eddie in the lead with Harhund flanking Nina behind him. ‘We told him to walk around the city so that if anything went wrong you couldn’t find him – or the key.’

‘We have to get the key,’ said Miller, perturbed. ‘Let her call him.’

‘No,’ the mercenary replied, eyes fixed on Nina as Simon the waiter rounded the bar, carrying a bottle of wine and two glasses on a tray. ‘She is lying, I am—’

Eddie passed Simon – and snatched up the bottle, smashing it against the counter’s corner. Shards and liquid flew up into Harhund’s face.

He shielded his eyes with his free hand, jumping back – as Eddie grabbed Miller and shoved the broken bottle’s jagged end against his throat.

Chapter 16

16

‘Let her go!’ Eddie barked as he backed towards the exit, pulling the taller man with him as a shield. ‘Otherwise Donny Dipshit’s next drink goes straight through his neck.’

Miller started to struggle, only to freeze as the razor-sharp glass sliced his skin. ‘Jesus Christ, he’s going to kill me!’ he shrieked. ‘Do it, let her go!’

Harhund instead grabbed the startled Nina, pushing his hidden gun against her back. ‘He is bluffing. Let him go, Chase.’

Alarm from the diners as they saw the confrontation. The waiter hurriedly scrambled clear and took out a phone to call for help. ‘I’m not fucking joking,’ Eddie warned. Miller gasped as the jagged points drew blood, two hot red lines rolling down his neck to stain his pristine white shirt collar.

‘Nor am I.’ Harhund nodded to his companion. ‘Get her to the car.’ Wintz dragged Nina towards the restaurant’s entrance. The mercenary leader then drew his gun and took aim – at Miller’s torso.

Miller stared at the weapon. ‘Uh, Astor, what the hell are you doing?’