Forced Betrayal Read Online Free PDF

your mind." Dixon's features twist around in what might be his version of a wink. A bubbled eyelid drifts halfway down over his one visible eye, then pops back up. One thing's for sure: there's a wicked glint in that eye of his. "Just think of all the money you'd make."
    Hericane shrugs. "If I want money, I can just compress some coal into diamonds."
    " Another business venture I'd very much like to discuss with you, ma'am," says Dixon.
    Enough with the pleasantries. "We're hoping you can provide some information, Mr. Dixon. Information about one of your clients."
    "Wish I could, Bonnie." His features roll into an expression that's either a smirk or a grim frown. Hard to tell with all that scar tissue. "But that'd be covered by a li'l somethin' called promoter-client privilege."
    There's no such thing, but I'm not going to argue about it. "I hope you'll make an exception," I say. "Seeing as how one of your palookas got framed for murder because of you."
    His smirk or frown changes, shifting into a look like a fist clenched around one dirty eyeball. "Which palooka?" His voice is more serious all of a sudden.
    "Chimpanzero," I tell him. "You made the call that set him up. When he got to the site of the bout, he found himself in the middle of a murder scene."
    "Shit." He reaches down for the big wheels on either side of his chair, then slowly rolls out from behind the desk. "Where's the monkey now?"
    "Dead." Hericane says it tonelessly.
    While that sinks in, I step over and stand in front of Dixon's chair, blocking him. "So you see why you might want to help us?"
    I can't read his expressions too well, but I'm guessing he's racing through the mental math in record time. If they killed Chimpanzero to shut him up, how long till they come for him, too?
    Dixon's eye slides from me to Hericane and back. "I don't know anything. I swear to God."
    I raise my palms in front of me and shake my head. "We're not here to hurt you. We're here to help. We want to stop these people before they go any further."
    Dixon burps softly--from nerves, maybe? His eye locks on me, flicking up and down in its socket. "I meant what I said. I don't know who hired Chimpanzero. It was all done anonymously, by e-mail."
    I fold my arms over my chest and narrow my eyes. "Somebody paid you, didn't they?"
    Dixon burps again. I think he farts a little, too. "The funds were wired from an offshore account."
    Shit. I don't think he's lying. "You're telling me you've had no direct contact with the client?"
    Dixon shakes his head. "Nope. I get an e-mail saying there's a need for an opponent on such and such a day at such and such a place at such and such a time. I set up the fighter, and the money's wired to my account."
    "Wait a minute." I frown. "Sounds like you're saying this has happened more than once."
    Dixon shrugs. "Well, twice. Second time happened just before you got here, in fact."
    So maybe this isn't such a dead end, after all. "A second request came in from the same e-mail account?"
    "Yes, ma'am," says Dixon. "Client wants an opponent for a job one hour from now, in fact. I haven't gotten back to him yet."
    I turn and look at Hericane, who's standing silently with hands on her hips. "Mr. Dixon, you're in luck. My friend here might be interested in a bout, after all."
    Hericane scowls. "I would?"
    "Hot dog!" says Dixon. " Hericane working a contract bout for me? My business will go through the roof !"
    I shake my head and place an index finger against my lips. "No names, Mr. Dixon. Just say you've got someone lined up. Give a fake name if they press you."
    "Whatever you say." Dixon makes with the maybe-it's-a-wink again. "Everyone'll still know who it was after the fact. They'll know Hericane is working for me ."
    I sigh and point at the phone in his lap. "Just answer the e-mail and tell us when and where, Mr. Dixon." Then hide in a very deep hole till this is all over, I should tell him. If we found you, the Protectorate can't be too far behind.
    But I