Thread of Death (Page 16)

I shrugged again. "I’m not sure, but the smarmy bastard has to have something in mind. He always seems to have a plan, and then a couple more in the works, at least when it comes to me. Anyway, enough talk about McAllister and what he did or didn’t do: Let’s get out of here."

Owen helped me into the passenger seat of his car, then walked around, opened the driver’s-side door, slid behind the wheel, and started the engine. I stared out the window, brooding.

Because I had a funny feeling I knew exactly what McAllister was up to. He’d wanted me to show myself, to show my skills as the Spider, to all the underworld figures here today, and I’d obliged him. I’d seen that telltale beam of light, and I’d reacted accordingly, just like McAllister had known that I would.

With Mab dead, there was a power vacuum in the city, and the bosses and their underlings were trying to take each other out any which way they could. And since I was the one who’d actually killed the Fire elemental, some folks would naturally assume I’d done so in order to take over her organization and put the squeeze on everyone else just like she had. My display here today had only shown the underworld figures that I was indeed a force to be reckoned with.

Unless I missed my guess, McAllister had just set me up to be on everyone’s hit list in Ashland – and maybe even beyond. It was exceptionally clever. By luring me out into the open today, the lawyer was ensuring that everyone would do his dirty work tomorrow – or whenever they decided to start coming after me.

Owen steered the car down the road, winding past the tombstones and other grave markers. We passed Mab’s coffin, and once more the sunburst rune on the side winked at me like an evil eye, inviting me to come share the Fire elemental’s fate.

I couldn’t believe the bitch was dead.

I just wondered how soon I would be too.