Free The Mercenary by Katherine Garbera Page B

Ben.
    He’d always felt like things weren’t going to work out between the two of them. He had believed the problems were class differences, because Olivia was every inch the lady and he was nothing more than a lad from Jo’burg who’d worked his way up the corporate ladder.
    But being betrayed by her this way really pissed him off. He picked up the frame and threw it against the wall, unable to look at her smiling face one more minute.
    The smashing of the glass as the frame broke apart was satisfying. So was the thought that he would find Olivia and she would pay for what she’d done to him.
    He wasn’t a man who tolerated betrayal—something she’d learn soon enough. He picked up his cell phone and called Burati.
    “Where are you?”
    “In my office, sir. I have a message in to the police department. I have a friend who works in counterterrorism. He’s going to send over some mug-shot books for me to search through.”
    “Good job,” Ray said. Burati might not be the idiot he’d proved to be this afternoon. “I want Olivia brought to me alive when you find her. I want to question her before you kill her.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    He disconnected the call and started searching her files. There was no mention of anyone named Kirk in the e-mails. Most of her friends were as shallow as she was.
    Who was it she had said she was going to visit? Someone in D.C. Ray remembered. He typed in D.C. and found Anna Sterling…at libertyinvestigations.com. That didn’t seem like one of the normal bubbleheaded heiresses who made up Olivia’s circle of friends.
     
    Burati was ready to quit. And he called Phillip to let him know that.
    “This is Phillip.”
    “Burati here. I didn’t get Olivia. Someone else took her. At first I thought it might have been a man hired by Lambert, but it wasn’t. I have no idea who has her.”
    “I’ll work on finding out through my contacts,” Phillip said. “I believe it was your brother who was killed, Burati.”
    “Me, too,” Burati said. It had been a long day and he was aching and tired and frustrated.
    “I’m ready to quit,” Burati said.
    “Don’t give up. We will get Lambert, but only with your help.”
    “Everything should have been over by now.”
    “Indeed it should have, but we’ll get him yet.”
    “I know we will. We’re going through mug-shot books from the local police to try to identify the men who took Olivia. And I believe that Lambert is going to announce her kidnapping to the media.”
    “I suggested that course of action.”
    “I did my best to keep her safe,” Burati said. His hand ached and was bleeding. He’d been bandaged, but he didn’t like getting shot at.
    “I know you did. Olivia has a classmate who is a private investigator and bodyguard,” Phillip said. “Anna Sterling, she may be contacting you.”
    “That’s not a good idea,” Burati said. “Lambert is already tracking that connection. It might be less complicated if I stay hidden for now.”
    “I agree,” Phillip said after a few minutes. “I’m going to need you to go through Lambert’s office one night.”
    “Tonight?”
    “No, Burati. Take the night to grieve for your brother. Is there anything I can do for you?”
    “Just make sure that Lambert doesn’t kill any more of my kin.”
    “That’s my goal.”
    “Then we’re good,” Burati said, hanging up the phone. He worked on identifying the man who’d taken Olivia Pontuf from his office at the Lambert house, but his heart was filled with sad thoughts of his brother and the young life that had been cut short.
    Burati didn’t like the man he was becoming as he kept working for both Lambert and Phillip. He did like the idea of the man he’d be once he only worked for Phillip. And he also pictured himself going back to his ghetto in Soweto and building houses, real houses with cement walls instead of cardboard ones.

Chapter Eleven
    A UGUST 1, P RETORIA SAFE HOUSE
    O livia sat between Laz and Kirk as they ate a