Free Death Blow by Ashley Harma Page A

off down the hallway, and Lila followed. Family photos of Cassandra,
Lyle and Jackson hung on much of the wallspace, framed beautifully in silver
and black. There wasn’t any color anywhere—the house had been meticulously
designed and decorated.
    They made it to the kitchen, a big, open concept with lots
of windows and modern chrome appliances. An older woman was cutting things at
the counter, her back to them as Lila and Cassandra walked in. “That’s Shelley,
our cook,” Cassandra said. Shelley, a frail-looking woman with wispy blonde
hair, looked over her shoulder and nodded at Lila. “Let me get two glasses
here,” Cassandra groaned as she reached for two wine stems in an upper cabinet,
“and let’s sit us down and talk!” She set the two glasses on the kitchen
island, a nice black slate with black stools to sit in.
    “The boys around?” Lila asked, nudging a stool out and
sitting on it.
    “Oh, somewhere, you know menfolk. Think Jackson’s upstairs
with his girlfriend, who’ll be joinin’ us for dinner as well, and Lyle’s up in
his office, finishin’ up some stuff for the day. Just us girls for right now,
but that’s the way I like it.” Cassandra winked at Lila as she took a stool
beside her. “So, how’d the rest of the night go last night?”
    Lila laughed, forgetting that Cassandra knew nothing about
her encounter with Barrett. She wasn’t sure she should say anything.
    “Oh, fine. Just cleaned up and went home.”
    Cassandra corked Lila’s bottle of wine and poured them both
substantial glasses of it. “That’s it?” she eyed Lila, playfully suspicious.
“’Cause Raechelle told me you met Barrett Warde after we left.”
    “Did she?” Lila deflected, grinning as she took a sip of the
wine. “Can’t imagine why she’d think that was important enough to mention.”
    “Oh, I don’t know,” Cassandra clinked her glass to Lila’s.
“Not everyday that a brand new employee gives one of our top selling, most
hated fighters a good, strong wack across the face.” They both broke out into
quiet laughter. Lila felt herself blushing a bit, but she hoped it wouldn’t
give her away.
    “Well, Barrett said some impolite things to me,” Lila
demurred, winking back at Cassandra this time.
    “I’ll be damned, girl,” Cassandra took a big gulp of her
wine. “You somethin’ else. I’m so happy you’re takin’ up with us.” The remark
struck Lila as a bit odd, taking up with us . Lila felt like she’d heard
that phrase used in stories about gangs and outlaws. She also couldn’t stop
thinking about what Cassandra’d said before, about knowing her father, and she
couldn’t help but ask.
    “You said you knew my daddy’s reputation?” she asked quietly.
Cassandra got somber. She twirled her wine glass by the stem, looking somewhat
sadly at Lila.
    “Yeah, Lila. I know your family. I—well,” she shifted
uncomfortably on her stool, switching her crossed legs and kicking her kitten
heel rhythmically against her foot. “Well, I knew your mother and father pretty
well,” she said finally.
    Lila had not expected that. “My mother?” she practically
whispered.
    “Yeah. Well, I knew your folks before all the troubles.”
    “Well?”
    “Fairly well, yep. Your daddy and my Lyle have done some
business together, at different times.” Lila couldn’t believe what she was
hearing. Had her dad helped build Club Malevolence? Lila couldn’t tie together
why Lyle might have done business with a construction worker like her father.
“And, well, I don’t know if you remember this—but Lyle’s the one your mother
worked for, right before she died.”
    Lila choked on the wine she’d just sipped. “My mother was
Lyle’s secretary?” Cassandra looked into her eyes, cool as a cucumber.
    “Yep. She sure was.”
    “So you—you both knew my mother pretty well, then.” Lila
felt slightly dizzy. This wasn’t anything she’d ever expected. The room spun
slightly, and Lila could only chug