I tried to put it out of my mind for the next week, but something didn’t sit right with me about how things ended in Seattle, and it wasn’t just missing out on five million dollars. I portaled to Ratinger Drug to have it out with Benny—I mean, Dexter.

The whole place had been remodeled and refinished. A new, bright-faced woman stood behind the counter. Even though she’d never met me, she looked at me like she had and pressed the button under her counter. There was a buzz, and the hidden door behind her swung open. A burly demon stood inside with a shotgun. He nodded at the woman and moved out of the way so I could move past.

I passed several more guards on my way down to Dexter’s office at the bottom of the ramp, where he sat behind the desk, just like Benny had done every time I saw him.

“Ollie!” He shouted. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

Two guards stood on either side of him as I walked toward him. “Security has been beefed up, I see.”

“After last time, can you blame me?”

I shook my head. “That’s why I’m here. Something doesn’t sit right with me about how it went down. I can’t shake it.”

“What’s to shake? The bad guy got what he deserved. It so rarely happens we should take the win when we can.”

“That’s just it. The bad guy almost never gets it, and it’s never so clean, you know? It’s too clean.” I didn’t want to beat around the bush, so I decided to come out with it. “You said Benny was your slave name. What did you mean?”

“I would rather not talk about it.”

“I know, but humor me.”

Dexter snapped his fingers, and the guards left. He waited until they were all gone before he spoke again. “Only one of us is allowed to control the hivemind. Before, it was Benny. I had to do everything he said. I didn’t have my own thoughts or feelings. I just—existed.”

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“And now—?”

A grin rose on the rat king’s face. “Now I have the power, and it’s glorious.”

“Yes, that’s what I was thinking.” I paced across the room. “This whole time, I was wondering who had a reason to kill Benny. I kept coming back to power. I thought the Elkman—Heath—wanted power, but who would want power more than someone who had none?”

“What are you accusing me of?” Dexter asked.

“I just want to know if it’s true because if that someone worked with the demon who betrayed me, they would be an enemy to me.”

“Heath was an enemy to me. He plotted against me at every turn. The world is better off without him.”

“You mean he plotted against Benny, don’t you? Benny was the brains, after all. He was the master.”

Dexter slammed his hand on the table. “And now the master is me.” He calmed himself and slid a piece of paper across the table. “To think, I was so excited to see you and give you this.” I picked up the sheet of paper. “It took me some time to get ahold of all our finances, but I wanted to make good on our deal.”

It was a check for five million dollars. I nearly choked on my spit. “Holy shit.”

“There is just one catch. If you keep that money, I would ask you not to speak of anything so unpleasant again, to anyone. It gives me indigestion, and it sends the wrong message.”

“Blood money.”

“No. The fee my weasel number two agreed to, that I am making good on because I like you. However, it does seem to cover your original fee from the demon who betrayed you, with interest, so perhaps you could put that whole matter to bed.”

I nodded. “I’ll accept this on two conditions.”

“Name them.”

“First, admit that it was all a wild goose chase. That Heath was an innocent pawn. That you used me to frame him—you know what—scratch that. I don’t want to know. I just have one condition.”

“Well, that was easy.”

“Tell me his name. The demon that betrayed me, and please don’t insult me by saying you don’t know it.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know because I did not betray you.”

I held up the check. “If you think this will buy me off, believe me, it won’t. Tell me his name or make an enemy this night.”

“That would be a big mistake.”

“I agree. Tell me his name, and I will leave here, and you will never see me again. I will fade into the background. Deny me, and I will kill you. Not tonight, but someday, after I have taken everything from you.”

Dexter thought for a moment. “Et’atal.”

I turned on my heels. It was all I needed to know. “Thank you.”