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Jack, Clive said, “He burst into the room and smacked Klaus in the face with a shotgun and got the drop on us. Right now, Klaus and Liam are both naked, tied up and blindfolded. His ladies are guarding them with a shotgun.”
    Anton looked at Jack in amazement, then yelled, “Your whores are holding my friend Klaus with a fucking shotgun and you have the balls to come here?”
    â€œOnly holding them as collateral until I get my pound,” replied Jack calmly. “I am not looking to hurt them. Once I’m compensated, everyone can be on their way.”
    Anton stepped forward and scrutinized Jack’s face closely. “Everyone wait. I’ll be right back.”
    A few minutes passed with Bojan staring silently at Clive while Jack pretended to walk around and nonchalantly admire Clive’s car. In reality, he wanted to use the car for protection if Anton returned with a gun and the intent to kill him.
    Eventually Anton returned empty-handed and gave a subtle shake of his head at Bojan, then slammed Clive in the chest with both hands and watched him stumble backward.
    â€œWhat the —”
    â€œYou were told never to bring anyone here!” Anton shouted at Clive.
    â€œWhat choice did I have?” whined Clive. “I’m saving Klaus’s life. Liam’s too. You know we’ll pay it back.”
    â€œYou’re a fucking idiot!” retorted Anton. “So is Klaus!”
    As Clive stood meekly without responding, Jack glanced at his watch and said, “Listen, boys, I don’t have all night. If I don’t make a phone call soon, some poor maid is going to have a hell of a mess to clean up.”
    Bojan looked at Anton, then said, “You better call your brother.”
    Anton nodded, then took a phone out of his pocket and walked a short distance away to make the call. As he did, Clive took the opportunity to whisper to Jack, “Be calm. Everything will be okay. They’re pissed off, but really, I don’t see what the big deal is.”
    Jack looked at the enraged faces of Anton and Bojan. Something’s a big deal. A really big deal.

Chapter Seven
    It was approaching one o’clock in the afternoon in Paris, and Kerin was becoming more anxious as he sat on a bench with Roche in the park. Roche had received a call saying that the Ringmaster would arrive at twelve-thirty, but there had been no calls since then to explain the delay.
    Kerin was aware that the sunshine had brought office workers into the park to stroll around during their lunch break, but now the park was clearing out, leaving his cover team more exposed. “This is ridiculous,” he complained. “We’ve been here for almost two hours. Where is he?”
    Roche did not tell Kerin that the delay was for counter-surveillance. Instead, he said, “You’re right. I will check with the Ringmaster. Wait one moment and —” He looked startled as one of his phones vibrated. “My emergency phone,” he muttered as he fished it out of his pocket. “From … my brother in Canada.”
    Canada? Kerin listened as Roche spoke to his brother. He saw a look of concern cross Roche’s face and heard the name Clive Dempsey before Roche hung up.
    â€œEverything okay?” Kerin asked.
    Roche shook his head. “If you become a juggler for our organization, what would you do if one of the people who work for you brought a stranger to the stash house at quarter-to-four in the morning, wanting to get a pound of cocaine?”
    â€œCocaine?” Kerin looked puzzled.
    â€œI know, I know,” replied Roche. “It is a new commodity that I chose to venture into on my own. A decision I may come to regret. But back to the question, what would you do? Especially when the person had been warned never to tell anyone about it.”
    â€œIs this happening in Canada right now?”
    Roche nodded.
    â€œI … I’m not sure,” Kerin