I hated when the old man was right. It happened a lot.

“I guess I’m playing errand boy.”

Abraham gave a crooked smile, celebrating his victory behind a mask of professional composure. “Be sure you’re fully equipped. If Asmoday realizes you’re playing Baalth against him, you could be in for some trouble.”

And the Understatement of the Year Award goes to…

I stood up, the leather of the seat peeling away from my skin with a perverse sound. I couldn’t help but grin. “I’m already in trouble. You’ve got little old me walking into the wolf’s lair to let him know the jackals are outside.” I threw my hands in the air. “This sheep is screwed.”

“Always the optimist,” Abraham chided.

“I don’t need to be psychic to see my future.” I rubbed my ass as I headed toward the door.

“One more thing, Frank,” Abraham called out before I left. “There’s a rumor Veronica is back in town.”

His statement hit me like a brick. I looked back at Abraham hoping to see a sparkle in his eyes, some indication he was joking. There was none. I hung my head and left the office, my skin clammy and cold, hands shaking.

As I headed off to face certain doom, caught between the two most powerful demons ever to walk the earth, all I could think about was that my ex-wife was in town.

Death couldn’t come soon enough.

Keep Your Enemies Close

A couple of phone calls later and I had a meeting with Baalth set up. Lucky me.

He agreed to meet at a rundown strip mall in Old Town, at the edge of downtown El Paseo. Even in this one horse town with a bum hoof, Old Town stood out, though not in a good way. The entire neighborhood was one short step from being condemned. The only thing keeping it from being leveled were the healthy bribes that flowed from Baalth’s coffers to the City Council. These under the table transactions also bought Baalth a healthy dose of freedom when it came to law enforcement in Old Town.