Game For Anything. Cara Summers

back in his chair and studied the reaction of his companion.

      “I can handle him. Just give me the word, and I’ll have him out of the way.”

      “Such ruthlessness,” the man admonished. He would discourage it now, but it would come in handy later. He took a sip of his brandy. “Patience, my friend. This particular puppet may still be of some use. Besides, removing him now might draw too much attention to Ms. Wainwright’s shop, and we don’t have the coin yet.”

      The man called the Puppet Master had other puppets in place. Any one of them could get the coin tomorrow, and his companion would be useful later. His long-term success lay in knowing how to play the game.

      He would wait, for now. The coin would be here tomorrow and once he had it, he would have all three.

      “Your move.” He smiled and gestured toward the chessboard.