170 The Stepping Stone

"I want this figured out before the end of next week." My voice was an eerie calm as I addressed the people sitting in front of my desk. "If I lose another shipment, someone loses their head, am I clear?"

A chorus of yeses and understoods rang back at me and Janine entered the room inconspicuously to whisper in my ear.

"Anton Serkeov is on the phone for you, Miss Montenegro."

<i>Is today jinxed? </i>

"Leave. This discussion is done for now," I ordered while reaching a hand out to take the phone from my assistant. The room dispersed quickly, and then I was left alone in my home office. "What is it?"

<i>"I heard what happened to your shipment." </i>

Frowning, I sat straight in my chair. "From whom?"

<i>"Saverio Alcunze."</i>

<i>That mongrel.</i> My shipment hadn't even gone missing four hours before, which meant he'd tracked it and stolen it.

<i>But why? </i>