Chapter 6 #2
Smoke and music assaulted them the moment Kade opened the door for her.
Conversation and laughter from the back corner where the pool tables were all the norm.
Everyone in the place glanced at the door—the norm whenever someone entered Ernie’s.
Several gazes remained on her, or, more precisely, Kade.
She nodded at a few people but sought out Marshall, alone in the back near the dartboards.
He sat slouched in the chair, legs apart, dusty cowboy boots flat on the wood floor.
She moved out of Kade’s hold and wended her way through the maze of tables, pulling him along by the hand.
Marshall’s gaze narrowed on Kade behind her.
She sat down and angled her thumb at him.
“This is a friend of mine, Sebastian. We met at a plant nursery in Naples and became, um, friends. I didn’t know he was coming to see me, but he’s here.
” She shrugged in a What can I do? way and turned to him. “Go play darts, Sebastian.”
He gave her a look that seemed to say Sebastian?
Really? But he took his cue with a “Sure thing, babe,” and ambled over to an available dartboard.
Babe. It should annoy her, but he was playing a role, after all.
The only thing that did annoy her was the way the word echoed through her body.
She’d never been anyone’s babe before. He sorted through the house darts, the flights all pretty mangled, and then laid three in the palm of his hand.
Focus.
She handed the package to Marshall. “Thanks for meeting me. Arlo was killed this morning.” Okay, she hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that. But Marshall needed to know she also had something at stake.
“Sorry to hear that. Heard Shirley August bit it, too. Seems like things are heating up in the Fringe again.”
“Someone’s trying to heat things up. Liam was the first to get killed. Peter Wolfrum was next.”
Marshall’s upper lip twitched, enough to give away his part in that death.
“You had reason to believe Peter was the one who killed Liam,” she said.
He hesitated, obviously not sure he wanted to admit it. His gaze shifted to Kade, who was completely immersed in trying to hit the bull’s-eye. At least he seemed to be. She knew better. Between their soft words and the loud music, she wasn’t sure how clearly he could hear their conversation.
“There’s a code here,” she said. “You kill one of ours, we kill one of yours. I don’t think you attacked the Wolfrums unprovoked.”
“No, but that’s what they did,” he said, banging his fist on the table.
Kade stiffened, ready to come to her rescue. She gave him a subtle shake of her head. Slowly, he resumed his game.
Marshall lowered his voice. “We didn’t do nothing to them. Found my boy…” His chin trembled, which triggered her own grief.
Gods, please don’t cry here.
She pushed down her tears. “How did you know it was the Wolfrums?”
“Footprints leading from the body to the border of their land. They snuck over and ambushed him. Now we’re even. Unless they want more trouble.” The flames in his eyes flared.
“Did you leave a calling card by Peter’s body?”
“Oh, they’ll know.” When it was a revenge kill, they usually left a clue.
“What if they didn’t kill Liam? And now they think your attack on Peter was unprovoked.” They’d kill another Peregrine. And on and on. The Augusts and Spearses, the Murphys and her own family…fear twisted her stomach.
“They did. Wait, are you suggesting someone set them up? Now, that doesn’t make sense.”
“Any more than it makes sense for them to kill Liam in the first place?”
He got to his feet, tall and gangly. “How much of what goes on here makes sense anyway? What’s your point?”
Damn, she’d never get them to stop the momentum without proof. Her gaze shifted to Kade. Maybe he could help with that. He released a dart, plowing it into the red center. She turned back to Marshall. “Somebody’s behind all this, purposely inciting the clans to violence again.”
“Why would anyone do that?”
“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.”
“The Wolfrums are bored of peace,” Marshall said, throwing a couple bills on the table. “Getting restless.” He leaned close to her. “Sounds like you’re warning me that they’re going to retaliate. If they sent you, tell ‘em to bring it on. We’re ready.”
“They didn’t…” Marshall had already walked far enough away that he wouldn’t hear her. She wasn’t going to scream it out, not here.
It wasn’t unusual to see the different clans mingling or playing a game of darts or pool. But she and Marshall’s meeting wouldn’t go unnoticed, especially since she’d brought in a stranger.
“That went well,” the stranger murmured next to her ear. His warm breath washed down her neck, making her twitch and move back. He pulled a chair up next to hers, wrapping a hand over her shoulder.
She had to lean close to him to talk without the risk of being overheard.
In a room full of Dragons, being overheard was possible.
His hair tickled her nose and brushed her lips as she said, “He didn’t go for the conspiracy theory, but I found out there were footprints leading from Liam’s body to the border between their land and the Wolfrums’.
Again, obvious evidence. Sloppy.” Her gaze was even with Kade’s neck and collarbone.
She kept it there and not on those faux Dragon eyes.
“I need to talk to the Murphys, but that’s not going to happen.
We’ve got bad blood between us. That’s what makes this so devious.
Whoever is behind it is targeting the clans with blood history. ”
“Hey, Vee, who’s your pretty friend?”
The slurred voice belonged to a drunk Bren, who parted from his brothers as they came in.
Kade muttered, “I am not pretty.” He came to his feet just as Violet did.
“None of your business,” she said. “Go away.”
Kade stiffened beside her. “You heard the lady. Get lost.”
Bren laughed. “Lady? You’re not from around here, are you?” He squinted his wobbly eyes as he studied Kade. “No, you’re not. Let me help you out. I can tell you all the things Vee here likes. She likes loooong wet kisses—”