Chapter 6 #4
She was sitting on the couch, the computer on her lap. Her hair was damp, and she’d changed her clothes, so she’d obviously had a shower while I was talking to Luke’s boss.
“Plenty.” I bit off the head of a red snake and quickly updated her. “Luke, it seems, has been lying to Monica from the get-go.”
“I’m surprised neither she nor her father fact-checked him.”
“Well, he’s a relative, however distant, and it’s not like Tane was aware they were making like bunnies.”
She grunted. “Are we thinking that these people took Monica to steal whatever runestone the Ashworths might be holding?”
“We are. I’ll ring Michael tonight and arrange a warrant for the book.”
“Why not just ask Tane?”
“Because a telepath has been in his mind and done who knows what to his memories.” The kettle whistled; I turned it off and made myself a coffee... and tried to convince myself that bad coffee was better than no coffee. Or, god forbid, tea. “How’d you go with Mark’s family?”
She grimaced. “They didn’t start off cooperative, but that all changed when I told them what had happened. Interesting fact—Monica was apparently questioning him about the relics his family was holding here in Australia.”
I just about choked on my coffee. “You think she’s working with her kidnappers?”
“At this point, it’s looking that way. But then again, if she is, why go through that whole kidnapping scenario? Why not just quietly disappear?”
“Perhaps they needed to get Tane up here.” I dropped a couple of teaspoons of sugar into my drink and stirred it. “Besides, does Monica look like the quietly disappearing type to you?”
“No, but she does look the type to cause her father as much grief as possible if she had a beef with him.” She shut down the laptop and placed it beside her. “It would also gel with the USB conversation—they’re using her to get as much information about the family as possible.”
“That USB conversation may or may not be real. It’s not like we know who actually sent it.” I grabbed a green snake and chomped on it. “Besides, if that were true, why go through all the time and trouble of making it seem like she disappeared, only then to kidnap her?”
“Maybe she truly thought she and Luke were running away, but something alarmed her at the last moment, and they resorted to snatching her?”
“It’s more likely it was just another part of the ruse, given they did say on the USB that they needed her alive,” My phone pinged, and I glanced down. “And that would be our ribs and fries. I couldn’t get the shakes or the bubbles delivered, so we’ll have to grab them later.”
“Later is good.” Her cheeks dimpled. “Thanks.”
“A deal is a deal.”
I pushed away from the counter and went down to collect our meal. I’d resisted getting a burger given the late hour and how close it was to dinner, but I did get some loaded fries, and ate those while Ginny all but inhaled her meal.
Her phone rang just as she finished. She licked her fingers then hit the answer button and placed it on speaker.
“Agent Baker speaking.”
“Mark Marlowe has regained consciousness if you wish to interview him,” Betty said.
“The guard remains on him?” I asked.
“Indeed it does.”
“Thanks.” Ginny hung up then glanced at her watch. “I take it, given the late hour, that I’ll be doing the interviewing because you’ll be wanting to get ready for your date?”
I rolled my eyes at her. “Well, he hasn’t actually sent the details yet, so I may well still be here when you get back.”
“If you are, I will be very disappointed.”
So will I. I snagged a final fry and swished it through the gooey cheese. “I’ll ring Michael and arrange for the book to be appropriated. Once we have it, we should have some idea what the hell they’re after.”
“And I shall leave you the car. I need to stretch my wings anyway.” She paused. “You want me to move it out of underground parking first?”
“Please. Leave it one street over—there’s usually plenty of parking there.”
She nodded, pushed to her feet, then gathered her handbag, the keys, and her phone and headed out.
There were many a myth surrounding shifters, some of which had them erroneously tearing off their clothes to take their alternate shape and ending up naked afterward.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Shifter magic was a powerful force, and it not only hid the physical realities of changing from prying eyes, but ensured the pain that would normally be present during such drastic reshaping of their body was nulled.
It also took care of anything the shifter might be wearing, be it clothes or something on their person, like a handbag.
To this day, despite numerous studies, no one had been able to explain the physics of it, especially when none of those items ever appeared on their alternate form.
I made the call to my brother, but he wasn’t answering again. I left a message, but as I hung up, my phone pinged, indicating a text.
My pulse rate instantly leapt, but I tried to contain the swirl of excitement as I hit the message button. It was from that unknown number. René.
It didn’t say much, sadly. It simply gave me an address and a time—7 PM. Which was logical, given it wasn’t a date, and I was a fool for hoping there might be anything more.
I finished my coffee, then washed the grease from my hands and headed into the bedroom to pick a dress from the chaos on the floor.
It took a number of attempts to find something suitable, as most of the dresses I’d brought up with me leaned toward the business end of the spectrum.
The only reason I had any other type up here was because I’d intended spending a couple of extra days after the case was solved, doing nothing more than soaking in the warm winter sunshine before I had to brave the chill of Canberra once again.
In all honesty, the business dresses may have been the logical choice, given this wasn’t a date, but I just... wanted to impress, I guess. It wasn’t like I’d had much chance of that over the last few years.
Which was by choice rather than a lack of opportunity, an inner voice noted.
In the end, I settled for a simple, dark green A-line dress with shoestring shoulder straps and a back that fell to just below my bra line.
Which, of course, meant I couldn’t wear a bra, but it wasn’t like I did all that often anyway.
That was the whole point of wearing supportive crop tops and having smallish breasts.
Once I’d done my makeup, I searched the floor for my silk wrap in case it got cold later, then grabbed my glittery handbag and phone and headed out.
I found the car a few spots down from where I usually parked and jumped in.
It took twenty minutes to get across to the restaurant, which was near The Gabba, Brisbane’s main football field.
Once I’d found a parking spot, I climbed out and walked down.
The restaurant was on the other side of the road, but I didn’t immediately cross over.
The lovely old building was packed with people, with laughter and conversation spilling out from it, accompanied by a sea of gold and silver luminescence.
The darkness might be tied down, but the energy coming from that restaurant was too fierce to totally ignore.
I took a deep breath and released it slowly. You can do this. It’s not a date.
I wished someone would tell the damn butterflies in my stomach that. Anyone would think I was a nervous teen rather than a damn near middle-aged woman. It was ridiculous. I was ridiculous.
I checked for traffic, then quickly crossed the road and stepped inside. The noise hit first but was quickly followed by the heat. Body heat. Soul heat. The darkness stirred but didn’t test the steel that kept it bound. I hoped it remained that way.
I waited near the reception desk and, after a minute or so, a waiter wandered over. “You have a booking, madam?”
I nodded. “Under René.”
He ran a finger down the list, then nodded. “The gentleman has already arrived. This way, please.”
He turned and led me down the center of the long room that had a very Italian feel, though if anyone had asked me to pinpoint why, I couldn’t have.
I was halfway down the room when I saw him.
Our gazes met and, just for a second, the noise, the people, and the alluring glow of their life forces faded away, leaving nothing, no one, but him, me, and the desire that burned between us.
In that moment, I was absolutely certain of two things.
One, this man was utterly dangerous to my emotional health.
And two, I would end up in his bed before this case was over.