Chapter Five
Rey made phone calls, gathered information, took notes, arranged appointments, and even had time to go through some of George’s financial records.
Though she tried to avoid him, she peeked at Con on the sly.
He didn’t notice. His nose was buried in the files.
Once he closed the last folder, she asked, “Any thoughts?”
“Yeah. The tabloids are gonna start chanting Monsters!”
Silently, she agreed.
Once it was dark, they took the subway to her place, where Con dropped off his backpack just inside the door, not having a chance to look over her condo. Their next stop was the vampire-wannabe sex club, Blood Sport.
Con pointed at the sign—Donors Welcome. “Cute. Where was George found?”
She led him to the alley. “The employee came out for a smoke. The body was against the dumpster, sitting but slumped over to the right.” Rey wagged her thumb at the spot.
His gaze swept the site. “Kinda hidden but not.”
“I agree. I’ll get the witness and bring her out here. She’s expecting us.”
She watched Con crouch by the murder scene, sniffing as if he might catch a scent. When she raised her brows, he shook his head. “Nothing. A faint whiff of bleach. Must have splashed onto the side of the dumpster and ground.”
Rey left him there to search for the woman.
She was in the locker room getting dressed.
Her uniform was fish-nets, above-the-knee stiletto boots, a short leather skirt, a wide belt, and a white starched shirt opened to expose her demi-bra, her breasts spilling over the top.
She smiled at Rey before she snagged a whip. Fake fangs completed the wardrobe.
They strolled outside to meet with Con. Of course, he scanned the woman from the toes of her boots to her teased hair. Rey couldn’t tell if he liked what he saw.
Shaking the witness’s hand, he introduced himself. When she pulled back her lips, sporting fangs, he shot her a wide grin, exposing his canines. “Mine are bigger.”
Her eyes widened with interest.
Rey had already read her story, written by the investigator who took her report the night of the murder. She extracted an electronic pad from her bag to record notes. “Walk us through the night you found him.”
The witness related everything already in the report, her eyes down as she picked at her nails. Was it Rey’s imagination, or was she nervous?
She asked, “Anything new you remember since you talked to the detective on the scene?”
The woman hesitated. “Nope.”
“What time was it when you found him?” asked Con.
She tapped her chin with a long, sharp red nail. “Let’s see. I’d just finished with my fourth client. A real screamer. About 2:00 in the morning.”
The ME who was called to the site that morning estimated that the killing occurred three to four hours earlier.
“You know the vic?” Con’s voice was low, seductive. He had a way with women.
The witness hesitated again, her eyes flicking from the ground to Con. “Seen him around.”
Her shifter partner tilted his head to the side. “Who’s the owner of this fine establishment?”
“Laz.”
“Where can we find him?”
“In his office, monitoring from on high.” She pointed to the second floor. Then, pick, pick, pick. Her nails bled at the cuticle.
“You seem a little nervous,” said Rey.
She stopped, glancing down at her fingers. “Just a bad habit.”
“Lead on, fair damsel. By the way, what do they call you here?” Con pressed his hand to the small of her back, leading her toward the alley entrance.
“Mommy.” She grinned at him, walking through the door, her hips swaying.
Con arched his brows at Rey.
She said, “Too obvious. But maybe you like obvious.”
He shrugged. “I like easy.”
Rey believed him.
When they stepped inside, Con sniffed and stiffened.
“What is it?” Rey asked.
“You’ll see.” His amber eyes sparkled as a grin twisted his lips.
****
Interesting. Unexpected.
One whiff inside Blood Sport and Con knew they were in trouble. But he’d enjoy seeing what the place did to Rey.
A few minutes after they walked through the back door, she unbuttoned her jacket. As they climbed the steps to the owner’s office, she tugged on the collar of her blouse. “It’s hot in here.”
Con had his answer. The place affected Rey. Even he was warm, and his pants got tighter.
Mommy knocked on a door.
“Come in,” said a voice.
When the door opened, Con’s shoulders stiffened.
Really interesting.
The guy at the desk wore his black hair slicked back, and the male sitting in a nearby chair fisted the lapels of his long robe. They shifted their gaze to Con, a touch of alarm shining in their eyes.
“Cheesy,” he said.
“Customers like how we look,” explained the figure behind the desk.
Con pointed to his Firebrand mark. “Yep. That’s right. I’m on the case with my partner here. Rey, love, meet a vampire and a warlock. Names?”
The vamp behind the desk said, “Lazarus. Call me Laz. Everyone does.”
“And you?”
“Mordecai. Mordy.”
“You got licenses to live and work in New York?” Aeternals needed written approval from Dax’s office to operate on Earth. And there were rules about what their businesses could and couldn’t do.
Laz pointed at two framed documents on the wall.
“I’ll be checking.”
Rey typed something into her electronic pad.
Laz said, “Mommy, you can go. Your customers are anxious to see you.”
She hesitated but left.
“Rey, you’re gonna find this interesting.” Con sat in front of the desk, leaving the other for his partner. “Laz may be the owner, but he’s hired this warlock to spell the place.”
“What does that mean?” She balanced the pad on her knees.
“That heat you feel? It means Blood Sport stinks of sex pheromones. Keeps the clients coming back, I imagine. Also makes them do things they possibly wouldn’t dream of elsewhere.”
Laz leaned into his chair. “Good for biz, though, dog.”
“Woof. Woof. I admire entrepreneurship, but do your customers sign a waiver for its use?”
“Everything here is done by the books. No deviation. We have a table outside. All patrons read the warnings—including the pheromones—and sign or leave.”
“Why would anyone come here knowing about the pheromones?” asked Rey.
Laz grinned, the sharp tips of his fangs exposed behind his smile. “Some customers like to know that what they did here really wasn’t their fault. Something to blame for naughty behavior.”
Con crossed a booted ankle over his opposite knee.
“I’m curious about a body showing up in the alley by your place.
The rules for Aeternal businesses discourage those kinds of shenanigans.
” The vamp had the right teeth for the crime but was he guilty?
Con had to push a bit. “The location kinda makes you a suspect.”
Shooting forward, Laz jammed his elbows onto the desk. “Do I look stupid enough to shit where I live?”
“I don’t know you well enough to say. Maybe.”
The guy’s temper abated, and he settled back into his chair. “I’m not. Besides, I’m the one who instructed Mommy to call the cops. Didn’t move the dead guy or anything.”
“How about the bleach on George?”
“Bleach?”
Con noticed that Rey followed the conversation as if it were a tennis match. She was letting him take the lead with the vamp and warlock. Smart female.
“I don’t know anything about bleach,” said Laz. “And I was otherwise occupied that night before Mommy found me and shared the news.”
“Occupied how?” Con rested both feet on the floor and leaned forward.
“Here. In my office. With a lady.”
Rey snorted but returned to her notetaking.
“We’ll need a name,” said Con.
“Lots of people saw us.” Pointing to a window, the vampire rose to flip a switch near it. “Two-way if I want. I love to be watched. So does the lady. She performs in front of an audience like a pro. She’s here tonight if you wish to talk to her.”
“Mordy?” Con twisted toward the warlock.
“I wasn’t around that night. Made a trip to Scath. Check it out.”
“Where?” asked Rey, her fingers poised above the keyboard.
“A bar.”
When Rey gave him a stare, he added, “The Blood Shed. With friends. The wolf knows the place.”
“Do you?” she asked Con.
“Yep. Before we leave, Laz, buddy, can you point out your lady friend?”
Con joined the owner, who was still near the window.
“See the female in chains being fucked by two males?”
Con glanced down on the floor. The threesome had drawn an appreciative crowd. The female was a looker. “I grasp the appeal.”
“Right? Anyway, she’ll be free in a few minutes. Catch her before she moves on for the night. She’s got a lot of stamina.”
“Did you know the victim?” asked Rey, glancing up from the electronic pad.
“By sight only.”
Con wondered, “Did he like Mommy?”
“Mordy went through our files. She never serviced him.”
Rey loosened a few buttons on her shirt as they left to interview the female. Mommy met them outside to lead the way.