Two sets of eyes fixed on me, and I knew with absolute certainty my innocence wasn't going to be settled over a cup of coffee or a friendly training match. Reed was smarter than I gave him credit for. He was going to use me to help solve the crime the way he used the mob to drive other criminals out of the colony. If I was guilty, I'd slip up and show my hand. If I was innocent, they'd still find their killer. Either way, problem solved.
I couldn't afford to get arrested and he knew it. If I spent all my energy and limited resources defending myself against murder charges, I might as well plunge a copper blade into my heart right now because my life would be over. News of my arrest would be a matter of public record. My enemies would swarm the city until they found me. Cuffed and isolated in a cell, I'd never make it to trial.
I threw up my hands. "Fine, I will. I'll bring the killers' heads on a spike and then we'll see who's guilty," I said.
"We'd prefer them alive, if possible," Detective Thompson. "It's not medieval times, Miss Winters. We do like them to have a fair trial."
I disappeared into the crowd in an angry rush. I had to get to the bottom of these murders. If I didn't find the real killers soon, these cuffs would be the least of my concerns.
Chapter Sixteen
Hugo Munson's office was over on Spring Garden Street, north of Center City. The building was older, but unlike the ones in Flynn's neighborhood, it didn't look well maintained. I spotted a broken downspout and a cracked step in the first ten seconds. I pushed open the door and was greeted by a small desk in the reception area with no one manning the station.
"Hello?" I called.
No one answered. I walked down the short corridor that dumped me into a single room. The door was ajar so I used the tip of my foot to nudge it open wider. A pale man with thinning strawberry blond hair sat behind a cheap-looking MDF desk. His nose was buried in a book. Dracula.
"You like the classics?" I asked, startling him.
He reached for the top drawer and I held up both hands. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. There was no one at the front desk."
"She's at lunch," he replied uneasily. I noticed he hadn't moved his hand away from the drawer.
I remained calm, but I was damn glad I was armed. Checking out his flabby biceps and jowls, I figured I had the advantage.
"I'm doing a job for Jimmy O'Leary, and I thought you might be able to help me."
Slowly, he moved his hand back to the desk. He set down the book with his other hand and gestured to a metal folding chair in front of the desk. Not exactly luxurious. I thought mob accountants made a decent living. The only items of any value were the rows of books on the shelves behind him. This guy sure liked to read. An eclectic collection, too. The top row included How to Win Friends and Influence People, The Art of War, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Twilight.
I sat down in the uncomfortable chair. "My name is Alyse Winters."
"How can I help you, Miss Winters?"
I assumed he would relax when I sat down, but he still seemed unsure of me. For a split second, I thought maybe he had the Third Eye, but then I remembered my aura wasn't visible anyway. Maybe he was simply one of those guys who was nervous around women.
"I understand you used to work in the organ trade," I said.
His finger flew to his lips. "Shh." Spittle sprayed his finger. "This is not something openly discussed."
I glanced around the office. The hum of the wall-mounted air conditioner was loud enough to drown out our voices, should anyone be within earshot. Which they weren't.
"And now you work for O'Leary, right?"
He tapped his fingers on Dracula. "I like to think I'm beholden to no man."
"You work for the mob," I said. "You're beholden to lots of men. Men with expensive guns."
He gave me a tiny smile. "What is it you'd like to know?"
"I take it you've heard about the recent murders."
Hugo frowned. "Why does O'Leary have you working on the murders?"
"He doesn't, actually. I'm working on another matter for him, but I thought you might be able to help me with questions about organ harvesting. Some of the bodies have been missing vital organs, so there's obviously a question as to whether there are organ traffickers behind the murders."
"It wouldn't be our people," he said, with a dismissive flick of his hand. "That's not how they handle their business."
"So your guys are the ethical organ traffickers?" I asked, unable to resist. "Is that why you left? They were too ethical for you?"
"It was not an area I was comfortable in," he said, spreading his arms wide. "As you can see, I'm more at home behind a desk."
"Do you think it could be a criminal gang encroaching on your turf?" It was possible that a rogue gang of organ traffickers had moved into the colony under their noses.
"You'd have to ask the leader of that particular group," Hugo said.
"But no one will tell me his name," I argued. "Makes the whole asking thing kinda difficult."
He nodded, thinking it over. "If you're sure this is a path you want to pursue, I'll put him in touch with you."
"Is he that dangerous?" I asked.
"They're all that dangerous," he replied darkly.
I wasn't worried. I had years of experience with humans scarier than the Mid-Atlantic Colony mobsters. Then again, I was a full-blown djinni at the time. Not much scared me.
"Here's my number." I showed him my phone.
"Noted," he said. "Anything else I can assist you with today?"
"There is. Any chance you've seen a scian? It's an O'Leary family heirloom and it's gone missing. He really wants it back. If I find it and return it to him, I actually get paid."
"I know the piece." He smirked. "O'Leary is fooling himself if he thinks that's an actual family heirloom. I told him as much when he showed it to us."
"He was parading it around?" I asked. "I thought he kept it tucked away in a vault or something."
"He usually does."
"Why did he bring it out? Was it his turn for Show and Tell?"
"Someone asked about it. They wanted to know about ancient djinn weapons."
"Do you remember who else was there?"
He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "His usual underlings, Niko and Mickey. Rocco Paretti, Luciano. Some other names I'd rather not mention."
"Maybe it was Rocco? He's the weapons dealer, right?"
Hugo grunted. "I do recall that Rocco was quite impressed with it. Talked about taking a group of us out to hunt Ghuls and Ifrits in the Badlands."
"Not up your alley, huh?"
He shrugged. "I don't like to get my hands dirty."
"Spoken like a true launderer." I placed my hands on the desk. "Thank you for your time, Hugo." Something occurred to me. Something that O'Leary had said. "Say, how's that mage working out for you?"
He blinked. "Mage? What mage?"
I tried to recall O'Leary's remark. "He said all you guys had mages now, like he has Pinky. It's the new trend."
Slowly, he shook his head. "I'm afraid I'm not the type of man to keep up with the latest fashions."
His short-sleeved polyester dress shirt confirmed his story. Hugo's shirt was straight out of the Seventies and not in a cool vintage way.
"I'll let you get back to your story," I said. "Spoiler alert -- Dracula is a vampire."
By the time I reached the corridor, his nose was already back in the book.
Chapter Seventeen
I left Spring Garden Street and was about to cross over the Ben Franklin Parkway when I sensed a presence. I looked behind me but nothing suspicious jumped out at me. The lunchtime crowd hustled to and fro.
My assailants were smart. They started at my ankles, swirling and winding around me in mist form until my feet failed me completely. Their forms hardened as they wrapped around me like a warm cocoon, rendering the rest of my body immobile.
"This is so rude," I said. "Would a pleasant hello be too much to ask for?"
They used their powers to veil me. Unless any nearby humans had a Third Eye, no one on the busy streets would be the wiser. They could kill me now and mount my corpse on top of the William Penn statue and no one would know how it got there.
"Would you mind shifting into a form I can communicate with?" I asked. I heard the note of irritation in my voice.
They must have had strict instructions not to engage. My vision blurred as they carried me at lightspeed. I didn't need to see where we were going, though, to know the destination.
When my vision cleared, I was in a private room, laden with gem-colored cushions and modern art on the walls. It seemed more like a serene, contemplative space than a Marida holding cell. Tessa would like it in here. I stretched out across the cushions and stared at the ceiling, which was adorned with a fresco depicting a scene from The Merchant and the Djinni. In the fresco, a djinni with a glowing sword and fire in his eyes towered over the merchant and three sheiks, ready to strike them down. Hmm. Maybe not so serene after all.
"Alyse Winters." The familiar rumbling voice jolted me to my feet.
Prince Simdan strolled into the room, trailed by a young Marid holding a tray of refreshments. He was immaculately dressed in a classic navy suit. The structure of the jacket was tailored for his slim build.
"Nice suit," I said. "Bespoke?" Suits off the rack never fit that well.
He seemed pleased that I noticed. "My tailor is in London. His work is exquisite. Martin is a true artist."
Prince Simdan easily could have conjured up his own perfectly tailored clothing, but Martin was his way of showing off his power and privilege. If he ever decided to shift into an animal, which I'd never seen him do, my money was on a peacock.
"You're very fortunate to have found someone so talented."
I had to admit, I was a little jealous. I'd been dressing like a deranged soccer mom since my arrival. I missed my beautiful designer clothes.
"Mint tea?" he asked, bowing toward the tray.
"No, thank you."
"I assure you it's perfectly safe." He smiled, baring his teeth. "After all, you're already where I want you. Are you not?"
I was, not that I had a choice in the matter. If it were up to me, I'd never set foot on royal soil again. Although I often called the prince a variety of colorful names, in truth, he frightened the shit out of me. I couldn't afford to show any weakness though, or he'd pounce. Others were often fooled by his cool demeanor, but I knew better. He was a ruthless bastard. That was how he maintained his control over the colony.
I accepted the ornate cup and saucer. It helped that I liked mint tea.
Prince Simdan raised the other cup to his thin lips and sipped. Then he nodded to the young Marid and she left the room. Great, a private audience with His Royal Jackass. Just how I hoped to spend my day.
"It is customary to pay your respects to the court when you are in my territory, yet you did not." His dark eyes remained pinned on me. "I have given you ample time to comply. What makes you think you are exempt from our rules?"
"I didn't arrive here of my own volition," I explained. "And I have no intention of staying."
A look of surprise passed across his features, but it disappeared quickly, replaced by his usual penetrating gaze. He took another dainty sip of tea.
"You should have informed us of your situation, Alyse," he said with a nod toward my copper bracelets. It seemed a mild rebuke, but something about his expression made me uneasy.
"It's temporary," I said with a dismissive wave. "Some kind of misunderstanding. As soon as I get to the bottom of it, these cuffs will be off and I will be too." From my lips to the gods' ears.
"I see." He set down his cup and saucer on a nearby cushion. I hoped it didn't tip over. I knew for a fact the prince didn't handle stained silk with restraint.
"You should consider adding a few tables in this room," I said. "The cushions are pretty, but the room isn't practical."
"That depends on what you think the purpose of this room is," he said.
My gaze swept around the room again. I'd never been in here before. Sumptuous cushions and a violent fresco. A place to repent? I had no idea and I had the sense that Prince Simdan wasn't about to tell me. It would spoil his fun. He liked being the smartest djinni in the room and I'd get no marks for proving otherwise.
"Your decision to join the Shadow Elite was rather a shock for us," he said, his hands clasped behind his back. "We had such high hopes for you after the Academy. More than a few of us expected you to run PAN one day, a position that would benefit the entire caste."
My gut told me this was more than a stern lecture.
"That's the funny thing about free will," I said with an impertinent shrug. Show no weakness.
His focus moved to the ceiling and remained there for more than a minute. I wondered if he was checking for mistakes. I wouldn't want to be the artist if he found one.
"Do you know the story of The Merchant and the Djinni?"
"I think it's a Marida requirement. We don't get our blue auras without it," I said.
Prince Simdan didn't smile. Then again, it was probably for the best. When he showed his teeth, it usually meant he was about to rip your head off.
"Then you know it is a story of a man who escapes his fate."
"I do." The merchant in the story accidentally killed the djinni's son and the djinni vowed revenge. With the help of three old men and their captivating stories, however, they convinced the angry djinni to spare the merchant's life.
"I must confess to having a certain admiration for such resourceful creatures."
"Hence the artwork," I said, lifting my chin toward the ceiling.
"Do you know how I discovered your presence here?" the prince asked.
"I've had a lot on my plate," I replied. "Not too much time for quiet contemplation." I spread my arms wide. "I could use a room like this one to help me out."
"You are welcome to use this room whenever it pleases you. You are one of us, after all."
"I'll keep it in mind." A very far, very dark corner of my mind.
"It might interest you to know we received an inquiry. I disregarded it at first. I thought that if you were here and in trouble, surely you would come to us." He sniffed. "Naturally, we set out to determine the truth of the matter." He made a show of looking me up and down. "As I can now attest, you are undeniably present and accounted for."
"Who made the inquiry?" I asked. I already knew it was Captain Halo, but I wanted to see if he'd tell me the truth. I also wanted to poke the hornet's nest and see if anything nasty came out. If I was in deep shit, I needed to know sooner rather than later.
"I am not at liberty to say."
"Did you consider that the source of the inquiry may be the very party responsible for slapping these cuffs on me and sending me back here?"
The prince eyed me coolly.
"I will tell you this, Alyse Winters. I strongly suggest that you maintain a low profile for as long as possible. Do not give your enemies any reason to come here, not when your current state is so vulnerable."
"I've been trying to lay low, but I have a bad habit of turning up at murder scenes at inopportune moments. You don't happen to know anything about that, do you?"
"I do not. The murders of non-djinn are not my concern."
"So you've heard about them."
"Philadelphia is the seat of my colony. Of course I have heard." It was the closest he came to snapping at me. So I could be a snarky bitch about everything except his power. His control. Typical monarch.
"I am willing to offer you protection, Alyse, should you require it."
"I'm waiting for the oth
er Prada shoe to drop." Prince Simdan didn't do anything without a tactical reason.
He smiled. "Naturally, you would need to return to court."
We both knew he could force me if he wanted to. Instead, he was leaving the decision to me. Interesting. Well, I'd rather be dead than return to court, not that I'd say that to him. The prince would clear his schedule for the rest of the day to arrange it.
"I assure you that your quarters here would be far superior to the cramped rooms above the..." He cleared his throat. "The sex shop."
"It doesn't sell actual sex, you know," I said. "Just the clothes and toys. You should drop in one of these days. I'm sure Farah would offer you a discount."
His smile faded. I wasn't going to play his game and he knew it.
"Should you change your mind, you know how to reach me."
"Click my heels three times and wish myself here?"
His dark eyes narrowed and I caught a flash of anger. He really disliked it when things didn't go his way. As it happened, I never went his way.
"My guards will return you to your hovel. Heed my advice, Alyse. Do not venture far from our borders. If someone powerful is on the hunt for you, trust me, you do not wish to be found."
He clapped his hands and two guards appeared to escort me back to South Street. The prince left the room without a backward glance. I'd pissed him off. Nothing new there.
I glanced at the guards as they shifted into mist and worked their magic on me again. The scared part of me felt like a fool for rejecting the court's help. The Marida were my caste, after all, and I was not in a strong bargaining position. The smart part of me recognized, though, that the prince could not be trusted. If he wanted me to volunteer to be placed under his royal thumb, there was a reason. It sure as hell wasn't because he cared.
Even if the scared part of me won out, I wouldn't last long in the prince's retinue. I much preferred kicking ass to kissing it and that didn't go down well at court. I learned that nugget at an early age.
Shadow and light returned me to Farah's quickly and in one piece. I trudged up the steps to the apartment in a funk. I had hoped to duck in and out of town without alerting the Marida court to my presence. Grab some cash, make a few calls and sort out the nightmare that had become my life. Of course, I never expected to be stuck here like a T-Rex in a tar pit. And now the prince knew I was here, which pretty much guaranteed he would keep tabs on me. Well, he'd have to fight Niko and Mickey for the honor.
Spellbinding Starters Page 31
