"I usually work out at home," I said, attempting to fend him off. "He," I nodded toward Kory, "made me come with him today."
Kory chose that moment to walk toward me. Reception jock backed away. Kory had his shirt off and his abs put reception jock's to shame.
"We'll shower at home," Kory said, snatching his towel from a nearby bench. I struggled into my jacket on our way out the door; Kory stomped along as if he were itching for a fight.
The ride home was silent, except for engine and road noise. I couldn't have said if asked directly whether I appreciated Kory's jealousy. A part of me enjoyed his reaction; another part insisted that I take care of myself.
"I'm getting a headache," I announced, just before we turned up my street.
"Noted," Kory grimaced.
* * *
"Look, I didn't realize that would happen," Kory settled on the barstool next to mine. I was wrapped in the biggest, softest robe I had after showering and washing my hair. A hot cup of tea was in my hands, but I stared blankly into space without drinking.
"I really didn't expect it, either. I'm just not used to that. Is it awful that I wanted to knee him in the crotch?"
"No," he chuckled. "I'd have enjoyed that."
"Me, too." I smiled as I sipped my tea.
* * *
Kordevik
Mason always wakes the moment the sun drops below the horizon. He drinks bagged blood before joining the rest of us. Tonight, he had news when he walked into the kitchen.
"I just heard from Klancy," he sighed. "Mike and the woman have disappeared from the hospital."
Granger had fired another volley. I worried that two bodies would be found eventually. He had no use for humans if they betrayed him in any way, so their prognosis wasn't good.
Chapter 8
Lexsi
Kory drove me to the hospital, where Farin and Rick were already waiting for information. Barricades were set up to keep the curious and uninvolved away from the hospital doors.
After a few minutes, Tiburon joined Farin as we sat at a nearby coffee shop, hoping for good news to come from sporadic news conferences given by the Hospital Administrator and local Chief of Police.
When I saw Chet and Jesse arrive without a reporter to set up in the space allotted for news crews, Kory and I walked outside to join them. I expected one of the weekend crew to report on the disappearances but so far, nobody had come.
"This is something Vann would have jumped on," Chet remarked as he fussed with the camera on its tripod.
"Didn't they tell you who was coming?" I asked.
"Hannah was supposed to meet us. As you can see, she's not here." Chet was disenchanted with the news diva already.
"Let me call Lee," I said, pulling my cell out and punching his number.
"Lexsi?" Lee said the moment he answered my call. "Are you at the scene? Good. I just heard from Hannah—she's stuck behind an accident on the Bay Bridge. Look, I know it'll be awkward for you later, but get in front of the camera to let our viewers know what's going on. The switchboard is lighting up at the station with complaints pouring in."
"All right," I said, working to keep the shudder from my voice. "I'll do what I can."
It was difficult doing the reports with very little prep time, but I got through them. Eventually, Farin, Tiburon and Rick joined Kory on the sidewalk nearby while I told viewers what I knew—or at least what I could report.
It wouldn't do, after all, to tell them that a vampire was likely behind the kidnappings and that things didn't look good for either victim. Twice, we cut to quick interviews with police, who still had nothing to report, and interspersed that with one-on-ones with employees from the hospital.
The police had already acknowledged that Vann was killed and Mike cut and beaten after reporting on the same incident—concerning an initial bar fight and ultimately ending in the bar exploding and then burning down.
I reported that there'd been no word from the Fire Marshall as to the cause of the explosion and subsequent fire, and likely it would take several more weeks before any findings could be released. Forensics experts were going over both hospital rooms, hoping to find evidence; then we learned that at least one other hostage had been taken, too.
A young man working with the housekeeping staff was missing, and he'd last been reported on the same floor as both victims' rooms.
* * *
Kordevik
Lexsi did an outstanding job, explaining the information she'd received from the police, then pulling in the Fire Marshall's office after Clawdia's was mentioned in the press conference by the Chief of Police. She stayed in contact with the weekend crew at the station, who were busy setting up and interviewing hospital employees and other witnesses at the hospital around the time of the suspected kidnappings.
Hannah didn't show until nearly midnight, hissing like a coiled snake. She snatched the microphone from Lexsi during a lull and went to work, although she began by fabricating speculative bullshit.
"We're done, here," I grabbed Lexsi's hand and pulled her away. The others followed us across the street to the coffee shop, which remained open to serve news crews and others who'd gathered for progress reports.
"They're not going to find them," Tiburon muttered. Farin held onto his arm and began weeping. He comforted her in Spanish while Rick looked pale and defeated. He'd visited Mike that afternoon in the hospital, when everything seemed fine.
Things were no longer fine.
Lexsi looked weary. If I thought she wouldn't protest, I'd have lifted her and carried her to the Jeep. Instead, I traded her hand for an arm around her shoulders and held her up as best I could while we walked six blocks to my vehicle.
Mason wasn't there when we got back to the house; Anita had waited up to tell us he'd gone hunting for clues to the kidnappings. Watson had also gone out—to tend bar at the new place in Oakland. If I weren't so tired, I'd have gone to Oakland, too, looking for a fight.
Perhaps I was imagining things, but it didn't get past me that these kidnappings had happened the night after Granger, the Romes and Claudia had gotten together. "Come on, onion, it's time for bed," I led Lexsi toward her bedroom.
Anita lifted an eyebrow but didn't comment. Lexsi was pushed gently inside her suite; I shut the door with a sigh and went looking for a few shots of bourbon before I dropped face-first onto my bed across the hall.
* * *
Lexsi
Lee looked like he'd been through a shredder when I arrived in his office the following morning. "Am I fired?" I blurted. Judging from Hannah's dark looks the night before, it would come as no surprise.
"No. She was on the phone with the Romes this morning, telling them she was planning to let you go—they told her she couldn't fire you because you held the network together last night while she was stuck in traffic."
"I'll bet she's happy about that," I muttered, lowering my gaze and allowing my shoulders to sag in relief.
"She shut up about it," Lee said. "Look, you probably know already that I have another job to go to in a couple of weeks. This is between you and me," he lowered his voice. "If you find yourself in need of a job, you have my number. I'd hire you any day." He turned back to his computer, letting me know the unscheduled meeting was over.
"Thank you," I whispered before walking out the door.
* * *
Hannah didn't hand me a single insult all day, but she gave me nasty looks to make up for it. She also refused to follow up on the investigations on the dead seals found in the bay and the Ravens' murders.
Both those decisions came as no surprise to me—Lee was leaving and it was her call to make. Any answers that came could link both those things back to the Romes, if my hunches were correct. Instead, I did research all day long for Hannah, regarding the kidnappings and subsequent lack of clues and evidence.
One thing did stand out, however.
Not once did she ask me to contact Claudia Platt regarding the role her bar may have played in
Vann's death and Mike's disappearance.
The police were still attempting to connect the dots on the young woman who'd also been taken. I was at a loss to explain that, too, but suspected that Watson knew something. Unofficial word was she'd been attacked not far from Clawdia's Bar and a Good Samaritan took her to the hospital. Watson tended bar at Clawdia's before it was destroyed, and was now employed as a bartender at the new place, which I didn't have a name for. All of this was connected in some way—it had to be.
I worried, too, at times, that Granger knew of my involvement in getting Mike and Rick out of Clawdia's before it exploded and burned. I couldn't tell when I met him at Hannah's party; he'd given nothing away during our brief encounter.
Why were the Romes protecting my job? That also concerned me a great deal. It couldn't be because I made good martinis; I got the idea that Laurel was running the show anyway, so this was likely her decision.
Too many things didn't make sense, but I did plan on one course of action; I intended to get the name of the new bar, its location and find who was registered as its owner. I'd bet my salary for a year that Claudia Platt's name was nowhere near that property deed.
I'd also bet that her fingerprints and that of a certain vampire were all over it. I didn't speculate about the Rome's involvement, although I suspected it, too.
What the hell were they doing, and why the hell were people dying or being kidnapped because of it?
* * *
"We're having dinner with Farin and Tibby on Friday," Anita announced as she walked into the kitchen. She'd gotten home seconds after I did. I sat at the kitchen island, having a glass of wine while contemplating what to cook for dinner.
"She got to you, didn't she?" I accused, wagging a finger at Anita.
"Farin's overflowing with exuberance," Anita said. "Have more of that?" she jerked her chin toward my wineglass.
"Yeah. Have a seat. I'll pour."
"It's only Monday," Anita observed as she dropped onto a barstool. I pushed a glass of the red I was having toward her. She accepted it with a grateful nod.
"Yeah," I agreed. "The Romes told Hannah she couldn't fire me, so I'm still employed. If her looks could kill, though," I shrugged and lifted the wineglass to my lips.
"The Romes are involved?"
"For now. I suspect they're involved in all kinds of shit, they're just hiding it."
"What's your plan of action?" Anita lifted her glass in a toast before drinking.
"I intend to find where Claudia Platt opened her new bar, and whose name is on the deed for said bar. My bet is that it's a shell corporation or some other, inane entity, meant to mislead us."
"But we have to find it, first, before we can check the records for the listed owner."
"Yeah."
"What's for dinner?"
"I don't have much in the fridge. I really needed to make a run to the store yesterday, but you see how those plans went astray."
"Yep. See that, all right."
"You think I can get away with hopping to the store and back, without anybody asking questions?"
"I will defend your secret to the death," Anita drank more wine.
"Cool. Be back in a few." I grabbed my purse off the island and skipped to the local grocery store.
* * *
Kordevik
"We've got to stop meeting like this," I told Watson when he climbed into the Jeep.
"Sorry, man, but I still don't have the insurance money from my car after Clawdia's blew up. All that's under investigation, so they won't pay my claim until everything is cleared up."
"At least you're working the day shift," I said as I pulled into Oakland traffic. So far, Watson had arranged for me to pick him up far away from the new bar, and he hadn't given me the new address.
I figured it was at Claudia's orders. I hoped he hadn't told her I was the one giving him rides home, and that she wasn't having him followed for any reason. I hadn't noticed anyone suspicious on our drives to San Rafael, but that didn't mean it couldn't happen.
Something about all this was making my Thifilathi's scales itch. It wasn't a comfortable feeling, either. I'd never been forced to solve mysteries, before; I'd only gone where I was sent to fight whatever I was ordered to fight.
Our current situation was definitely forcing me out of my comfort zone.
"Is Lexsi cooking?" Watson interrupted my thoughts.
"No idea." I connected to her cell phone through the hands-free, just to ask.
"I'm making seafood stew," she said. Her words were accompanied by the sounds of stirring and pots and pans being moved about.
"That doesn't sound good," Watson whined.
"We'll be there soon," I said and ended the call. "You're in for a treat," I turned to Watson. "If this seafood stew is what I'm expecting, you'll be over the moon about it."
* * *
Lexsi
Kory timed his arrival very well; the stew was just coming off the stove when he and Watson walked in. I hadn't had time to put fresh-baked bread together, so I'd bought the best I could at the store deli. The loaves were hot and ready to be buttered when we sat down to eat.
I thought Watson was going to howl with joy after his first bowl. He ended up eating three large bowls of seafood stew, with generous hunks of buttered bread. Kory laughed at him—they sat on the same side of the island, where Watson ate with the enthusiasm of a very hungry pup.
Anita didn't say anything, but she did push the plate of bread in Watson's direction. She hid a smile as she did it, too.
"Dude, are they working you that hard?" Mason wandered into the kitchen. Sunset had arrived and the vampire was awake. I found it comforting that we had a natural clock to announce that event in a polite and subtle fashion.
Mason had commented on Watson's appetite and the increasing pile of bread crumbs around his plate.
"Moving barrels out of an old winery," he lifted his bottle of beer to salute the vampire. "Heavy shit," he added. "Claudia wants the whole thing cleared out; some of that stuff has been there for ages."
"She moving?" Kory asked.
"Yeah. Said she wanted to get out of the Bay area for a while."
"No doubt," Anita said. "Otherwise, we might detect the stench of singed fur."
"She's my boss," Watson pointed his spoon at Anita.
"Yeah, I get that. My question is this—why is she your boss?"
"Not talking about that." Watson rose abruptly and strode to the dishwasher to place his bowl and spoon inside.
Don't upset him—we may need his help, I sent to Anita.
I know—I just can't figure him out, she replied. He seems like a good guy, yet he's working for, well, that.
I know. At least I'll be able to tell if he ever lies to us about any of that.
True.
"Excellent meal, onion," Kory said, breaking me away from my silent conversation with Anita.
"Why, thank you, Single J," I gave him a smile.
"Hey, now," he grinned. Honestly, when he smiled, I could definitely understand why Hannah wanted her red-polished hooks in his underwear.
"Sex is natural," Uncle Aurelius always said. "There's nothing to be ashamed of." I knew he was right, but still I'd never been tempted.
Until now, that is, and it was with someone that my family wouldn't approve of. Lifting my bowl from the island, I headed for the dishwasher. I could see and hear the conversation with my father now.
Dad, I think I want to have sex with a human.
I figured the fireworks would commence after that. In his mind, humans were not only weak, but short-lived, while I was of an immortal race.
Not a good pairing.
Besides, sex could complicate everything. Perhaps it was better to back away from Kory, because we had mysteries to solve. In a very plural sense.
* * *
Kory knocked on my bedroom door the following morning, at an unacceptable hour. "Get your stuff together, we'll go to the gym close to the station," he said. "I'l
l take you to breakfast afterward."
"Will there be more of those," I didn't know what to call them.
"The people there at this hour are only interested in getting their sweat on. They're not looking for a date."
"Awesome. Let me get my stuff."
He was right. Nobody bothered either of us and I was grateful. I got through my workout, realized I was still sore from Sunday's exercise and worked through it anyway. Uncle Sal would be disappointed if I hadn't.
Breakfast came next, and I had to admit I didn't mind sitting across the table from Kory, who knew exactly what he wanted to eat and ordered it with coffee. I had eggs and toast, with coffee. He got me to work in plenty of time, but had to drive Fiona Hall to the downtown offices right away.
Perhaps she knew the others talked about her and her long-term affair with an exec, but chose to ignore it. I merely hoped the exec's wife was fully informed and accepting of it; if she weren't and found out, trouble would surely come.
"They found the third kidnap victim in a field outside Vichy Springs," Lee said, handing me a thumb drive as I walked toward my cubicle. "See what you can make of that information. Hannah isn't here yet," he added. "Probably won't be for another two or three hours."
"On it," I nodded.
The early-morning crew had already reported on the sketchy information released by the police, and a reporter was in Vichy Springs, hoping for updates. Lee wanted information to feed to Hannah for the evening news.
Stuffing the thumb drive into my computer, I settled in with a cup of coffee to see what we had so far.
* * *
Kordevik
I'm worried, Watson texted.
About what?
About the body found east of Vichy Springs, came the reply. No, it's not close to Claudia's new place, so don't start with the speculation, he said. I heard from another source that prints were found around the body. Not human prints.
I'd already heard the story from Fiona—all the way to the downtown office building. How the third kidnap victim, who worked at the hospital, had been found in a field near Vichy Springs.
Hot Demon in the City (Latter Day Demons Book 1) Page 11
