“Is this true?” Fenris demanded, folding his arms over his broad chest. His yellow eyes narrowed, and I resisted the urge to arch a brow as he sized up Lakin. At times Fenris seemed to act more like the mages he lived with than the shifter he clearly was, but his territorial instincts were showing up loud and clear now.
“Not as many as there were when the drug dealing was rampant, but we had an incident just last week with a rabbit shifter,” Lakin said calmly. He met Fenris’s eyes, then lowered them ever so slightly – a submission he likely wouldn’t have granted if they’d been in Shiftertown instead of the Palace. “The Rabbit Clan ended up having to put him down.”
I winced at that. Rabbit shifters weren’t known for their ferocity, or for any sort of violence at all, really. They’d been bred as couriers and spies, not as warriors, and the idea of executing one of their own would be abhorrent to them.
“So, do we have any leads that might get us to the manufacturer?” I demanded. “This can’t continue.”
“The only lead we had was Petros Yantz, and as he is currently in the wind that is not much help to us,” Director Chen admitted. “I’ve assigned the case to the Main Crew, and am hoping they produce results soon.”
Anger bubbled up inside me at that, and I had to force myself to let it go. I wanted to demand that Iannis let me handle the investigation, but I couldn’t have that conversation with everybody else in the room, and besides, my plate was a little full with Sillara’s case right now.
“Well in the meantime, don’t you think we should do something to discourage shifters from buying the drugs?” I asked. “If we can’t stop them from being sold, maybe we can stop them from being bought.”
“What exactly do you have in mind?” Iannis asked, turning toward me, the interest clear in his voice.
“I’m not sure Miss Baine’s suggestion would be effective, at least not in the long run.” Director Chen commented. “Many shifters tend to be too impulsive to be easily deterred from the instant gratification narcotics provide.” I bristled at the condescending undertone to her voice.
“Director Chen,” Iannis warned, but before he could say any more, Lakin spoke up.
“What if we started an urban legend that these drugs cause impotence?”
“Huh.” Elnos tapped his chin, sounding mildly impressed. “That would only work against the male population, but still, it would be a start.”
“We could also spread a similar rumor about female infertility,” I said. “Who’s to say it’s not true, anyway? Silver will kill us in large enough doses; exposure to small quantities over a large period of time could produce all kinds of harmful side-effects.”
“That’s very plausible,” Elnos agreed, nodding. “It might even be true.”
“Excellent,” Iannis said. “Miss Baine and Inspector Lakin can spread the rumors, the sooner the better. In the meantime,” he turned to Director Chen, “I expect you to check in regularly with the Main Crew on their progress.”
“Yes sir.” Director Chen bowed.
“Good. You are dismissed.”
I turned to leave along with everyone else, but Iannis reached out and placed a hand on my bare shoulder. A tingle ran through my body at the skin on skin contact. “Wait.”
“What is it?” I turned toward him, hoping that he wouldn’t notice the blush stinging my cheeks. Iannis’s violet gaze swept me from head to toe, briefly lingering on the hint of cleavage peeking out from beneath my tank top’s neckline, and suddenly I wished I’d traded it in for something a little more loose-fitting.
“I wanted to ask about your progress regarding the banking scheme. Did your investigation turn up anything?”
“No.” Annoyance flickered in my chest. “I’ve been a little pre-occupied.” Truthfully I had completely forgotten about the bank – the shifter disappearances were more important, especially now that my cousin’s daughter was one of the victims.
“Well get it done today,” Iannis ordered. “You are running out of time.”
“Fine.” I wasn’t really sure why the Chief Mage was being so insistent about this when we had bigger things to worry about, but I wasn’t about to push my luck – he’d given me his trust when he allowed me to have the last few mornings off, and I needed to produce results or he wouldn’t do it again. “I’ll have a report to you by tomorrow morning.”
“Excellent. You are dismissed.”
I turned on my heel and left, hurrying to catch up with Lakin, who was already halfway down the hall.
“Hey,” he said as I fell into step with him. “What was that all about?”
I sighed. “The Chief Mage asked me to look into the interest-free loans Sandin Federal Bank has been offering shifters,” I told him. “He was just reminding me of my obligation, is all.”
“Sandin Federal Bank?” Lakin frowned. “You don’t say.”
I arched my brows at the tone of his voice. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“It could be nothing.” But Lakin didn’t sound so sure. “I went back to Nevin’s house yesterday afternoon to search it a bit more thoroughly, and I found loan documents from Sandin Federal Bank in his files. Looks like he’d taken advantage of one of the interest-free loans.”
“How long ago?”
“Last January, I think.”
“Hmm.” I pursed my lips. “So have lots of others. I’m not sure that’s enough to make a connection.”
“Still, it’s worth checking out, especially if the Chief Mage holds them in suspicion.” Lakin bumped my shoulder as we trotted down the front steps. “May as well kill two birds with one stone, right?”
“Good point.”
Before making our way to Shiftertown we stopped by Sandin Federal Bank, which, as a human-owned facility, was located in the heart of Maintown. It was a large limestone building with a green tiled roof, the name of the company displayed proudly across the front in gold block lettering. Large windows set into the outer walls allowed in plenty of light, and through them I could see that it was just as big on the inside as it was on the outside, with five teller windows and a number of desks and offices where bankers and clerks could help customers apply for loans.
Soft music playing from a set of speakers greeted us as we walked in, along with the strong scent of rich coffee coming from a station set up near the doorway. The station boasted a coffee pot, a tray of mugs and a platter of cookies, an enticing incentive for prospective customers to hang out in the visitors’ chairs and wait for one of the busy employees. And there were a lot of visitors, I noticed, glancing at the row of low red scoop chairs lining the wall to my left. Nearly all of them were occupied by shifters, and there were more people standing on the cream-colored tile of the lobby, also waiting for their shot at a loan.
“Good morning.” A curvy brunette human in a dark red skirt suit approached us, her shoes clicking on the polished tile. Her hair was pulled back from her heart-shaped face in a sleek chignon, her make-up expertly done. “Welcome to Sandin Federal Bank. My name is Aryn. Are you here to apply for one of our interest-free loans?”
“No,” I said, holding up my Enforcer’s bracelet before Lakin could speak. “We’re actually here to talk to your manager. Is he available?”
Annoyance flashed in the woman’s dark eyes, but she quickly covered it up with a warm smile. “I’m afraid Mr. Danrian is with a customer just now, but if you’d like to make an appointment –”
“Do you see this?” I demanded, shaking my wrist so that the bronze shield charm dangled in front of the woman’s pert nose. “This means I don’t need an appointment, and I don’t need to wait. Tell Mr. Danrian that Enforcer Sunaya Baine and Shiftertown Inspector Boon Lakin are here to see him, now.”
Aryn snapped her mouth shut. “Very well,” she said curtly. “Please wait here a moment.” She turned on her heel and walked briskly across the room, her hips swaying in time to the motion.
“Nice,” Lakin murmured as he turned away to help himself to a cup of coffee.
“You don’t seem to have any problem being intimidating.”
“It’s a job requirement.” Giving in to temptation, I snagged a chocolate-covered cookie from the platter, then popped the entire thing in my mouth so I wouldn’t risk getting crumbs on my shirt. I wasn’t going to walk into an interview with pieces of cookie on me – that was just unprofessional, especially when the cookies belonged to your suspect.
I turned around just as Aryn returned. “Mr. Danrian will see you now.”
“Excellent,” I quipped, mimicking the Chief Mage’s tone. Lakin choked on his coffee next to me, and I bit back a grin as we followed Aryn to a corner office in the rear of the building. The walls were made entirely of glass, the privacy shades raised so that anyone passing by had a perfect view of the interior – and it was a nice interior, with gold-framed photographs hanging from the cream walls, and honey-wood furniture that glowed beneath the light streaming in through the bay window.
“Good morning,” the manager said coolly, standing up from behind his acre-wide desk. He was wearing a tan-colored suit with a green linen shirt that was a few shades darker than his tie. “I’m Warin Danrian, the regional manager.”
“I’m Shiftertown Inspector Lakin, and this is Enforcer Baine,” Lakin said before I had a chance to respond – guess he was getting tired of me making the introductions. “We’re investigating a crime, and we need to ask you a couple of questions.”
“I see,” Danrian said calmly, but he couldn’t quite wipe the irritation from his expression. “Are they the kind of questions that couldn’t have waited a few more minutes? I was in the middle of helping a client with an important business deal.”
“One of those interest-free loans?” I asked lightly, plucking one of the packets of paperwork from a basket hanging from the wall to my left. “The ones that are so popular in Shiftertown these days?”
Danrian’s eyes narrowed as a crafty gleam entered them. “If you two are interested, we can fill out preliminary paperwork today.” He gestured to the packet in my hands.
“We are interested, but not for ourselves.” Lakin took a seat in one of the visitor’s chairs without invitation, and I followed suit. “Why don’t you sit down, Mr. Danrian, so we can go over it?”
“Alright.” The manager seated himself in the buttery leather chair behind his desk. “Well get on with it, then. What is this all about?”
Lakin pulled a photo from one of the many pockets of his coat. “Do you recognize this man?”
Something flashed in Danrian’s eyes as he glanced down at the photo, a dark skinned, dark haired man with Sandian features. “What about him?”
“His name is Nevin Rindar,” Lakin said. “He’s a reporter for the Shifter Courier. And he came to you for a loan back in January.”
The manager scoffed. “January? Do you have any idea how many shifters we’ve helped with loans over the past six months? You can’t expect me to remember all of them.”
“But you do remember him, don’t you?” I leaned forward to pin the manager with my gaze. “I saw your eyes when you looked at the photo – you recognized the face.”
“It’s vaguely familiar,” the manager said stiffly. “It’s possible that I helped him with a loan, or that any of my staff did so. As I said, we’ve helped out many shifters.”
I scowled – he wasn’t lying, my nose and my hearing told me that much, but I could tell he was dancing around something.
“I’m not sure how much your loan ‘helped’ Nevin Rindar,” Lakin said pointedly. “He’s gone missing in the last two months, vanished without a trace, possibly even dead.”
“And that’s my fault how?” Danrian demanded.
“I haven’t said it is,” Lakin said patiently. “But nevertheless, I would like to know more about these loans you’re offering.”
“And not just what you tell the public either,” I snapped.
“I don’t know what there is to tell,” Danrian said, but sweat had broken out across his upper lip, and I could smell the lie.
“Listen, asshole.” I slapped my hand on the polished wood of his desk to draw his attention. “I don’t know if anyone’s ever told you this, but it’s not a good idea to lie to shifters. Especially ones who have the ability to throw you in jail for a night or two.”
“Alright, alright!” Danrian cried. He swiped a hand across his square face. “What do you want to know?”
“Why are you offering such favorable terms to shifters specifically?” I demanded. “As far as I can tell you’re not offering interest-free loans to humans or mages, which doesn’t make sense because they have more money. What do you get out of signing shifters up?”
“We get bonuses for every shifter that signs up!” Danrian exclaimed. “Especially if they have houses or property to pledge as security. It’s been a win-win situation on both ends ever since Sandin Federal Bank has started up the program. Hundreds of shifters have been signing up every day across the country!”
“Clearly,” Lakin snapped, impatience burning in his reddish-yellow eyes, “but why? Why are you being offered incentives?”
“You’ll have to ask the home office about that,” the manager said stiffly. “They’re the ones who’ve been sending out the orders.”
“Oh, so it’s some big mysterious hand pulling strings behind the curtain again?” I wrinkled my nose. This entire thing stank of the Benefactor’s involvement – as with the silver murders, Yantz had been the instrument, but he’d been following someone else’s orders.
Danrian’s eyes flashed again. “I would suggest you watch your tone, Enforcer Baine. Sandin Federal Bank has some very powerful investors. It would be unwise to upset any of them with baseless accusations.”
“Oh really?” I stood up, then flattened my palms on the desk as I leaned across it, shoving my nose into Danrian’s face. The man’s eyes widened, and he leaned back in his chair to put some distance between us. “Well you might have some bigwigs behind you, but I’ve got the Chief Mage behind me, and he’s very interested in your bank’s activities, Mr. Danrian.” I bared my teeth into a vicious grin. “If I were you, I’d be careful that you haven’t ‘accidentally’ gotten yourself into anything illegal.”
Danrian’s cheeks mottled. “How dare you throw around accusations like that in my office!’ He leapt to his feet. “Unless either of you plan on arresting me, I demand that you leave. Now.”
“No worries,” Lakin said, curling a hand into the fabric of my shirt and gently pulling me backward. “We’ve got another interview coming up, so we’ll be on our way.” He stood up, releasing my shirt as he did so. “We’ll be back if we have more questions.”
“Naturally,” Danrian’s voice was like ice. “I do wish you the best of luck in your investigation.”
“Of course you do,” I said as I followed Lakin out the door. I turned back for just a moment to wink at Danrian, who was watching us with a stony expression. “Have a nice day.” While it lasts, I added to myself silently. I didn’t know what Danrian was hiding from us yet, but I was going to find out, and once I did I was going to ruin his week.
12
After we left the bank, I asked Lakin to go off to Shiftertown without me to spread the impotence rumors, then turned my wheels in the direction of the Palace. This whole business with the bank was nagging at me, and while the Chief Mage would probably be too busy to go over it with me until tomorrow, there was someone else I could ask in the meantime.
I found Fenris in the Palace Library – a huge room that could have easily fit the entire Shifter Courier building inside the bookshelves that stood in rows in the middle of the room and lined the walls, so tall they nearly touched the soaring ceiling. He was sitting toward the front, buried in a dusty leather tome written entirely in Loranian, and I arched a brow. Not for the first time, I wondered how it was that Fenris was fluent in the magical language, when most shifters weren’t. Yes, he spent a lot of time around Iannis, but I wasn’t sure that explained it… not to mention that
their friendship itself was highly unusual. Nobody seemed to question it, but it was unheard of for a mage of Iannis’s rank to be such close friends with any shifter, especially a clanless one.
“Whatcha reading there?” I asked casually, wandering up beside him.
“Sunaya!” Fenris’s head shot up, surprise flickering in his yellow eyes. Several of the mages sitting at the other tables shot us dirty looks for disturbing the silence of the library, and Fenris winced.
“Sorry,” I muttered, lowering my voice as I sat down in the chair across from him. “Didn’t mean to startle you. You must’ve really been into that book.” That was the only explanation I could come up with – Fenris was a wolf shifter, and like me he had a heightened sense of smell and hearing. In his place I would have already known I was here before I’d spoken.
“Yes, well, it’s fascinating stuff.” Fenris closed the book gently, then pushed it to the side, spine facing away so that I couldn’t read the title. I wondered if he’d done that on purpose, but now was not the time to ask – I’d just draw myself off-track, and it wasn’t really my business anyway. “What are you doing back at the Palace? It’s not even eleven o’clock, and it’s not like you to be early.”
“Gee thanks.” I stuck my tongue out at Fenris, and he grinned a little. “Actually, I’m here because I was hoping you might be able to help me with the investigation the Chief Mage put me on earlier this week.”
“You mean about the bank loans being given out to shifters?” Interest lit Fenris’s dark eyes. “What can I do to help?”
“Well,” I said, propping my elbows on the table and folding my hands beneath my chin, “Inspector Lakin and I went to Sandin Federal today to question the bank manager about the loans, and he said that hundreds of shifters have been signing up every day. But when I thought about it, I realized that’s got to be a ridiculous amount of gold they’re giving out. From what Lakin’s heard around town the average loan amount is something like three hundred pieces of gold.”
Bound by Magic: a New Adult Fantasy Novel (The Baine Chronicles Book 2) Page 11
