Bauer put his hands into his jacket pockets. It was no Baroni, probably a Men’s Warehouse special, but it still looked nice. His wife really knew how to adjust them to fit. Today he was wearing soft gold tweed. It made his skin look like chocolate.
“I just came in. Thought I would wait. Everything went fine. Creyal met with Lemmons again this morning with the A.D.A. and he was a total gentleman.”
“Total gentleman?”
Bauer laughed. “Okay, maybe that was a little too generous. But he didn’t hit anyone, bite anyone, and he only made one request for someone to bleed, and took the rejection better than most.”
“So what happened?”
“The A.D.A. took your suggestion and gave him six months mandatory counseling. Lemmons got him ninety days in a communal prison. If he behaves himself, he’ll do thirty days at the most. If he agrees to work as an informant, and gets us a few locations, he’ll never see a day.”
This was good.
Haley said, “He’ll do it.”
“How do you know?”
“He’s mid-ranked at the most. Doing time, even thirty days, could potentially kill him.” And no matter how bad things got, dying wasn’t something Kin embraced.
Haley tried not to think of Niles and how he’d begged her to kill him.
But then, he’d also imagined a Brother.
A knock on her door made her look up. Claire poked her little blond head in and tossed her eyes back and forth between them. Haley started to tell her to get lost, but Bauer excused himself before she could use him as an excuse not to talk.
“I’m busy, Claire.” Haley turned to her desk and moved papers around. By the look on Claire’s face, and the way she smelled, things must have not gone so well last night. But she didn’t leave. In fact little-miss-secretary just invited herself right in and shut the door.
This was it.
The coming to Jesus moment where Claire would to cry all over Haley and demand to know if she and Farley were sleeping together.
Which was a capital Y-E-S.
Haley put down the file she’d been pretending to look through and faced the woman. Her cornflower eyes couldn’t quite meet the Haley’s stare. Haley sat back on the edge of her desk, crossed her arms and waited for Claire to get on with the show.
Her small bird-like hands fluttered and her thin face flushed until her nose glowed.
This was it. Any moment. Waiting ... waiting...
The dam burst and the tears spilled out. Right behind it was a flood of vocabulary, butchered by sobbing. Haley could only catch bits and pieces, something about movies, dinner, friends, birthdays and bitch. She gathered the bitch must have been a reference to her.
Haley handed Claire a couple of Kleenex from the box on her desk when it became obvious her sweater sleeve just wasn’t cut out for the job. Claire blew her nose into the extra aloe silky-softs, doing a very good impression of a goose.
Claire hiccupped.
“Claire, I’m sorry.” Haley stood up and handed her another half-dozen tissues. “I’ll tell you what I tell all the women who come in here crying. Farley is Kin. He’s never going to offer you a ring. He’s never going want to meet your parents. And he sure as hell is never going to get married. He’ll have all the sex you want, whenever you want, but you’re Human and I’m Kin--” The slap came out of nowhere. Just one hard blow which set Haley’s cheek on fire. She slid her gaze over to Claire. Haley touched her hand to her lip to check for blood. It was clean. “I think you’d better leave now.”
“Whore!”
Farley was right. When Claire was mad, her voice did sound remarkably like a cat caught in a blender.
Claire swung her hand, but this time Haley caught the woman’s wrist.
Haley stepped forward until they were toe to toe. In two inch heels, they were the same height.
“As I was saying...” Haley gave Claire a little shake to emphasize each word. “Farley will fuck you, every day if you want it, but you cannot give him what he needs. You will never be able to give him what he needs. He can only get that from his own people. If you can’t stand the idea of him sleeping in my bed, or in the beds of other Males ... look at me ... that’s right, Males. If you can’t share him, then don’t initiate any relationship. He knows how to take no for an answer.”
The tears flowed again and Claire’s bottom lip trembled. Haley let her go, and Claire rocked back cradling her wrist.
“But why last night? Of all nights to keep him away from me...” What? “It was my birthday, Haley. It was my birthday, and instead of being with me, he stayed the night with you.” She burst again, crying all over the place.
Haley rewound what she said and shook her head.
“Claire, Farley didn’t stay at my place last night.”
“Liar!”
“Look, Claire, Farley doesn’t turn down free sex. Trust me. If he had plans for an all-nighter with you he would have been there.” Haley stepped back, trying to think.
“He wasn’t with you?”
Haley frowned. “No. Did you call him?”
“Are you sure he wasn’t with you?” She sounded worried now. Like maybe she should have been more concerned for her date, instead of wallowing in her own self-pity.
“No ... no ... do you have your cell phone?” Claire shook her head. Haley looked around her office. Her briefcase was on the floor next to her chair. Garrett had lived up to his promise--now hopefully her phone hadn’t gotten lost in the melee. She found it in the pocket where she kept her pens. It looked intact and the battery was still good.
Praise Nokia.
Haley quick keyed Farley’s cell phone number and the line rang. If he didn’t show at Claire’s, it meant he’d probably never left his apartment. “Did you tell Garrett that Farley didn’t show up?” The look on Claire’s face suggested she would have died first. Haley rolled her eyes. “Look, go tell Garrett that...” The line picked up. Haley expected voicemail or Farley, but what she got was a Male voice she didn’t recognize.
“Medan was wondering when you’d call.” His Olde Tongue accent was heavy.
Haley said, “Who is this?”
The Male laughed. The sound suggested bad things done in dark places.
“Names aren’t important. Her Greatness is very disappointed in you, Haley Night.”
Haley looked up at Claire, who stared at her with wide eyes. Haley said, “Where is Farley?” The Male growled. There was a shuffling sound, then a rattled breath. “Farley?” She could barely say his name.
“Hey...” There was a lot of pain in that one syllable. Haley felt her heart stutter and leaned on her desk. Before Farley could say anything else, the unknown Male came back over the line.
“Why are you doing this?” Haley tried to think of protocol. Who did she need to inform? Who should she call? But her brain refused to form an organized thought. All she could think of was Farley’s pitiful voice sounding ... broken.
“The Queen requested your presence and you denied her.” The Male made a clicking sound in the back of his throat.
“I didn’t deny her!” Not yet, anyways. “I just got the email yesterday.”
“And yet you are still not here.” Someone whimpered in the background.
“The email didn’t exactly have a date and time. Look, tell Medan--”
The Male snarled and Farley screamed. “You will address her properly or this conversation is over.”
“Okay ... I beg forgiveness.” Haley’s hands shook. She closed her eyes and pleaded with the God of Man to listen just this once. “Tell ... Her Majesty, that as an employee of the CFKR, I have been restricted to certain areas of the city. I’m not allowed in the Dens without clearance.” The Male on the other end was quiet and so was Farley.
The he said, “The Queen is impressed with your survival among the Chetrah. She will grant you forgiveness...” Haley slid to her knees. “But you will come to the Dens.”
“Yes...” Haley slumped against the desk. “Y
es, I’ll come to the Dens, but I have to have time to talk with my boss.”
The Male was quiet again. “She will allow you to speak with your dominant. But do not take advantage of her kindness.”
Kindness? Kindness would have been a warning. Or maybe even a threat.
Haley said, “Where should I meet with her?”
“The Pit.” The Male said it like Haley should have known.
“What time?”
“Dark.”
“Can I speak to Farley? If Her Majesty should so desire it? Please?” There was the sound of movement again. The scream which came over the line was so loud Haley had to hold the phone away from her ear. It didn’t stop; it just kept getting more desperate until the line went dead.
“Hello?” Haley checked her signal. They must have cut the call. “Damn it!” She pushed herself off the floor.
“Was that Farley screaming?”
Haley looked at her. Claire stood in the middle of the room, her hands at her mouth, her eyes looking like they might pop out of her head. Haley couldn’t help but feel angry. Claire should have called her when Farley didn’t show. The woman knew he worked in the Dens. She knew it was dangerous for him. There was no telling how long they’d had him ... doing ... whatever.
Claire burst into tears. “Oh God, that was him ... that was him screaming ... what’s wrong ... who has him ... what’s...?”
Haley held up her hand. “Just shut up for a second. I need to think.” She took one step, then two towards the door. Then she was running.
Haley tore down the hall. Garrett’s office was a floor up and on the other side of the building. The elevator would be too slow. She took the stairs.
When she got to the top, she forced herself to calm. Her vision had gone all bright. She blinked once, three times. The ache in her teeth receded along with the auras of crystalline light.
Farley. Her chest ached.
What if Garrett didn’t let her go into the Dens? What if he told her no?
But he wouldn’t. He couldn’t.
Yes, he could. As an employee of the CFKR, Haley was privy to a lot of sensitive information. She knew the names of snitches, undercover informants, and worse than any of that, she knew the Bureau’s methods of watching the money flow, the flesh trading, guns and drugs. There was more, so much more, and all that knowledge suddenly weighed on her like a sin.
Haley knew in her hearts she would never betray Garrett, but she was Kin, Medan was Queen, and it’s just fact that blood was thicker than pink slips, retirement, or even prison time. After all, Medan could make her talk if she wanted to. That power was what made her Queen.
When Haley was calm enough to trust herself, she opened the door and took a brisk walk down the hallway. She kept her eyes down, counting her steps. Two hundred and fourteen of them and she was standing at Garrett’s door. Haley didn’t knock; she just walked in.
Garrett hung up the phone. “Claire called.”
Phones, right. Yeah. She should have thought of that.
“Medan has Farley.”
“Explain.”
“I received an e-mail yesterday. I really didn’t take it seriously.” And, boy, was she regretting that now. “It was from Medan. She requested to meet with me.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about this?”
Haley shook her head. “I forgot, I guess. Bauer came in and asked me for help, then I was tired, I went home.” She clenched her eyes shut. “Why would she take Farley? He didn’t ignore her request, I did.” Garrett’s hand touched her shoulder.
“Because she knew taking you is a Federal offense. She would open up a whole can of worms she isn’t ready to deal with.” ‘Cause Haley was an Agent and Farley was an independent contractor: a specialized informant. Only he played both sides. Feeding information back into the Dens, as well as bringing it to the office.
It was a dangerous two-way game of chicken.
And Farley never blinked.
“But why? I mean, why would she even want to talk to me? She expelled me from the Dens...” Haley looked up at Garrett, hoping to find answers, but his stormy eyes were just as lost, just as worried. “I can’t leave him there. If I don’t show, she’ll kill him.” When Garrett didn’t reply, she paced the floor. “I know Farley screws up here and there, but he’s a good Kin. He loves his job. We owe him this. I owe him. I have to get clearance. You have to give me permission, or...” Garrett’s face was still stone cold and blank. “Or I’ll go in there without your permission, even if it means winding up in jail ... or worse ... Garrett...”
Her boss seemed to deflate. His eyes dropped, and he stepped back behind his desk. Garrett picked up the phone and tapped out a number Haley didn’t recognize. He put the receiver to his ear. “Connect me to Greenville.”
Greenville? Greenville, South Carolina was the Bureau hub. Garrett was going to make this happen.
“Transfer me to Moreland.” He tapped a finger against the calendar on his desk. “Yes, sir. This is Pip Garrett with the Atlanta CFKR. I need to request a two-ninty-seven clearance.” All clearances were referred to as numbers. “Yes, sir. Yes, it is, sir. Yes, sir, I have a five-oh-eight-I.” Emergency scenarios were numbers and letters. Haley had never heard Garrett use so many “sirs” in one conversation. He was quiet for a moment. His lips thinned out. “Yes, sir. I understand, sir. Yes, sir.” Garrett put the receiver back on the hook and stood there staring at it.
When his eyes shut, Haley knew. They’d denied his request. And still she asked, “They gave the okay, right?”
Garrett’s jaw tightened. “I’m sorry, Haley.”
“No ... I can’t believe they would do this to him. After everything he’s done for this office, for Greenville. God of Man, if it wasn’t for Farley, the Green-Street Killer would still be out there hacking people up, and the Atlanta PD would still be looking for a Kin. What about the shipping manifests he was able to slip out last month? How many people did he save on that truck? How many innocent Human lives did Farley keep from becoming part of the flesh trade? In case you forgot, eighty-one. Eighty-one! Because Farley risked his life!” Haley took a breath. Her throat hurt and her lungs burned from yelling.
Garrett looked as his calendar again. “My anniversary is tomorrow. Becky and I will have been married forty years.”
“What does that have to do with Farley?” Haley looked at the calendar where Garrett kept tapping his finger on the little square.
He acted like he didn’t hear her. “I’ve got a really busy schedule today, meetings, a couple of debriefings. The usual.” Garrett looked up at her and his eyes were sharp. “What did you help me pick out last year?”
Haley stared at him, gaping. Farley was in the Dens, his life on the line, and Garrett wanted to talk about what she picked out for Becky last year? “Sir, I don’t...”
He cut her off. “I thought about flowers but those are too overdone. And besides, she needs something special for putting up with me for this long.” He rifled through a small stack of mail sitting on his desk. “Been thinking about going all out this year.” He pulled out an advertisement with a small “ah-ha.”
Garrett pointed to the bright blue stone on the front. “That jeweler down on West Lane. You know, about a block or so from the south Dens? He makes these beauties by hand.” He showed her the picture, but Haley didn’t see it. She was too busy staring at Garrett like she didn’t recognize him. “He makes the orders while you wait. Sometimes it can take hours. Unfortunately I just don’t seem to have the time.” His gray eyes hit hers like a Mack truck. “You’re not busy today, are you?”
Haley shook her head. “I don’t know how long I’ll need.”
“Then buy something really expensive and extravagant.” Garrett fished through his pocket and pulled out his wallet and gave her a Visa card. “Just put it on that.” He waved a hand at her. “And have him engrave it for me.”
Haley took the card. “What do you want it to say?” She sounded as numb as she felt.
/>
“You think of something. I’m not too good at those kinds of things.” He sat back down.
“I’ll get him out.” Haley put the card in the pocket of her blazer.
“You do that.”
“I’ll do right by this, sir. I swear...”
He coughed and rubbed one eye with his large knuckle. “Wish it would rain soon, pollen is getting to me.”
But it rained last night.
“Thank you.” Haley didn’t know what else to say.
“You’ll need these.” He handed her his keys. “Take the office car. It has GPS. And drive it home. You may be there a while. No need to bring it back here and then take a cab.”
She knew where West Lane was, but the GPS was a Send-Receive. The data on all the cars was uploaded daily. If they were out on the road, the office could locate an employee at any time. Or if the car was parked somewhere, it was recorded for how long.
Haley closed her hand around the keys.
“One more thing, Agent. Don’t be late tomorrow.”
Haley said the only thing she could, “I won’t.”
Chapter 10
Farley flinched when something warm brushed the side of his face. He blinked, trying to clear the static from his head. He faintly remembered hearing Haley’s voice. But that was impossible. He was in the Dens, and Haley never came to the Dens.
A hand stroked his cheek, then pulled his head up.
Farley recognized the face. It was one of the three Males who took him down outside his apartment. No, what Haley had was an apartment. What he had was a hole in the wall he shared with the rats.
And cockroaches the size of rats.
“Her Greatness is content with the arrangement. She has granted you a stay of execution.”
Oh, right. Now Farley remembered why every bone in his body ached. Because they’d broken them. The lower caverns were cold enough to make Farley’s breath turn white, but that wasn’t what made him cold. His resources were running low. His welcoming committee had been at this for hours.
City of Dragons: Blood Bonds Page 10
