“I know the stakes here.” I squeezed his hand.
He stared down, as if surprised to find me touching him. His features softened, and he squeezed back. “I know you do.”
“For a moment, can we talk hypothetically so I can think this through?”
Leaning his hip against the desk, he tugged me toward him. “Sorry for biting your head off. This burns an already damaged nerve in me.”
“I understand that, and I promise to keep an open mind, too. If it is Caroline’s daughter, and she is angry at Isaac, why target me? And why now after all these years? Something must have set her off. And if she is who you think she is, how do we clear me without revealing our ancestry? To suggest one of us lives will inevitably lead Isaac to make assumptions that will endanger us all. He’s sharper than most anyone else I’ve ever known.” Not that I’d tell him as much.
Amun shook his head, lips set in a grim line. “I wish I knew. Let’s concentrate on finding her and worry about the consequences later.”
“Do you think there’s any use looking at the other sample?”
“I’m not a scientist, Baylou, I’m a business man. You’re more qualified to answer that than I am.” He smiled, though it held little humor.
After closing the folder, I put it under my arm, intending to feed it to the nearest shredder, then unstoppered the samples and dumped them down the sink. “Then, unless you have a better idea, I think we should print a list of pet shops in the city and start turning over stones to see what crawls out.”
Chapter Twenty-One
It was after three in the afternoon when we pulled into the eighth pet store in Ironhill, the largest of them all and last on our list. Before we’d left IPC, I tucked my hair into a black ball cap. Not exactly incognito, but I wouldn’t be as recognizable without my hair showing.
“What if she’s not here?” I tilted my head back against the headrest of my car, staring at the bird cages and puppies in the front window beyond the windshield. “What if she has a tropical fish tank in her home and this has all been a waste?”
Harper sighed from the back seat, crunching on something that wafted fruity sweetness into the car. “If that’s the case, we just wasted one of your three days. You sure you don’t know what she is? There’s got to be someone out there who’s heard of her, if she’s that powerful. Maybe Grandpa.”
The elven nation divided over the jinn war. Harper and her grandfather were two of many who left their realm in favor of the human one. The elf nation held answers to my many questions about the jinn’s last hours, but I couldn’t ask them a bloody thing without inviting death for afternoon tea. At the moment, I didn’t want Harper asking them anything, either.
“It’s a possibility,” I lied. “Best not to speculate about anything for the time being.” If the water witch had been hiding her abilities along with the rest of the jinn for more than thirty years, chances were nobody suspected who she was. I found a small comfort in what Amun had said, that if I ever ran into one of the elusive creatures from the fairy realm, none of them could read my thoughts.
Amun glanced back at my friend. “Are you eating again?”
“Guess you’ve never met an elf before, eh?” Her grin came through in her voice. “We like to eat, the sweeter the better. Got a problem with that?”
He shook his head, and I explained about elven metabolism, my eyes closed in an effort to conserve energy. Warmth covered my hand, drawing my gaze to find Amun’s fingers curled around mine. Tiny zaps of pleasure shot up my arms, and I sipped in a breath.
His smile brightened the space inside my chest. “I’m not sure just anyone could have a grouper in a home-sized tank. Even if purchased small, depending on the breed, they can grow quite large. Either way, we’ll figure this out. I have faith in you.” The trust I found in his stare both caused a surge of pride in my stomach and a cold hand of terror to squeeze my throat.
“Ahh, that’s so sweet,” Harper sang, sticking her face between the seats. “Isn’t he sweet, Lou?”
I jerked my hand back, rubbing the tingles from it. Small fires burned in my cheeks. “Yes, sweet.” Sweet enough to rot my soul. “I hope your faith isn’t misplaced.”
Without sparing either of them a glance, I heaved my weary behind out of the car and peered into the window of Pete’s Pet Shack. Several rows of glowing blue fish tanks lined the back wall.
“Do you see her?” Amun milled about to my right with his hands in his pockets, while Harper, fingers playing over the clasp on her hip holster, lingered on my left.
“No. I’ll go back to the fish if you can ask at the front if they carry Emperor Angelfish and ask about the woman.” We’d thought it better to have Amun do the asking. If we’d finally come to the right place, word wouldn’t get back to the water witch that a dark-haired woman had been enquiring about her. Harper offered, but I didn’t want to paint an unnecessary target on her if I could help it. She didn’t blend in as an average-looking woman either, with her fiery red and ebony hair.
“I’ll stand watch.” Harper saluted without taking her vigilant stare from the parking lot.
Amun pulled open the door and held it for me, the bells jingling overhead to warn of our entrance. “Ready?”
“Fingers crossed.” I brushed by him and carried on through the aisle filled with bird seed and dog harnesses, while he went to the end of a small lineup at the cash register where a young blonde woman waited on customers.
Feigning interest in the aquariums full of goldfish, tetras, and tiny electric-blue crabs, I scanned the employees, identified by their blue Pete’s Pet Shack shirts. A male with terrible acne handed a baby guinea pig to a little girl, while explaining care and feeding instructions to her mother. An older female employee milled around the bird section with a parakeet on her shoulder, and another middle-aged man stocked the shelves in the dog and cat food aisle. None were anywhere near the fish.
Could she be on break? Eager to see what Amun had found out, I ambled toward the front again, stopping near the end of the leash aisle, fingering the collars to appear casual. It placed me a few feet from the end of the cashier station. I peeked around the corner. Amun was about to get his turn, as the customer in front of him collected her bags and left.
The man I’d begun to know disappeared behind Mr. Suave and Charming quickly, as if he’d flipped a switch within. Clearly dazzled by his smile, the blonde girl flushed, leaned closer, and gave her hair a flirtatious flip.
I strangled a leash in my fist. How much more obvious could she be?
“Good evening,” Amun said in his velvety tenor, doing his best Calvin Klein pose, with his hands flat on the counter, one knee bent. “I wonder if you carry Emperor Angelfish?”
Popping her gum, she giggled, her eyes taking on a dreamy glaze as she batted her lashes at him. Hussy. “Sorry, nope. Had some ’bout a month ago, but sold out.” Hands clasped together, she leaned across the counter propped on her elbows. “Anything else catch your eye?”
Did she wink at him? I rolled my eyes and edged nearer. By sheer will, I refrained from picking up one of the dog bones and pelting her in the head with it.
Amun’s dark laughter encouraged her, causing her lips to curve into a sultry smile. “Sadly, no,” he said. “I’m here on a mission, I’m afraid. Perhaps you can help me?”
“Pleasure’s all mine.”
Gag me.
“I’m looking for a woman.” He leaned harder on the counter, inviting her to a more intimate conversation.
“How about me?” she asked, tracing her bottom lip with a pink fingernail.
A brief but believable smile graced his lips. “Long lavender hair. Striking green eyes. Do you have anyone working here by that description?”
The girl straightened in an instant. “Nope. Sorry, can’t help you.”
“Are you sure? Perhaps a friend of a friend, or maybe you’ve seen her around the city?”
“Nope, never seen her.” The hussy turned and gestured toward the
back. “Gotta go. It’s my break time.” Nervous laughter bubbled out of her. “Good luck with that.”
I exited the store to wait for Amun, who met me by the car a few moments later.
Harper jogged over from wherever she’d wandered off to.
“She’s lying,” I blurted, leaning against the passenger door. “That little tramp knows bloody well who you were talking about.”
Amun cocked his head. “What are you so angry about?”
“What are you talking about? I’m not angry about anything other than her”—I jabbed a finger toward the store—“lying worse than anyone I’ve ever seen. She’s likely running off this very minute to tell that evil woman you were looking for her.”
A smile crooked one corner of his lips. He leaned closer, the heat of his breath fanning across my ear. “You’re adorable when you’re jealous.”
My jaw dropped as I drew in a breath. “I am not jealous, Mr. Bassili. I have more pressing issues than you flirting with a blonde bimbo.”
“Seriously?” Harper looked at me and back to Amun. “Holy schmolies, you’re right, she is. I can honestly say I’ve never seen her jealous over anything or anyone.” She winked at him. “If you didn’t already know she’s got it bad for you, that should firm it up all right.”
“Harper!”
She shrugged. “What? You know it’s true. Just telling it how it is.”
“Shut it, both of you.” I whipped open the car door, dropped into the seat, and shut them out. How dare he suggest I was jealous? The uncomfortable stirring in my gut wasn’t due to his interactions with that woman. With everything going on in my life, romance didn’t even make my priority list. Besides, he didn’t belong to me, nor did I have any romantic interest in him. I was just angry over the situation and the fact that we hadn’t gotten anywhere after spending one of our three remaining days.
Amun settled into the driver’s seat while Harper climbed in the back behind him. Although he said nothing more, he continued to smile and started the car.
“Where to now, boss?” Harper asked, a tinge of laughter in her voice.
“I think it’s time for you to go home. I need to think without the two of you jabbering on like a pair of simple-minded fools.” Turning in the seat, I glared at her. “And how can you find humor in anything now? In three days, I’ll be facing the council and may end up nothing but a smear on Isaac’s lips. Dom is dead, and you’re supposed to be my friend.”
Harper recoiled, the shine fading from her eyes. “Lou, I’m sorry, I…I was just trying to break the tension, because, you know, it’s pretty thick right now.”
“We wasted a whole day on this pet shop business, and for what?” I raised my hand in a gesture of surrender. “To find yet another woman to flirt with Mr. Bassili?” Righting myself in the seat, I stared out the windshield.
Amun shoved a paper in front of my face, but I pushed him away. “I have to find out who that blonde girl is,” I said. “She knows something, I’m certain of it.”
He cleared his throat and moved the paper forward again.
“What? Why are you doing that?”
Eyes sparkling above the page, he waggled it before me. “Look closer.”
Tearing my gaze from his, I did as he asked. “Weekly Schedule” was written across the top, and below, a grid of days, hours, and employees. I snatched it from him and brought it closer. “But which one is she?”
“Olivia.” His grin turned smug. “Her nametag said so, making her last name, according to that, Denison. I’ve taken the liberty of locating her address already.” The proof shone at me from the screen of his iPhone.
I hugged the paper to my chest, daring to hope for a small break. “You little sneak.” A shove on his shoulder made him chuckle. “I could kiss you right now.”
Harper snorted as Amun said, “Maybe later.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “Don’t hold your breath on that one. So, now what? According to this, she works until 9:00 p.m.”
All business once again, Harper pressed her face between the bucket seats. “I say we let ourselves into her hidey-hole and see what dirt we can find on this little ho.” A small ring of tools swung from the end of her slender finger.
“Are those what I think they are?” I imagined my expression to be as stern as my tone. “I will not condone breaking and entering to save my own hide, and why do you even have those?”
“Pfft. You smashed into that school for…” Her gaze fell, and she sat back. “How do you think I got us out of those troll shackles three years ago, magic?”
My stomach clenched at the reminder of Dom. “That was different. I thought I had a chance to…nobody’s in imminent danger here.” Except me. I nodded. “We’ll wait until she’s finished her shift and follow her. And hope she doesn’t make a phone call to the water witch in the meantime.”
Amun pulled up the sleeve of his shirt, exposing his silver watch. “That gives us more than four hours. I’m in desperate need of a change of clothes and a shower, and by the looks of you two, you could use a cat nap and a good meal. It’s safest if we go back to my house to wait, anyway, so Isaac can’t get to us. Just in case.”
“Oh, fuckballs, Lou! You gave that dead bastard the password to your place?” Harper growled low in her throat.
“Language. I needed him to hear the woman’s message, and honestly, I thought he was about to kill me, so it didn’t matter. I should have known she’d have covered her tracks like she always does.”
As Amun backed us out, Harper grabbed his shoulder. “Wait. What if this chick takes off early? Says she’s sick or something while we’re off napping. I won’t lie, I could use a few zees, but maybe we should stay?”
“She’s right,” I said.
Without stopping the car, he punched in a number on his cell and pulled out of the parking lot. “Good, you’re there,” he said into the phone. “I need you to get Elias and stake out Pete’s Pet Shack for me until I get there. Uh huh.” He shook his head. “It’s not a good time to discuss that. I’ll text you a description of the woman of interest. Thank you, my friend.”
After turning onto the highway toward his ranch, he gave me a reassuring glance. “We’re covered. Connor will be here in five. If Olivia leaves, he’ll follow her.”
Tightness went out of my shoulders, and I relaxed against the seat. “Thank you.” I bit my lip, knowing I shouldn’t ask. “What couldn’t you discuss with him?”
He tried to strangle the steering wheel, but didn’t answer. Since it wasn’t any of my business, I didn’t push. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to swing by and pick up Benny and my bags first.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
I stared through the grey grid of Amun’s screen door at the orange rippled sky above the jagged row of conifers surrounding his property. Harper had long since crashed in one of his spare bedrooms. Although I’d tried to do the same, every time I closed my eyes, images of Dom’s face and echoes of Isaac’s threats jerked me up again.
The omelet Amun made for me earlier churned in my stomach. Harper had eaten two omelets, four pieces of toast, and downed two gigantic glasses of orange juice, complaining the whole time about Amun’s health-conscious food stocks.
His footsteps approached at my rear. “I thought you’d gone to sleep.” His gentle voice threatened to undo me.
I hugged myself, shivering despite the summer warmth filtering in from outside. “I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep again until this is over.” My swallow didn’t loosen the tightness from my throat. “Just sitting here, waiting…I feel helpless, as if I can hear the clock ticking down the last moments of my life.”
“I’m here, and we’ll find out where the fish came from, which will lead us to the woman.” His warm hands rubbed up and down my arms.
Tears crested my lashes. A sense of suffocation sent me forward, and I threw the screen door open, seeking an escape. “You should leave this place, get away before it’s too late.”
Amun came
out behind me. “I’m not going anywhere, and I won’t let you run away from me this time. Tears aren’t weakness.”
It had been so long since I’d had arms to comfort me. I glanced over my shoulder. “I’m afraid, Amun. What if this Olivia Denison leads us nowhere? What if we never discover where the angelfish came from? We only have two days left, and I’m so tired I’m not thinking clearly.”
He circled in front of me, then took my wrist, bringing us together. His other hand slid up the back of my neck and urged my head onto his shoulder. The tiny amount of grief I allowed to escape wet the soft gray T-shirt he’d put on. He said nothing, only held me while I came apart.
He stroked my back while I emptied the powder keg of emotions that had built up over the years. I’d always been afraid the earth would answer such a release, but something about Amun’s presence lent me control greater than my own. His breath against my hair. The solid muscle of his chest. His warmth that chased away the chill in me. His exotic scent. Energy poured through my skin from his, like salve for the soul.
My hands slid around his solid waist, up his back, to trace the corded muscle I found there. Inhaling his scent, a mixture of sandalwood and the freshness of a summer breeze, I pressed my face into his throat and tightened my hold on him.
His nearness calmed me, like a familiar hand promising to lead me out of the darkness. No wonder the jinn used to sleep in groups if this was a taste of what it was like to live in a pod. I imagined coming home every night to a compound full of jinn to share my trials and triumphs with. That was family. My heart ached for it.
His soft lips pressed against my cheek, kissing away a lingering tear there. They moved to my forehead, brushed along my temple to my ear. Tingles paraded in every direction from the points of impact. “If I have to kill Isaac to save us, I’ll do it,” he whispered.
Stone Chameleon (Ironhill Jinn #1) Page 20
