I opened the door to the diner and did a quick scan. My father was at a table in the middle of the restaurant. Two men in suits were at a table near the door, one of them close to my age. Odd. Two more were spread out at a table not far from his back. The entire diner was empty. I glanced at Gladys behind the counter, tapping her pen against the order pad in her hand and watching my father. It didn’t take much to guess that Father had bought out the entire restaurant for an hour. That wasn’t his usual habit, though. Something was off.
I started toward him only to be brought up short by a large gorilla-like man in a suit. “Arms out.”
I kept my face blank as I looked up at him. “I’m his son.”
“Arms. Out,” he repeated, his voice sharper this time.
I held my arms out and waited as the big gorilla patted me down. While he was checking my legs, I met Father’s gaze over the man’s shoulder with fresh eyes.
Lines had etched deeply into his face, aging him. His hair was perfect, as usual, only now I could see the silver roots. He was dyeing his hair. I filed it away for later and continued to inspect him. His eyes were a dull green, clearly tired. Even his posture was different. His shoulders were slightly slouched, as if he couldn’t hold the weight of his body anymore. His skin was paler too. Huntingtons weren’t known for our ability to tan, but if we were in the sun, we did darken thanks to our Italian roots. He was completely white, as if he was spending a lot of time indoors. Was he in hiding?
The gorilla stopped patting me down, straightened, and stepped aside.
I went to the table and sat down across from him. He finally moved, a statue coming to life, taking a sip from his coffee mug and setting it to the side.
Gladys came forward with the carafe and refilled his mug before turning to me. “Anything for you, hon?”
I turned my mug over. “Just coffee, please.”
Gladys filled my mug in the thick silence of the diner.
“Thanks, Gladys,” I said when she was done.
She gave me a small nod before going back behind the counter. I made my coffee the way I liked it and finally looked at him again.
Father was watching me with an odd twist of the lips. “You know her.”
I grew still. “My friends come in here often.”
He nodded. “I’ll be sure to pay her well for the use of the diner.”
Father continued to stir his coffee with the same blank face. “You wanted to talk.”
Right… I called this meeting. “You know I never liked how the shipping business started.”
He took a sip of his coffee before nodding.
“But I’m in a situation where… those tactics would be useful,” I hedged.
My father leveled me with his gaze. After a moment I had to fight the urge to begin tapping. Finally, his intense scrutiny let up as he went back to his coffee. “Which tactics?”
“Connections and blackmail.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Interesting. Why would you need to use those tactics?”
I swallowed hard. “I’m fed up with not being able to protect the people I care about.”
“Just when I think you’re more like me then I thought, you say something like that.” He shook his head. “What do you need?”
“There’s a new counselor at the high school. Her name is Jadis. She and the vice principal have it out for Lexie,” I said.
“And you want them removed from their positions?” he asked with a small grin.
I nodded. “There was an incident and Lexie… well, she—”
“Is being accused of bashing someone’s face in,” he said. “I’m aware.”
It shouldn’t surprise me that he knew, but it did. “She’s facing expulsion.”
He said nothing, simply sat there, waiting.
“I don’t want that to happen,” I said.
He nodded slowly. “Sometimes the end does justify the means, son.”
“Are you going to help Lexie?” I asked carefully.
His eyes narrowed on mine. “I should be able to have the witch removed in a couple days. The vice principal will take some time.”
I blinked. Witch? I didn’t say witch… “Thank you.”
“But in return, I expect a favor.”
“Of course you do,” I muttered. “What do you want?”
His lips quirked up. “I would also like to talk to you without you throwing me out the door,” he stated.
I resisted the urge to begin tapping. “Alright.”
His eyes met mine. “Where are you thinking of applying for next year?”
I simply stared at him in stunned silence.
“I know MIT has a great program for physics, so does Columbia.”
“This is what you want to talk about?” I asked carefully.
He sighed then gave me a smile with the corners of his lips turned down. “It’s one of the things, yes.”
“I’m not telling you.” I took a sip of my coffee, mostly to cover my confusion.
He raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”
“Because I want to gain admission on my own merit.” I set my mug down. “If I told you, you’d go and buy me a spot. I’d rather earn one myself.”
The corner of his lips lifted. “I see.”
I leaned back in my chair and surveyed him again. “Are you sure you’re not ill?”
He chuckled quietly as he turned his mug in his hands. “Yes, I’m sure.” His eyes met mine. “I’ve sold the shipping business.”
His words hung in the air like smoke. It took me several moments before I could even respond. “To whom?”
His dull eyes met mine again. “Don’t play games with me, Miles. You’re smarter than that.”
To the family he’d been working with. I narrowed my eyes at him. “They aren’t going to just let you go.”
His lips quirked to the side. “I’m aware.”
The guards. I glanced over his shoulder to the other two suits in the diner. At least that explained the change. The mafia was after him.
“Why?” The man I knew would throw his own mother to the wolves to save himself. He certainly wouldn’t give up his life for anyone.
“What you and your mother will inherit will be clean. Legal. I’ve always fought to keep that aspect separate from the two of you and I will continue to do so.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar micro USB drive. “I wanted to thank you.”
“For?”
His eyes grew brighter for a moment. “For filming that incident with your mother. It was eye opening to see it from your perspective.”
I grew still as a statue as fear ate at my intestines. “How did you get ahold of it?”
His eyes focused on me again. “Your mother gave me a copy.”
I found that hard to believe. My heart grew heavy as a thought occurred. “I haven’t seen her for over a year. All I’ve gotten are emails.”
He tilted his head to the side like a snake. “Ask what you want to ask.”
“Where is she? Is she even alive?” My voice grew glacial.
His expression didn’t change a hair. “Last I spoke to her, she was on her way to a rainforest to do research on a highly funded expedition.” He leaned forward, his eyes alive for the first time since I walked through the door. “Your mother is doing what she loves.”
I got the message. She was out of harm’s way and safe from retaliation. “That’s why she didn’t come back.”
“Yes.” He slid the drive across the table to me along with a card and a series of numbers. “This is the number to her satellite phone, though it only works once or twice a day.”
“I always thought she blackmailed you.” I tucked the card into my wallet.
His lips quirked up into that grin again. “She did. Rather well. I was impressed.”
I shook my head. I would never understand my father or his attitude toward women. Perhaps I should just stop trying. “Is that it?”
His slight grin disappeared. “No, it’s not.�
�� He reached down into his well-used leather case and pulled out a file. He set it in front of him on the table before meeting my eyes again. “We need to talk about Alexis Delaney.”
Everything focused solely on him. “What about her?”
He opened the file and skimmed it. “You took her and your friends to Denver, Colorado, this summer. Along with your doctor.” He looked up at him. “Why?”
“Impulse trip,” I said in a bland voice.
His eyes narrowed on mine. “Why wasn’t there a hotel charge?”
I took a slow, deep breath and let it out. “Those trips are my business and don’t concern you.”
He nodded his head a little once. “True.” He lifted a page in the file and looked at the next. “But the trip to New Orleans does. The Center for Disease Control was about to quarantine the city when you and your friends left.” He let the paper drop back down and met my eyes. “What were you up to?”
“Vacation. What does this have to do with Lexie?” Why did he want to know? What would he do with the information?
His eyes narrowed on mine. “You need to keep your distance from her.”
“Why do you say that?”
His internal debate was clear on his face as his eyes unfocused. When he came to a decision, he answered. “There are things in this world that you may not know about. Factors that you don’t understand. And that will mostly keep you safe.”
The way he said that… “What type of factors are you referring to?”
He straightened his shoulders, his face going blank again. “The type that us mere mortals shouldn’t deal with or try to control.”
He knew something. But what? About Lexie? About the guys? Asher? “Are your associates aware of such factors?”
His eyes lit up with approval. “Yes. They tend to use them for their own means. There’s a good market for it. A high demand and little supply for rare things.” His eyes met mine. “Extremely rare things or talents.”
I eyed my father. Was he saying what I thought he was saying? If we were alone, I’d ask, but now I could only calculate the odds.
“My associates keep an eye out for those things, and the people around them,” he added, confirming what I was thinking. “Then, eventually, they collect them.”
“Makes sense.” I began tapping my finger on my coffee mug as I tried to figure out a way to ask what I needed to know. “Hunting for rare items must require a lot of research. A great deal of planning. Observation.”
“But you can’t research or observe things that haven’t gotten your attention.” He grinned with approval.
Lexie hadn’t gotten their attention yet. Good. But I might be being watched. Lexie, Ethan and Asher needed to lay low and keep the weird to a minimum in public. He was warning me.
“Why tell me this?” I asked, needing the answer more than my next breath.
His eyes surveyed my face before meeting my eyes again. “You’re my son.”
“So, the trust is legitimate?” I asked.
He nodded. “I’m just trying to make sure you two are alright while I can.”
I met his eyes and held his gaze. “Alright. I’ll sign the papers today.”
Lexie
“Lexie, wake up, I need to go.” A voice brought me to the surface.
I woke up to the stench of decay. Wrinkling my nose, I looked down at my lap and found the rotting body of a squirrel. I screamed and flailed out of the lawn chair to the patio. “Ew, ew, ew!” Sam’s laughter taunted me as I frantically brushed myself off and ran into the house, getting louder as I ran. “Ew, ew, ew!”
Necro or not, I did NOT like dead things!
After a long, boiling shower during which I considered grabbing the bleach under the sink to use, I got dressed and headed for the Blazer. Hades barked and followed.
During the drive to Bridgeport, I was calm. Well, as calm as I could be considering the bitch sent shadow men after me. It was just the last straw.
I pulled up to Serena’s little cabin-like shop and left Hades in the car. Calm, Lexie. Don’t use violence. Stay calm.
I opened the door to find her alone behind the counter packing a box.
“You may want to rethink this, child,” she warned as she started to tape it closed.
I strode to the counter and made a point not to hit it. Ten points for restraint! “You sent shadow men after me last night.”
“Did I?” she asked as she set the box on a counter.
“You did. Or you helped them.” I took a deep breath to keep from growling.
“Helped who?” Serena finally gave me her full attention.
“Jadis and her crew.”
“Finally, you know what she is.” She sighed as she began to pack another box.
“You either helped them or sent those shadow men after me last night,” I stated.
She turned back to me with her head tilted to the side. “Really?
The ticking of a clock filled the room.
“What did you take of mine?”
Her brow drew together. “Yours? I haven’t seen you in over a month, and the only thing I ever got from you then was cash, which would be useless to target you.”
My stomach dropped. “You’re right…” They couldn’t have been after me. I was careful. Extremely careful. Rory. “You sent them for Rory.”
She went back to packing the large box. “You really are a clever girl. Keep being clever and you might survive.”
“He’s done nothing to you,” I snarled. “Why would you do that?”
Her face contorted into a mask of rage. “Look! I’m a witch. You are a necro. I put you on your path as a favor. What happens after that is not my problem.”
“He’s innocent.”
“He’s poking around where he shouldn’t be,” she countered as she came to the counter and leaned over it. Her gaze held mine. “This is a war and the people around you are fair game. It’s not my fault you made him a target.” She pushed back from the counter and started packing again, slamming things into the box.
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. That’s when I saw it. Boxes. They were everywhere. The shelves were empty, as was the case beneath my hands. I turned back to her. “You’re running.”
She didn’t stop packing while she answered. “I’m a rogue witch about to be caught in the middle of a war. I’m getting out of here before my daughter or I get hurt.”
“They threatened your kid?”
She kept packing. “When you’re rogue, you don’t have back up. It’s just you and your skills. And I can’t take Jadis.”
“Then help us beat her.”
She shook her head. “I’m not going to make my daughter a target. That’s that.” Her pace picked up.
I stepped back from the counter and headed for the door.
“I didn’t do the spell.” Her voice brought me to a stop. “I only supplied a picture.”
That was nice to know. I walked out the door without another word. Hades met me at the porch steps. “Sorry, baby. Let’s get out of here.”
During the drive back, her warning went around and round. The people around me were fair game, Rory poking where he didn’t belong. Rory was there to investigate the murders, not the Veil. Jadis was helping with the murders. I ran back over the last month. The murders had started almost the day we got back. Had they really been here for a month?
* * *
After dropping Hades off at home, I was pulling up to the diner for what had become our usual Saturday breakfast with the guys when I spotted Miles’ car. He was leaning against the trunk, his arms crossed over his chest, his face a mask of blankness. Oh yeah, I was lo-jacked.
I cursed as I parked. This had to fucking stop. Straightening my shoulders, I climbed out and walked toward him, ready for a fight. But once those unfocused glacial eyes came into view, my heart stuttered. Something was wrong.
“Miles?”
His eyes focused on me. “Hmm?”
“What are you doing?” I
asked. “Food is inside.”
The mask was back. “You went to Bridgeport.”
“I love you, sweetie, but you keeping track of my every move is getting old.” I shook my head and let it go for now. “Let’s go inside, what I got from her and Rory is a doozy.”
I started for the diner and opened the door.
Miles was still staring at the parking lot asphalt. Okay…
“Nemo?”
He pushed away from the car and started toward the diner. For the first time ever, I held the outer door for him. My worry tripled. Miles had never not held the door for me.
I found the others in a back booth. Their conversation stopped when we got within earshot.
Isaac got out of the booth. “Scoot in, Red.”
I raised an eyebrow as I took in their serious faces. “Let me guess, none of you are happy.”
“You’re right.” Zeke took a drink from his mug. “You shouldn’t leave town alone right now, it’s dangerous.”
“I had Hades.” I sighed before scooting inside. “Look, the information I have was worth it.”
“Worth losing you?” Asher raised an eyebrow. “Nothing is worth that.”
Isaac sat beside me while his brother pressed his thigh against mine.
“I think Jadis and her cronies are behind the murders,” I announced in a hushed voice.
“Shit.” Isaac leaned back in the booth.
“You can say that again.” Miles took the open chair at the end of the table next to Asher.
“Shit.” Ethan, Isaac and I said immediately.
I snorted. Even now, I thought it was funny. A strange tingle ran down the back of my neck. I was being watched.
I started to look over my shoulder for who it was when Asher cleared his throat, drawing my attention back to the table.
“How did you come to that idea?” Asher asked, shooting an odd look at a distracted Miles.
I explained what happened at the store, what happened last night. What I thought it meant and how it seemed to be connected to Serena suddenly closing up shop.
“Fuck.” Zeke ran his hand through his hair, his elbow bumping Asher.
Asher’s nose wrinkled. “Man, you have to take a shower in the mornings.”
When the Dead Come Home Page 22
