Page 122 of Tin God

“Nah, he’s just being nice.” Summer cut him off. “Katya wants you to talk to them and answer their questions.”

Carwyn smiled and said nothing, but the two young men seemed a little more at ease when they turned back to him.

The other young man looked like a surfer from California, and his ball cap was turned backward on his head with a fluffy sprout of curls poking over his forehead like blond broccoli. “So Ravi and I, we take turns with the gigs, right? But we follow the letter. We’re looking for a permanent position. We’ve never skimmed cash or anything like that. We’rehonest.”

“We wouldn’t think of it,” Ravi said. “Callum and I are very clear with our clients. We’re a team, and that means if one of us if off duty, the other is on. We cover all kinds of clients—we don’t discriminate against elements—and we are completely discreet.”

“And honest,” Callum said again.

Brigid piped up. “We’re not worried about you skimmin’, lads. We just need to know where you took the cash you picked up last week from the exchange.”

Ravi and Callum exchanged a look.

“Listen,” Callum said, “I just said we’re discreet. This was a new client, but we protect all clients’ privacy like we’re regular employees. That’s how we stay in business.”

“We don’t need to know who,” Carwyn said. “You won’t know their real name anyway. But Katya needs to knowwhereit was taken.”

Summer added, “Guys, this is a territorial security thing, okay? I promise Katya is not trying to jam you up or hurt your reputation, but she needs to know.” Summer wiggled her fingers. “You know I can get you to answer if you don’t cooperate.”

Ravi sat back. “Summer, that is not cool.”

“I thought we were friends,” Callum said. “Why would you?—?”

“Territorial.” Summer spoke slowly. “Security. These are not people you want to work for, guys. We need a location.”

Both Ravi and Callum were silent for a long moment, and then Callum muttered, “Dock on the west side of Granville Island.”

“Dude.” Ravi hit his arm. “Callum?—”

“Thank you,” Brigid said quietly. “The people you took the job from are dangerous sociopaths who’ve attacked humans and vampires along the Alaskan coast. They’re extremely violent, and they’re not under Katya’s aegis. If they contact you again…” She slid a card across the table. “Call us immediately. Hide. Don’t meet them. You won’t be safe.”

As soon as Brigid slid across the card, the boys’ faces drained of color.

“Thanks, lads.” Carwyn leaned across and held out his hand to shake. “None of us think less of you. You know Katya wouldn’t ask you to violate that trust unless it was a true risk, right?”

Ravi shook Carwyn’s hand and shrugged. “Yeah, she’s cool.”

“I appreciate it, y’all,” Summer added. “You need to take off?”

They nodded, clearly ready to leave.

“I’ll get your tab,” Summer added. “It’s the least I can do.”

The young men stood, and the blond one hesitated before he walked away.

“If anyone asks…,” Callum started. “I mean?—”

“I was asking you to acquire a large-screen television for my boat,” Carwyn said. “Obviously. I’m going to email you the details now that I know I can trust you.”

“Awesome.” Callum smiled and looked at Summer. “See you, Summer.”

Ravi grabbed his friend’s sleeve and hurried them out of the diner, leaving Summer, Brigid, and Carwyn alone.

“Look at you.” Carwyn smiled at the girl they’d been hired to find years ago. Summer had survived, but she’d decided to give her mortality to Katya in exchange for revenge on the vampires who took her and her boyfriend. “You’re looking happy.”

“Yeah, my family’s finally used to it, I think.” She smiled awkwardly. “Mom and Dad came out last summer. Even said how nice the city was, which shocked me to hell.”

“Eh, the Mackenzies aren’t city people,” Brigid said. “As a rule.”

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