Page 30 of Half Dead

“There’s something I need to show you.”

“That sounds ominous.”

I removed the cufflink from the pocket of my pants. “I wish I could say otherwise.” I set it on the table in front of Kane. “One of Birdie’s crows brought this to her.”

Kane didn’t react. For a fleeting, hopeful moment, I thought we were mistaken.

“Birdie gave this to you?” he asked carefully.

“Yes. She wanted to make sure we took it seriously.”

“Cufflinks are essential to a good suit. They should always be taken seriously.”

I snatched it off the table. “Birdie warned me you’d say that. Act like it’s a nonissue.”

“Because it is a nonissue. It’s the equivalent of finding a penny tails up.”

I scoffed. “Please don’t treat me like I’m an idiot. This is more than that and you know it.”

He reached for my trinket-free hand. “Lorelei, please. If Lucifer was here, I would know it.”

I shook the cufflink at him. “What if this is him, letting you know? What if he left it to be found because he knew you’d recognize it?”

Kane’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing.

“You had a healer mend the mark it left on your cheek,” Icontinued. “Why not have them remove the scars on your back, too?”

“Because I never want to forget.”

“As if you could ever forget being tortured by Lucifer and his minions.”

He averted his gaze. “Not that. I never want to forget what I, too, was capable of once upon a time.” He waved a dismissive hand at the cufflink. “We need to stay focused on The Corporation. This isn’t the time to let ourselves be distracted by old scores that will never be settled.”

“Lucifer is every bit as dangerous, and I highly doubt he’ll bring a box of donuts when he shows up.”

Kane smirked. “They really won you over with that donut, didn’t they?”

“The Boston cream was out of this world.”

“I’m sorry you didn’t get the answers you hoped for, but I’m relieved they let you go without a fight.”

“For now.”

He rubbed his temple. “And I’m sorry our time together was interrupted by all the insanity. I would’ve preferred the sex without the drugs and rock ‘n’ roll.”

My brain rolled to a stop. “It was crazy, wasn’t it? Even Josie acted strangely.” Not straitjacket crazy, but she was a vampire. Her crazy was bound to look different. At least she didn’t bite anyone.

Kane’s eyes narrowed. “What is it?”

“Chief Garcia came by to see me. She’s investigating an incident.”

“Isn’t that her job?”

“Yes, but she felt it necessary to share the details of this one with me. A local man went nuts out of the blue and was taken to a psychiatric hospital. No history of mental health issues. No family history. No drugs. Nothing.”

“And you think last night might be connected to her investigation?”

“It’s possible. Richard Horton was human, so the effect could’ve been worse for him than the supernaturals here yesterday.” Shame rushed through me and heated my cheeks as I remembered the chief’s accusation. I held out my hands and studied them. “What if I was somehow involved without realizing it?”

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