Page 27 of Dead and Gone

"I had thought the stalker was one of their companions, but since they're at the cafe without anybody from the academy, I'm unsure. I didn't get close enough to detect if the guy was human or supe."

"But definitely male?"

"Well, I'm presuming from his build and height, but I could be wrong."

"Great." Rowan scratches a cheek and then lowers his voice. "Do you think whoever followed you knows about the museum theft?"

"Marvin?" I ask.

"No. You know what I mean." His voice lowers further. "The box we returned yesterday. Missing gems. This person could've seen us at or around the museum."

"Only if they knew to watch. Nobody detected us each time we snuck into the building. Someone might think we're trying to uncover something."

"Yeah, and they'll know Violet Blackwood is a dog with a bone when it comes to mysteries she wants to solve," says Leif. "Well, I've solved something for you, Detective Violet. Tamara works here." He subtly nods behind the counter at the girl with a long-blonde ponytail serving coffees. "Holly told us. Tamara is also part of Kai's circle."

I look around. "WhereisHolly?"

"She left." Leif points at a third empty cup. "Her words were: 'I've had a better offer than sitting here all evening waiting for Violet.'"

"Perhaps a good thing. We can discuss more if Holly isn't here. Have you examined the jewels further?" I ask Rowan.

"The rubies are definitely the only ones with traces of magic. I wouldn't know for sure if the others are real gems. I can't exactly ask a jeweler without them questioning where they came from."

"I shall take care of the pouch." I hold a hand out. "I would like to examine them again too."

Rowan furtively passes the jewels beneath the table, and I shove the pouch into my jacket pocket. As I do, I survey my surroundings, and my gaze lands on a different table of humans than the ones who irritated me earlier. Aha. The presumed perpetrators: Kai and his buddies. Perfect. I stand.

"Violet, what are you doing?" asks Grayson as I squeeze past him.

"Gathering information."

As always, I'm met with suspicion and guardedness when I approach Kai and his cohorts. And as always, I'm to the point. "Where is the mole missing from the museum, Kai Sawyer?"

The broad guy with the floppy brown hair and constant superior attitude lounges back in his seat and drinks from a soda can, a smirk tugging at his mouth. "London?"

"No. Marvin returned from his vacation," says Leif from beside me. "He was photographed at the bus stop this morning. Check Insta."

Kai stops drinking. "What? How?"

I snatch at Kai's thoughts as his questioning gaze meets the guy's beside him:who has the mole?

Interesting.

"I shall rephrase. Where is the molenow, Kai? I know you took him from the museum."

"Yeah?" His lip curls. "Where's the proof?"

"And what's it to you?" asks his friend, whose buzz-cut hair accentuates theyoblook the curator spoke about.

A girl with pretty features and long black hair sits at the table beside them, watching with cautious silence.

"The joke is over. The exhibit belongs in the museum and must be returned. We can arrange for that to happen no questions asked, or we can show the police evidence we've found," I say.

"What evidence?" he asks sharply.

Slowly and deliberately, I pull and carefully unfold a sheet of paper from my pocket before placing it on the table, avoiding the damp rings left by the drinks cans—the photo that shows Kai in the window. I tap the image printed by Rowan. "This is you in this very café with the very mole."

"Can hardly see who that is. Not me or TJ."

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