Page 33 of Guild Boss

“Evidence is evidence.”

“Right. Evidence.”

No leap of faith involved,she thought. He hadn’t arrived at his conclusion because he trusted her memories. He was just looking at what he considered cold, hard, paranormal evidence. It was a little deflating, but she told herself it was good enough for now. Better than good. It was the best news she’d had in two months. Finally, someone who was in a position to investigate her casebelievedher story.

“There’s nothing else we can do here tonight,” Gabriel said. “We both need to get some sleep. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us tomorrow.”

“Yes,” she said.

They turned to make their way back toward the hole-in-the-wall. Otis bailed out of her arms and dashed ahead.

“He’s excited to take another ride in your limo,” Lucy explained.

“Sometimes it’s the little things in life.”

Humor? Lucy considered the possibility. Probably not.

She stopped in midstep when she heard Otis growl. She glanced down. In the glow of the quartz pavement she saw that he was no longer in adorable mode. He was crouched at the entrance of the opening, all four eyes gazing into the fog-bound night with fixed attention. He was sleeked out and his teeth were showing.

“Something’s wrong,” she whispered.

“Yes,” Gabriel said.

He moved to the edge of the opening and studied what little could be seen through the jagged slice in the quartz. Lucy felt energy shift around him and knew he had rezzed his senses to another level.

“Stay here,” he ordered softly.

Otis growled again.

“I’m not sure this is a good idea,” Lucy said. But Gabriel and Otis both ignored her. They moved out through the opening, a couple of hunters stalking prey.

A harsh, masculine voice rang out.

“That’s far enough, Jones. Not another step or I’ll rez the trigger.”

Lucy froze.

“What’s this all about?” Gabriel asked, his voice deceptively calm.

“You’re coming with us.”

“Why?”

“Turns out someone is willing to pay a lot of money to whoever delivers you to a certain party.”

“So it’s me you’re after?”

“Guess you’re special. Don’t expect any help from the guy driving the limo. We took care of him first. There are three of us, by the way. We’ve all got mag-rezes.”

“If you murdered Joe you can consider yourselves dead men.”

“Your driver is just sound asleep. Never a good idea to leave bodies around.”

“Especially not the bodies of loyal Guild men. Management doesn’t take that well.”

“Don’t worry, we’re not going to kill you,” the voice grated. “Right now you’re more valuable alive.”

“Meaning you plan to kill me down in the tunnels, dump my body there or in the Rainforest, and hope to green hell it never gets found,” Gabriel said. “You do realize that kidnapping and murdering a Guild boss is a really bad idea.”

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