Page 70 of The Vampire and the Case of the Malevolent Mermaid

Knowing Connor was a prince was one thing. But seeing it? Seeing it in the way he carried himself as if the crown had always been his? That was different.

My mate was a prince – and just now his blue eyes were glacier cold.

Chapter 43

Connor spoke into the silence. ‘What felicitous timing. The vampire court welcomes the Nomo to observe our justice.’

That was clear enough: a polite warning to sit down, shut up and not to interfere. Gunnar took a chair and sat. Gritting my teeth I did the same, as did Sidnee.

Connor turned his attention back to Mr Robertson. ‘Who is in the barrels and why did you kill them?’

Robertson gritted his teeth but answered. ‘I wanted the land and I wanted it cheap. The beast had scared away almost everyone and I was going to get it for pennies. But the military had a listening post at the edge of the property. They stopped the land from being sold until they were done with it.’

Connor raised an eyebrow. ‘Killing soldiers wouldn’t stop a military operation.’

‘No, but the people they’d stationed there were already spooked. They’d asked repeatedly to be pulled out, said there was no useful intel and that they were being stalked by some kind of terrifying native monster. If it looked like they’d deserted, the army wouldn’t send anyone else. The war was basically over, and it was true that they hadn’t intercepted anything useful. Hell, they were probablyonly months away from being pulled out anyway. I just speeded up the process.’

‘Why the barrels?’

‘No one discovered them for eighty years, did they?’ Robertson sneered. ‘The military wasn’t sending anyone to a beast-infested area for one meagre mobile listening station. Once they realised their people were gone, they released the land and I took it.’

‘Who werethey?’

Robertson shrugged as best as he could against his restraints. ‘I don’t know their names, nor do I care. Four worked the post, two were civilian pilots who brought in their supplies.’

The military had to have records. Hopefully we could identify the bodies and give the families the closure they deserved.

For our benefit, Connor said, ‘Cobalt Robertson is being tried for the murders of those contained within the barrels, but also for arranging and facilitating the kidnapping of a number of girls over the years. We searched this property and found a safe with innumerable items taken from victims over the years. These will be given to the Nomo’s office, together with the logs of order requests and their subsequent fulfilment.’

‘Is it clear where the girls were taken?’ I asked, unable to help myself.

‘For their first destination, yes.’ Connor paused. ‘Some of the requests specified virgins. Once that was no longer the case, the girls may have been sold on or killed.’

I swallowed hard.

‘Again, the vampire court will offer our full assistance in tracking down the individuals taken by one of ours.’

‘We’re grateful for that,’ Gunnar said. ‘Thank you, Prince Connor.’ Connor nodded abruptly.

‘When do the records start?’ I asked.

‘They span the last decade.’ Connor’s voice was grim. He turned pointedly to Cobalt Robertson and the woman sobbing at his feet. ‘I find you guilty of all crimes laid at your door.’

Faye wailed and clung to her husband’s feet. ‘He’s innocent!’ she sobbed. ‘He has to be. He’s been set up! He would never have taken Kate!’

Connor studied her, his face a cool mask that revealed nothing. ‘Your daughter was recovered safely yesterday but she specifically asked to be kept away from her father. She confirmed that he fed her and her friend Essie cookies laced with a sleeping potion. He disrupted his own wards and opened the window to make it look like the girls had been taken that way. In truth, they were taken through the house and out the front door with your husband’s knowledge, assistance and blessing.’

Faye released her husband’s leg. For the first time, she really looked at him. ‘Did you do it? Did you steal our daughter away?’ He didn’t answer and that was answer enough. She crawled away from him.

I thought I might as well help Connor’s case since we were on the same side. I looked at Faye. ‘Your maid, Jesse, confirmed that she was contacted by your husband to clean in addition to herusual hours. She wiped away muddy footprints in your hallway. He facilitated the kidnapping and hid the evidence afterwards.’

Faye trembled. ‘He gave me a cookie, too – said I deserved a sweet treat. I slept like the dead. I blamed myself for not waking when they were taken… ’ She shook her head in disbelief as she stared at her husband. ‘You drugged me and took our child.’ She pressed her lips together. ‘I welcome your justice, Prince Connor. However it falls.’

He nodded once then his eyes flashed. ‘Everyone out while I deliberate. The Nomo’s office may remain, as will Parker, John and Margrave.’

The other occupants of the room filed out like they were in a trance. I’d seen Connor compel a crowd before and it was as eerie now as it had been then.

When everyone else had gone, Connor sat next to Cobalt Robertson. ‘I’ve hated you for a long time,’ he said conversationally. ‘When you were assigned here, I had my closest friend, Juan, break into your house and find the old books that you kept for Dad. It took a few tries with Liv in tow to get past the wards and to raise them again without alerting you, but we managed it. Juan stole the books, copied them and returned them. You never knew that they were touched. Do you know why we did that?’

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