Page 57 of The Vampire and the Case of the Malevolent Mermaid

‘Hot chocolate?’ I asked and they both nodded eagerly.

Gunnar sat with them while I made a hot chocolate for everyone – myself and him included. The girls weren’t the only ones who were shocky. I went to town and added marshmallows and cream to the velvety goodness. While I was in the small kitchen, Sigrid joined me. She looked tired, but she still dredged up a smile.

‘Hey, you okay?’ I asked her.

‘That’s my line,’ she teased, brushing a few strands that had wriggled loose from my braid behind my ear. With thoughts of my own mother so near the surface, that maternal gesture made my eyes burn. Whatever happened with Mum, I hoped I’d always have Sig.

‘How are you holding up, love?’ she asked.

‘Better now we’ve found the girls. I’m hoping they’ll have some answers for us.’

‘Have you told Connor they’re safe?’

I bit my lip. ‘Not yet,’ I admitted. ‘There’ssomething going on with Kate and her dad. I don’t want to tip our hand that she’s safe until we know what it is. I don’t want the king’s men rushing in and questioning her – or worse, whisking her off.’

She studied me. ‘Did you tell Connor you went beyond?’

I flinched. ‘Not exactly.’

Sigrid sighed. ‘He loves you. He’s going to be upset that you left him in the dark.’

He was going to belividand I wouldn’t blame him one bit, but his father’s men were stalking him, listening to his calls, bugging his car. I couldn’t risk them finding out and interfering. We needed to get to the truth for the girls’ sake – and for Sidnee’s.

I sighed. ‘I know.’

Sigrid hugged me then helped me carry the hot chocolate into the other room. I picked up a mug of warmed blood for Kate too and juggled the drinks in my hands.

‘This is my wife, Sigrid,’ Gunnar introduced her as she walked in. ‘This is Kate and Essie.’

‘Nice to meet you, girls.’ She handed them each a mug. ‘I’m sorry for all you’ve been through.’

Kate’s eyes filled with tears. ‘Thanks.’ Essie nodded wordlessly, but I saw her swallow hard.

When our cups were empty, Gunnar and I exchanged glances. ‘We’ll need to interview you separately,’ he said gently. ‘Who wants to go first?’

‘I will,’ Kate murmured.

Essie’s shoulders slumped. ‘Tell them the truth – thewholetruth.’ Kate nodded, though she looked terrified.

‘Everything will be okay,’ Sigrid reassured them. ‘Gunnar and Bunny are good people. They’ll do right by you.’

‘Even if the evidence doesn’t point our way?’ Kate asked bitterly.

To my surprise, Sigrid winked. ‘Evidence can go missing.’

I gaped a little before closing my mouth with a clack. Well, that answered that question: it looked like there were no limits to what Sigrid would do to free Sidnee. I expected Gunnar to protest but his eyes were already on mine, solemn and guarded. And that answeredthatquestion: like Sigrid, he was ready to play fast and loose with the rules.

The question was: was I? I knew the answer before I’d finished asking the question. Of course I would.I’d already thought about staking Cobalt Robertson. Justice came in many forms.

Kate followed us into the interview room and we started recording. Gunnar quietly read her the Miranda rights then said, ‘You have the right to an attorney. As you are sixteen, you should also be questioned with your parents present but you’ve asked not to have them here. Do you understand that you can ask for another adult to be present on your behalf?’

‘I don’t have anyone else,’ she said bitterly, wrapping her arms around herself.

‘I’m sorry for everything you’ve been through,’ I said. And because I knew her parents were somehow at the heart of this, I continued, ‘My parents kept something big from me and I only found out about it recently. It changed everything for me.’

She swallowed hard. ‘Have you spoken to them?’

‘My mother, a little. My father, not at all.’

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