Page 56 of Stalk the Dark
I suspected just that. “You think Kaster knows?”
“I doubt it,” Padma said. “From what I’ve heard about him, he’s a lethal bastard who’ll cut down anyone who fucks with his team,buthe’s also fair. But heck, I don’t know him personally, so that could all be bullshit. For all we know, he’s the mastermind behind it all.”
“It’s hard to imagine him not knowing what’s going on under his nose,” Edwin said.
All fair points. “Atlas did say Kaster had authorized them taking over the Order offices…Speaking of Atlas…You thinkheknows?”
“Doubtful,” Padma said. “He only joined the division a few months ago, after…after the fire.”
There was silence in the van for a few moments, just the drone of the engine and the flash of streetlights washing over us as we passed.
“We should say something,” Merry said finally. “If he doesn’t know about the client thing, then he should, and if he knows, then…he should know that we know that he knows.”
“Damn, Merry, you make my head ache,” Edwin said good-naturedly.
But Merry was right. “We’ll tell him…as soon as we deliver his operative.”
“We could tell that Wayne vamp,” Edwin suggested.
“I don’t like his face,” Merry said with a shiver. “He has liar’s eyes.”
I had no idea what that meant, but if her gut was saying no, then we’d go with it. “Okay, so no Wayne, just Atlas.”
I glanced in the side mirror at the car tailing us—a reluctant Wayne in the driver’s seat. “Sangualex has some nice wheels.”
“Yeah,” Edwin said wistfully.
“I should have added a new van to our list of demands.”
“I’m sure there’ll be more favors called in,” Padma said bitterly.
I had a feeling she wasn’t all in with this ghoul interruptus mission. Working for the Sangualex had cost her team their lives. “If you didn’t want to do this, you should have said so back at the office.” I twisted in my seat to look at her. “We all need to be on board for shit like this, Padma. I would have told him to go fuck himself if you didn’t want in.”
“What? And give up the chance of an expensive coffee machine?” She snorted, a smile tugging at her lips. “No. I’m good. I just…I fucking hate them.”
I sat back in my seat and met her eyes in the rearview mirror. “It’s like a barrel of rotten apples. There’s got to be a few thataren’tspoiled.”
“Rot infects,” she countered.
“Also true. Dammit, woman.” She cracked a proper smile, and I sent her one back via the mirror. “No oneis going to take advantage of us again, I swear it. From now on, we don’t workforthe Sangualex, we workwiththem, and only on our terms.”
“Deal,” Merry said from the backseat.
“You got it,” Edwin agreed.
I met Padma’s eyes in the mirror again, waiting.
She locked eyes with me, her smile lingering. “Whatever you say, boss.”
And that would have to do. For now.
Lakeview cemetery was seton a rise within view of an actual lake. Bordered by ivy-choked stone walls, the only entrance and exit was via a heavy wrought iron gate set between two stone pillars topped with twin Raven statues. The site looked more like an estate than a place to bury the dead.
“I’m surprised the vampires dealt with a case here,” Edwin said. “They hate hallowed ground.”
A door slammed behind us, and Wayne joined us a moment later, hands in his pockets, a sulky downturn to his lips. He was a whip-thin male with a receding hairline and knives for cheekbones.
“Let’s hurry this up. I’ll show you where the ghoul is, check on Charlie, and then I’m out of here.” He strode forward, shoulders hunched, muttering under his breath as he crossed the threshold.
