Page 37 of Addicted in Blood
She shook her head.“No.But why else would they be contacting me?All five messages were from the last two days.”
Simone had to agree.“They must have traced Cressa back to her apartment.Are you also on the rental agreement?”
Ginger nodded.
“With all the activity at the apartment, even if the neighbors didn’t say anything to the cops, something would have leaked.”Lucas took Ginger’s hand, and she wondered if it was his way to comfort her, or he simply wanted to save her scarf that continued to twist.“I’ve met Bulldog.The detectives won’t have any luck with him.All he knows is that Cressa and Ginger haven’t been around their apartment for over a month.”
“Which was well before Underwood’s murder.”Simone tapped her fingers on the desk.“Devon should have dumped that apartment.”
“Perhaps.But who could have guessed Lorenzo would have gotten rid of Underwood so quickly.”
“How long can we put off this detective?”Simone asked.
Lucas shrugged.“A few days at least.They might have found the apartment, but there’s nothing to link either Cressa or Ginger to us.They also don’t know that Cressa is Pandora, so I don’t believe they’ll be able to trace her from that persona.As far as they can tell, Ginger and Cressa are ghosts.”
“April spoke to Cressa the day after Underwood’s murder,” Ginger added.“She would have told the detective, but I don’t think her mother said anything.From what Cressa said, her mom wouldn’t tell them about her meeting with Devon.She doesn’t even know his name.”
“But she is the weakest link if April suspects anything,” Lucas said.
“Maybe.”Ginger released the scarf and absently straightened it.“But Cressa was sincerely touched by her mother’s support.She knows Cressa didn’t kill Christopher.If she was going to, she would have done it long before now.”When Lucas shot her a glance, she shrugged.“She wouldn’t have done it herself, but she knows people.”
“Sergi and Cressa will be back in two days.”Simone considered her own timetable.Her focus had already turned to Boris Gheata and what she could discover in that time period.“Will the police wait that long?”
“If they have other leads, they might hold off putting out an APB on Cressa.I don’t think they’d go that far in locating Ginger.They probably found her old employer, but all they can say is that Ginger quit.”
“I told them I was heading to Seattle.Maybe they’ll think I moved up there and that Cressa went with me.”
Simone sat back.“That would take some pressure off.”She glanced at Lucas, who nodded his confirmation.
“It might not hurt to give the police someone else to follow,” Lucas suggested.
“Not a vampire.”
“No.Of course, not.Sergi started an investigation of Underwood’s other shady businesses.There must be one or two humans that lost money with him.”
Simone nodded.“Continue with that idea.Maybe you can find more possibilities.I believe Decker mentioned Underwood having a vampire girlfriend.My guess is he’s had a few human ones as well.Maybe we can sow a seed in that direction.”
Lucas nodded and made a note in his tablet.“If we’re wrong about Lorenzo, maybe the cops will trip over the real killer.”
Simone clucked her tongue.“If we could be so lucky.”
ChapterTwenty
“I wantyou to think about someone you’ve met in a dreamwalk.Someone you can use for focus.”Colantha sat on a tall stool, the room dimly lit.Her forest-green empress-style dress flowed around her, showing off her dainty ankles and fashionable Mary Janes.
I stood in front of her, barefoot and in my workout clothes.When I’d entered the center bungalow, she’d been waiting for me, primly seated at one of the three dining tables, each seating four.The community room was as drab as my room, but it had the basics.Two sitting areas were complete with couches, chairs, and low tables covered with magazines.The bedrooms were down a hall to the left, and a door in the back led to a kitchen, or so I was told.The training room was through the door on the right.And it didn’t get any simpler.It was a fair-sized, empty room with a cold stone floor and pit in the middle.The only furniture was the stool where Colantha sat.
I considered her statement, and the only one who came to mind was Devon.And when I thought of him, the only image it stirred was the beast.“Does it have to be someone I’ve seen in a dream?”
She gave me an odd look.“It will be difficult to accomplish what you want in three days by using someone you’ve never linked with.This isn’t meant to be a dreamwalking experience with someone.This person is only meant to be a focal point to establish a construct of your own making.It’s easier if it’s someone who’s already been in your dreamworld.”
“All right.I’ll use Devon.”
Her brow rose, but she didn’t look at me.It wasn’t like I had several people to choose from, there’d only been Devon in my dreams.But…that wasn’t true.Lyra had been in one of them, and she knew about the dreams.Before I could give it any further consideration, Colantha pointed to the circular pit in the middle of the floor.It was made of shiny, black tiles similar to those found in a hot tub or pool.
Frederick laid a blanket at the bottom of the pit, which was about three feet below the floor.A step on each side allowed for easy in-and-out access.
“Step inside and sit.”
