Page 29 of Curses & Keys
“I’m sorry. They’re definitely targeting supes,” I inform her. “But I’m confused by this video. This proves that humans bought the panel. Do you think the traitor double-crossed them?”
“The group tonight knew I was the one with Letz,” she tells me. “You recognized me by smell. How did they know me? Ihaven’t figured that one out yet.” Her gaze is distant as she thinks about the possible options.
“Maybe they know you too?” I murmur, hating the fact that she’s their target.
She bites her lip, but shrugs. “Maybe.”
“Kline seemed particularly upset that the Ming vase was shattered. Couldn’t he have repaired it?” I decide to change the subject to something safer.
A tiny frown settles between her brows. “He could, but it’s considerably less valuable to supernatural collectors if it’s been repaired with magic,” she informs me. “Do you think he was going to sell it?”
Hawthorne hears her question and leans over. “He owes money to the wrong people. I’d say it was his plan all along.”
She thinks about it for a minute, then gives a troubled sigh. “Anything’s possible.”
Half an hour later, we land at a private airstrip close to Yale University and take the waiting SUV to Kline’s house. The large blue Federal-style home sits on a traditional tree-lined street, looking like a piece of Americana. When he opens the door, I see the gun in his hand and immediately step in front of Phaedra.
Throwing up a light shield, I hold up my empty hands. “We’re here to ask you a few questions. Can we come in?” Magic swirls in and out of my fingers, letting Kline know I’m prepared to defend us.
He blows out an irritated breath but allows us to enter.
Gatlin is the last to step inside and plants himself by the door.
“What’s this all about?” Kline snarls, blood-red eyes darting to each of us. He stops when he sees Phaedra. “Dr. Galanis?” He finally lowers the gun.
“Hi, Doran,” Phaedra says softly. “I’m sorry to hear about Sia. She was a lovely demon.”
At the mention of Sia, Kline sets the gun on the hall table and falls into the chair beside it. “She died trying to save that stupid vase. It’s all my fault. If only they’d taken the panel and left.”
She kneels down in front of him and takes his hands in hers. Not comfortable with her so close to the gun, I step forward, but Mathias grabs my arm.
“Who gave you the panel?” she asks, keeping her voice in the same low tone.
Clever. Let him think we don’t know about the deal.
“Letz added it to my container. He asked me to keep it until he could find a buyer for it. A couple of days later, he called and gave me a date and time. At first, I didn’t want to do it, but he offered me the Ming vase. He knew I needed the money,” Kline tells her.
She tilts her head. “Why do you need money?”
“You know my wife was human, right?” When she nods, he continues. “She was sick. Terminal illness. I took her to all the best specialists, trying to save her. It cost a fortune. The demon community banished me when I married a human, so I had to borrow money from some really bad people. In the end, the doctors couldn’t save her,” he explains in a shattered voice. “I didn’t know what to do. Letz offered a solution. The Ming vase would have covered the debt and the accrued interest they keep piling on top.”
He looks around the foyer at all of us. “Without the vase, I have no way to pay them back. My sons just lost their mother. Now, they’re going to lose their father, too.”
Phaedra squeezes his hand. “Here’s what I’ll do. Tell us everything you can about the panel, and I’ll pay your debt. Okay?”
Astonished, he stares at her as if he can’t believe what she’s saying. “You would do that for me? Why?”
“Because you’re a good man, Doran, and your kids deserve to grow up with their father. One mistake shouldn’t change your future,” she says, a sad expression crossing her face. “Now, what do you know?”
He reaches for the side table, and my magic whips out and grabs his wrist.
Phaedra swivels her head around in disbelief and shoots me a furious look, then turns back to Doran. “He doesn’t like guns.”
Kline waves a hand. “It isn’t even loaded. I was getting paper from the drawer.”
I almost snort. Not loaded. Some of my tension eases.
Phaedra pulls open the drawer and grabs a pencil and paper. She hands them to Kline, then takes the gun so he can use the table’s surface. As he starts sketching, she places the gun behind her back and signals to us. Mathias smoothly steps over and takes it from her.
