Page 31 of Shadow Running
I raised my eyebrows.He was arrogant, but I had the suspicion he had the goods to back it up.I glanced at Dante.“Should I?”I asked, hoping Dante would know what I was asking.
He read my face.Finally, he nodded.“You might as well.”
Turning back to the demon, I said, “Your name and I’ll tell you why I’m asking.”
The demon considered my bargaining chip.Finally, he said, “All right.I’m Vaurice.And you’re right, I’m not from here.”
It felt like we were playing chess, or putting together a puzzle, each reluctantly revealing one piece at a time.I took a deep breath.“Thank you.The reason I care why you were talking to Edward Trask is because his brother was a serial killer, and he killed my mother.”
At that, Vaurice let out a long breath.He set down his glass.“Her name was Erin Sarasan, correct?”
I froze, not sure what to say.After a moment, I nodded.“Yes, it was.”I wasn’t about to tell a strange demon what her real name was.
“I was sent her to find her, and any children she may have had.My journey led me to Trask, to ask him about the woman his brother killed.”He leaned forward.“And it seems, I’ve succeeded in my task.”
I could barely breathe.“Who sent you?Why are you looking for me?”
He paused, then, after a moment, he said, “We’re fastidious in keeping accurate rolls of our people.If I need to get in touch with you, is there a number at which I can reach you?”
He already had my name, so I handed him a business card.I had the feeling he had only told me a fraction of the truth, but I also had the feeling I wasn’t going to get anything more out of him tonight.“Do you have a number I can reachyouat?”I asked.
He jotted down a number on the back of a napkin and handed it to me.“You can leave a message there and I’ll get it within a day or two.Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have business to attend to.Don’t try to follow me.You won’t manage it.”
Vaurice slid out of the seat and tossed a hundred dollar bill on the table.“Drinks are on me.I’ll be in touch.”And, without another word, he turned and strode out of the bar.
* * *
I stared at the number,then typed it into the contacts section on my phone, along with Vaurice’s name.“Well…your instincts were spot on,” I said, turning to Lazenti.He slid out and moved to the other side, now that the demon was gone.“I’m glad you followed him.”
Unsure of what else to say, I paused as the waitress came over.I handed her the hundred.“I’ll have a rum and Coke,” I said.
“Diet Coke for me,” Dante said.“I’m driving.”
Lazenti ordered a bourbon and soda.“How do you think they knew about you?”
I shrugged.“I can think of one way, except that my mother never told my father she was pregnant.At least, I don’t think so.I can’t be sure of anything right now.”
“He couldn’t be your father, could he?Though, you two look the same age,” Lazenti said.
I thought about it for a moment.“I don’t think so.Besides, my mother said my father had the same color hair as me.And she described him as burly and this guy…Vaurice…isn’t a burly man.”
We sat quietly, drinking, while I tried to stop the whir of my brain.His story about it being for the rolls of the Arosien Clan was bullshit.I knew that, and he had to know that I knew.I’d be leaving a message as soon as I got home.
“What next?”Lazenti asked.
I shrugged.“I guess I just leave him a message and we work on the missing homeless cases.There isn’t much else I can do.Unless I go visit Edward Trask myself.”
“Don’t do it,” Dante warned.“That’s a bad idea.I’m afraid Edward Trask might end up on a slab, if you do.”He gave me a dark look.“You know yourself.You know visiting him might trigger your inner demon.”
I murmured an assent, but I really didn’t feel like making any promises.“Fine, we’ll leave it alone.”I couldn’t break a promise I hadn’t made.“I suppose we’d better get going,” I said.
“Are you sure you wouldn’t like to stay for awhile?”Lazenti asked.
I smiled.“No, I think we’d better go.”
We said our farewells and headed toward the nearest exit.By the time we were back above ground and at our car, I had made up my mind.I was going to visit Edward Trask.I didn’t want Dante to know, so I decided to return later, when I was alone.
* * *
