Page 72 of Lovesick Titan

“You sure do know how to pick ‘em, pal.”

Now, while Mal’s Titans were out in the field, he stayed hidden in the safe house, but he was hardly lying low unproductively. He’d gotten lazy before, distracted, figured Team Zeus had it covered where Ludgate was concerned and could do the heavy lifting themselves. He was paying for that mistake now. Mal needed to find out everything they knew about Ludgate and everything they didn’t.

He finished pulling up the files he needed on his computer, the one reflective item he allowed in the safe house, since he believed and dearly hoped he was right that as long as the screen constantly displayed something, Ludgate couldn’t access it.

Analyzing everything critically, Mal scanned the employee roster for Olympus City Glassworks. Manager at the time of Ludgate’s employment still worked there. Good. Then Mal looked at the shop’s shift schedule. The man in question was on the clockright now.

“I’m heading out,” he told the others as he snatched up his Prometheus gear to get changed. “Meet back at the safe house as soon as you’re finished. Oz, stay alert. We’ll call you when we’re together. Hopefully, I’ll be back in less than an hour.”

“Where are you going?” Lucy asked.

Grinning, Mal pulled on his duster. “Time for some old-fashioned interrogation, sis—a little less user-friendly than the OCPD.”

Dom snickered over the line. “Have fun, buddy.”

R

Chris Stantz had a solo shift for the morning and early afternoon since it was Thursday and not a particularly busy time of year for the glassworks. He worked in the back room unless the bell over the door chimed. He’d get a little help around 2PM when one of the associate employees came in for their shift through closing time. It worked in the shop’s favor to mostly employ part-timers, especially after Cassidy Ludgate robbed them blind a few weeks ago. At least Chris had managed to keep his job.

A knock at the back door startled him. Pushing away from his desk, he frowned even as he headed that direction. The back exit was for emergencies—he used the front door when closing up—and deliveries only. He slowed his steps, wondering if he’d imagined the noise.

Another knock sounded.Damn it.

“Who’s there?” Chris called.

“Delivery for Stantz!” a muffled voice replied.

Here he’d been hoping for a slow day, but maybe it was something worthwhile at least. Unlocking the back door, Chris hefted it open. “What kind of deliv…” he trailed as his eyes widened at the sight of Prometheus—thePrometheus—standing in front of him, and he attempted to slam the door shut again.

A strong grip held it open, while a second hand grabbed Chris by the scruff of his shirt and hauled him out into the alley.

“We need to have a chat, Mr. Stantz.”

R

Mal pushed the man up against the wall of the building. He could have easily strolled inside, but that wasn’t practical when the shop was filled with mirrors. The windowless alley—the type of location he was used to using to navigate his city—worked just fine.

Pressing in close to the man, Mal held one hand flat against the brick beside his head, the other on Stantz’s stomach, both icing over threateningly.

“I don’t know anything!” Stantz cried.

“About?”

“Uhh…whatever it is you’re here for?”

Mal grinned; people were so predictable. Stantz must have something to hide. Gambling debts maybe? A few dirty secrets someone interested in digging might turn up? No matter. Mal was there for information. He might be without his goggles or sunglasses, which he normally enjoyed donning for how they hooded his gaze, but his direct stare could be plenty intimidating.

“Don’t sell yourself short, Mr. Stantz. I bet you know plenty. Maybe even more than you realize.” Pressing his frozen hand further forward against Stantz’s stomach, he enjoyed making the man tremble. “I need to know everything you know about Cassidy Ludgate—everything you didn’t tell the police.”

Stantz blinked like that was the last thing he’d expected Mal to say. “I told them all I know! I swear!”

Mal leaned into him, close enough to puff breath against his face. “We both know that isn’t true. There’s always something that slips the mind or seems unimportant. I want to know how he took his coffee. Whether he ever wore white after Labor Day or saved all his receipts but never carried cash.Everything. And make no mistake…Christopher,” Mal drew out the man’s name, “if I don’t leave here with something useful, I’m going to be feeling awfullyfrostytoward you.” He let a bit of that frost seep out from his palm to freeze Stantz’s shirt. “Wouldn’t want that to happen now, would we?”

Stantz’s breathing picked up, eyes wide and lip quivering. “P-Please…I don’t know anything. I don’t know what I know! He was just a…a weird guy. No friends. Came and went, always on time, didn’t say much. Didn’tdrinkcoffee. Only got worked up when he talked about his experiments.”

“Experiments?” Mal let the cold from his hands dissipate as he leaned back. “Never mentioned that to the fuzz. Why? What was Ludgate experimenting on?”

Stantz shook his head before Mal even finished speaking. “It’s nuts. Crazy. If you’re looking for him, it won’t help you—”

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