Page 144 of House of Ruin
They did.
“Yes, she is. Thank you,” Andro said, crossing his legs.
“What can I help you with today?” the chief tilted his head to the side, eyeing them all. “Your House has been removed from the suspect list. No new developments have been made, you are aware, right?”
“Yes, sir,” Val said. “But that’s not why we’re here. We know who’s behind the murders.”
His eyebrows went all the way up to his receding hairline. “You do? And who is it?”
“Norse Fox,” Andro said.
“And I assume you have evidence?” the man asked, hesitant. “I can’t go around arresting people like Fox—” He went silent, stealing a glance at Blaze. “I need strong evidence before I can do anything about it.”
“We’ll get you the evidence,” Val said. “What we need from you is cooperation when the time is right. Can you grant us that?”
The chief of police stayed silent for a long while.
He laced his fingers together over his large belly, clearing his throat. “You’re not police,” he said. “Why don’t you leave things like figuring out murder to professionals and do what you do best there at the academy, huh?”
Val smiled. “And what it is that we do best there, at the academy, huh, sir?”
Their gazes locked. Val was challenging him, and the man knew he couldn’t say everything that was on his mind.
“How will you get this evidence you speak of?” the chief asked finally.
“You don’t have to concern yourself with that,” Val said. “We need you to have men ready to go once we give you a signal.”
“My mother will appreciate it very much,” Andro said. “And I’m sure she’ll include a paragraph about you successfully solving a string of murders in the next issue ofAvalon State Reporter.”
“All our parents will be pleased,” Blaze chimed in. “And you know what they say—happy alumni, happy life.”
The chief of police sucked on his teeth. But he didn’t argue any further. “Fine. Get me the damned evidence.”
“She’s on the move!” Jolene announced.
They all turned to where she sat plastered to the gramophone.
Blaze strained his ears to listen carefully. There were noises of the street, chatter of people in the distance, and then Alecto’s voice: “I hope you motherfuckers are ready.”
Andro and Jolene chuckled, and Val smiled.
Even Blaze smirked to himself, despite his mixed feelings.
He had been thinking a lot about what Alecto had said. Even though they had more pressing problems to deal with, Blaze couldn’t stop thinking about her.
It was clear from her last words to him that once this was over, Blaze had to either forgive and forget to see where their relationship took them.
Or she wouldn’t ever talk to him again.
“Do you know where she’s going?” Jolene asked.
Blaze and Andro exchanged looks and shook their heads.
“She’s going to the Dragons’ home,” Val said, crossing her arms.
“That’s a bit dangerous, don’t you think?” Andro asked.
“Especially if he noticed Bea missing,” Jolene said.
