Page 44 of Hunt the Dusk
“Outside the park?”
“Yeah,” Holly said. “And we were unable to pick it back up.”
“So all we know is they were both in that area?”
“It’s more than that,” Edwin said. “According to Holly, they both took exactly the same route too.”
Now that was strange. “What are the odds of that?”
“Slim to none,” Padma said. “I’ll do some digging, see if there is any connection between the two of them."
"I’ll go to the cemetery and let Alice know what we’ve found,” Merry said. “Or not found.”
“What now?” Edwin asked the question we were all thinking.
There was only one thing we could do. “We have more missing case files. More missing people to try and find.”
“Grab the oldest case and the newest,” Holly said to Merry. “If I can get samples, I can make more tracker tincture.”
“Give me a list of what ingredients you need,” Edwin said. “I’ll go shopping.”
We may have struck out on tracking Lomax and Diago, but there had to be someone who’d seen them in the Brimswood Park area that day. “Get photographs of them or see if we can have sketches made. I say we knock on doors and start interviewing people.”
“Great idea,” Padma said. “I’ll get on it this weekend.” She glanced over at me, the same look of concern crossing her features as earlier when I’d told the team where I’d be for the next two nights.
And then everyone was looking at me with varying degrees of concern.
“I’ll be fine.” I sipped my coffee to show just how chill I was about the whole thing, while my stomach churned. “I’m sure Ordell and Hemlock will figure out a way to come with us.”
I hoped.
I should have knownthat the carriage taking Ezekiel to the summit would be something special. Red cherrywood and gilded, it had a plush velvet interior with seats large enough to be used as beds. There were thick drapes on the windows as well as shutters and a small table with a recess beneath to store stuff. A thick knitted blanket had been placed inside, probably for me. Because I doubted that Ezekiel got cold.
Godor was in the driver’s seat with another two bat boys perched on top. Our escort to the summit.
Gravel crunched outside. The others were coming. I quickly stowed my blade under the seat and climbed out.
Ezekiel strode toward me, his calf-length, felt-lined cloak flapping in the breeze. I caught a glimpse of his crimson waistcoat and the gold chain of his pocket watch. Ordell and Hemlock hurried close behind, but from the looks on their faces, their attempt at convincing Ezekiel to let them come with us had failed.
My heart sank. It would have been good to have them as backup.
“You might need us,” Ordell said.
“Need you?” Ezekiel let out a bark of laughter. “And what do you two intend to do against a group of ancient vampires?” He stopped at the carriage doors and turned to face them.
“We’re hunters,” Hemlock bit out. “What do you think?”
“I don’t want my enemies dead. I want them alive so I can torture them. Believe me”—he adjusted his cuffs—“if thissummit turns out to be some kind of coup, I will be more than prepared.”
“And what about Orina?” Ordell demanded. “Can you guarantee her safety?”
“Yes,” Ezekiel said. “I can.” Ordell took a breath to argue, but Ezekiel cut in. “This discussion is over. The terms of the summit are clear. No outsiders. Miss Lighthart is being permitted to attend because she is my official watcher. You have no authority to be there.”
“We know that,” Ordell said. “We’ll stay out of sight, just off the grounds. No one has to know.”
“I’ll know.”
“Oh, the integrity,” Hemlock muttered sarcastically.
