Page 42 of Veiled Justice
‘Where is he?’ she asked urgently.
I pointed to a shadowy corner where he was speaking with a group of women who were fluttering around him. Creature or not, he was sexy as hell and I doubted they had missed the clues that he was as rich as Midas, too. Maybe not all of the guests were anti-creature like Louisa seemed to be; though even Louisa hadn’t shown any sign of dismissing him.
She looked at the ogre king intently then back at me. ‘He’s colour matched your dress,’ she breathed, her eyes wide.
‘So?’
‘Did you arrive together?’
‘Yes. He picked me up.’
Her mouth dropped open. ‘What?’ I asked. ‘What am I missing?’
‘I’m a siren. I’m trained from a young age to learn other species … peculiarities.’
‘And?’ I asked impatiently.
‘Ogres don’t colour matchcasually. When they do, it signals serious intent.’
‘Serious intent to do what?’
She pressed her lips together. ‘Perhaps I’ve said too much.’
‘You really haven’t,’ I complained. ‘Tell me more.’
She flashed me a smile but ignored my demand. ‘Rupey, I need a drink. Let’s go to the bar.’
‘Rupey?’ I grinned.
Rupert sighed. ‘I’ve been avoiding the bar. Alice Rose was there.’
‘Who?’
‘Remember? The dryad that complained about me after I won her case?’
‘The one that complained it took too long?’
‘Yeah.’ He glared towards the bar then brightened. ‘She’s gone. We’re good.’ He offered Ava his arm in a gentlemanly gesture that took me off guard and she beamed at him as she took it. They beat a hasty retreat before I could press Ava further about the significance of the colour-matching thing.
I grimaced. Krieg had been clear that he fancied me and I wasn’t delusional enough to pretend that the attraction wasn’t mutual. His red bow-tie probably signalled his intent to fuck me, and Ava didn’t want to say that in front of my brother. Mystery solved, I turned back to therealmystery at hand: solving Helga’s murder.
I scoured the room for Squigsy and his cohort who were still on my to-interrogate list. When I couldn’t see them, unease trickled along my spine. I was heading out to the garden when Louisa Carnforth cut me off. ‘Inspector Wise!’ she greeted me loudly. ‘What a pleasure to see youhere! I’msoglad you could make it. Have you met my father?’
‘I haven’t had that pleasure yet,’ I replied slowly. I didn’t tell her what the maid had said. For some reason, Louisa was trying to make people believe her father was still out and about, rather than confined to his bed. I’d dig into that later but for now I needed to stay on her good side or I’d be chucked out before I could question everyone I wanted to speak to.
Louisa made a show of looking around. ‘I can’t see him. He must be getting some fresh air.’
That comment reminded me of Ava and Rupert. I looked at the bar but they were no longer there. I grimaced; Ireallydidn’t want to see them having sex in the gardens.
‘Never mind,’ Louisa waved an airy hand. ‘Isn’t it wonderful? So much better than Quintos’s weak effort.’
This affairdidhave more drama but it also had messages of subjugation and second-class citizenship that I wasn’t on board with. ‘Chimeras are dangerous,’ I said. ‘And rare. It doesn’t deserve to be in a cage.’
‘It’s only been hired for the party,’ she parried. ‘After that it’ll go back home, no harm, no foul. And it does add a certain drama having something that could kill you prowling around, doesn’t it?’ Her eyes swept up and down Krieg as she spoke; her smile told me that, deadly as he was, she was more than willing to do the horizontal rumba with him. Something bristled within me.
‘Have you hit that?’ she asked me. ‘I bet he’s hung like a centaur!’
‘I wouldn’t know,’ I said tightly.
