Page 69 of Brimstone Bound
‘Her name is Anna,’ I whispered. ‘She’s a werewolf.’ I wished I could reach into the computer and somehow yank her out. ‘And two days before this video was recorded, she supposedly disappeared.’
***
I made Fred and Liza go home. Discovering Anna had lit a fire in all our bellies. I’d been right all along that Tony’s death – and therefore mine also – was indeed linked to what had happened to Becca and Anna. But all three of us were feeling the strain of the day’s events, and neither Fred nor Liza had had time to come to terms with Tony’s loss. We all knew they needed a break.
For my part, I emptied my savings account and booked into Max’s hotel next door. The Supe Squad sofa was all well and good, but I hadn’t had a shower since before my first trip to the morgue. I desperately needed to scrub away the feeling of death and catch some sleep. A tired brain wouldn’t help Tony – or Anna, assuming she was still alive.
Max was incredibly helpful. He spoke to some of the hotel staff and procured me a change of clothes after I muttered something vague about being forced to leave home in a hurry. I wasn’t sure what conclusions he’d drawn from that, but he’d given me a brisk nod and patted my shoulder in sympathy. The man was a godsend.
When I walked out of the hotel a few hours later, refreshed and finally clean, I hoped he would still be on duty so I could thank him. Unfortunately, his glowering replacement was now standing outside. All I received was a dark look and a reluctantly muttered ‘good evening’. I ignored him; I had more important things to worry about than a bad-tempered bellman.
Now that it was dark and I was alone, I could feel the familiar, unnamed terror itching at my shoulder blades. I went to Tallulah, retrieved my crossbow and reloaded it. No, I didn’t know how to use it properly and, yes, I’d almost accidentally killed Lukas with it, but I needed something to fend off my fear of the night. Holding the weapon definitely helped. The closer I got to finding out what had happened to Tony and me, the more danger I was putting myself in. If the killer came for me again, at least I’d go down fighting.
I adjusted my grip until the crossbow felt comfortable, then took off down the street. I had one destination in mind and, while a part of me wished that Lukas was with me, I couldn’t delay visiting it.
I wondered what Jeremy would make of me strolling along the street and jumping at shadows while hefting a lethal weapon. I couldn’t dwell on him; he was safely out of the way, and that was what counted right now.
It was early for Crystal, the club where Gregory had picked up Anna, but its doors were open. I was hopeful that I’d get the chance to quiz some of the staff before they became too busy. There weren’t any bouncers hovering outside, but there was a pair of young werewolves at the front desk just beyond the front door. Both their smiles flickered when they spotted the crossbow. That was a good start.
‘You’re the new one,’ the blonde said. ‘The one who’s taking over from Tony Brown. We’ve heard about you.’
I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. It meant that whoever had slit my throat no doubt knew that I was back from the dead – and could well be planning another attempt. On the other hand, it also meant it would be easier to get answers to my questions.
‘I’m not taking over from him. I’m only in Supe Squad temporarily.’
‘Uh-huh.’ She ran her tongue over her teeth in a predatory fashion. ‘It’s Emma, right?’
I glanced at the yellow zeta tag on her shoulder. ‘Yeah,’ I said. ‘It is. Feel free to try and use my name to compel me to do your bidding – but I should tell you that Lady Sullivan has already tried that and failed. If you think you’re bigger and better than her, then give it your best shot.’
Her wolfish expression immediately vanished. ‘I wouldn’t do something like that,’ she declared in a slightly too loud voice.
‘Of course you wouldn’t.’ I switched the crossbow to my other hand, and she swallowed.
The male werewolf cleared his throat. ‘I have to inform you that we’re closing early tonight.’ He shifted his weight. ‘You know, because it’s almost the full moon.’
I supposed that free-flowing alcohol coupled with lunar effects wasn’t a good mix. ‘Very sensible,’ I said aloud. ‘I won’t be staying long.’ Then, without missing a beat, I asked, ‘When was Tony last here?’
‘Sunday,’ he answered.
That was the night after Anna had gone missing, and the night before she’d popped up on the street outside his flat. Whether it was his job to do so or not, he’d been looking into her disappearance. Not only that, but he’d found her.
‘He doesn’t usually come in here,’ the werewolf continued. ‘But everyone knows who he is.’ His gaze dropped. ‘Who hewas. I’m sorry that he’s dead.’
Whether that was true or not, I appreciated the effort. ‘Who did he talk to?’
They both shrugged. ‘He wasn’t here for very long,’ the blonde told me. ‘Maybe an hour at the most. He couldn’t have spoken to many people.’
‘Thanks.’ I started to move past them towards the interior.
‘It’s twenty quid,’ the female werewolf said. ‘The entrance fee is twenty quid.’
I stopped and looked at her.
‘But you don’t have to pay, of course,’ she added hastily
‘I’m not here to enjoy myself,’ I said, in case they thought this was some sort of police shakedown. ‘This is work. Tony – DC Brown – was here not long before he died. I want to know why.’
They exchanged glances. ‘Kennedy,’ the blonde blurted out. ‘Talk to Kennedy. He’s the satyr at the end of the bar.’
