Page 22 of Fortune's Ashes
Instead of immediately turning on my computer, I took a moment to sit very still and breathe deeply. Maybe it was hormones, maybe it was stress. Either way, I had to calm down and stop acting like a toddler throwing a tantrum. I was Emma bloody Bellamy. I could deal with this. I could deal with anything.
‘Sorry, Jellybean,’ I whispered. ‘I’ve been making things hard for you, haven’t I? I’m going to stop all that now. I’ve got you to look after.’ I sniffed decisively, then reached for my phone and ordered myself something nutritious to eat while I worked. My jellybean needed me. And so might Quincy Carmichael.
There was every chance that Birch Kale was right: Quincy had left London when his creditors became too much for him. The fact that he’d booked himself onto a Barcelona-bound bus rather than a plane was interesting, though. If he’d flown, he would have been easy to track down and I could have found out if he was on the flight or not. A bus, even an international bus, wasn’t quite so easy, especially when the journey had taken place long before Brexit, when European border controls were managed differently.
Why on earth had he sat on a bus for thirty hours when he could have taken a plane and arrived in less than three? I contacted the bus company and left a message, but I knew already that it wouldn’t help. I had to think differently if I was going to find evidence that Quincy Carmichael had escaped to Spain.
Drumming my fingers on my desk, I considered the matter. Finally I searched for the phone number I needed and dialled. It connected almost immediately.
‘Buenas noches. Mi nombre es Emma Bellamy.’ I winced. That was about the extent of my Spanish language skills. ‘Er…’
‘What can I do for you, detective?’
I wasn’t surprised that the person on the other end of the line spoke English – our European neighbours are far better at learning languages than we are – but I was surprised that she knew who I was. I hadn’t introduced myself as detective. ‘You know who I am?’
‘Your reputation precedes you. Even if I hadn’t already heard of you, your name has been in the news today. The prospect of more than one phoenix has caused something of a stir even here.’
I felt a spasm of annoyance that Alan Cobain’s allegations had stretched beyond Britain before remembering that I had resolved to be happy and calm from now on. I breathed in. ‘It’s not yet clear whether there are two of us or not. It will be … interesting to find out.’
There was a brief tinkling laugh. ‘The word “interesting” covers so many different options, does it not?’
I supposed it did. ‘Who exactly am I speaking to?’ I asked.
‘Oh. My apologies for not introducing myself. I’m Elena.’
I blinked, startled. ‘Lady Elena?’ She was the head of the Spanish vampires. I’d expected an underling, at best.
‘Si. We are not like you Brits. We do not stand on the same ceremonies. And I knew your predecessor, Tony. We chatted sometimes.’
I’d gotten the phone number from Tony’s own book so it made sense that it was a direct line. ‘It’s good to talk to you,’ I said honestly. ‘The reason I’m calling is because I’m searching for a British gremlin who disappeared several years ago. There is a theory that he ran away to Barcelona.’
‘Quincy Carmichael,’ Elena said instantly.
Now I was even more startled. ‘You remember him?’
‘I remember looking for him. It was an unusual situation. Tony asked me to keep a lookout for any English gremlins who landed on Spanish soil. I can assure you that if this particular one came to Spain, he did not make himself known to us. Not then and not since.’
‘It was a long time ago. I’m surprised that your memory is so clear.’
Elena paused. ‘I remember it because I already knew him,. Before I became head of the vampires here, I used Quincy’s services a couple of times when I was visiting London.’
I straightened up. ‘His services?’
‘Dating services.’ Elena sounded rueful. ‘Such a thing did not exist in Spain and it was useful to connect with like-minded supes when I travelled.’ Her voice took on a more cautious note. ‘I dated your Lord Horvath, thanks to Quincy. He was definitely one of the more … suitable men on Quincy’s books. I enjoyed his company.’
‘You went out with Lukas?’
She laughed again. ‘I am not surprised he didn’t mention me to you. Although our time together was pleasant, it was never serious. I always knew he was waiting for hisalma gemela. I am happy that he found you.’
‘Alma gemela?’
‘His soul mate,’ she answered simply.
I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. Oh. Flustered, I ran a hand through my hair, my fingers catching on a tangle. I reached for my hairbrush to comb it through – and no doubt lose more hair in the process – but the brush wasn’t where I’d left it. Liza must have been tidying up again. Absently, I opened the desk drawer to look for it.
‘I will tell you what I told Tony at the time,’ Elena said. ‘Quincy had many loves but his greatest one was London. He would never have left, not for anyone. I am sure of it. I am equally sure that he isn’t in Spain.’
Interesting. I closed my desk drawer with more force than I’d intended. ‘Around the time he went missing there were two local murders,’ I said. ‘A vampire and a werewolf were killed. I’m told that Quincy knew one of them. Would you have any reason to think he might have been involved in their deaths?’
