Page 69 of Fortune's Ashes
Then I reacted and slammed my hands into my would-be assailant’s cheekbone.
‘For fuck’s sake!’ he snarled.
I blinked, swallowed and sat up. Oh. ‘Shit. Sorry.’ I waved a hand in front of my eyes, willing my vision to return properly. As the world around me sharpened, Devereau Webb’s face swam into view.
‘That’s no way to greet your knight in shining armour,’ he told me. ‘Scarlett will kill me if I’ve got a black eye when she walks down the aisle.’
I grimaced. ‘I didn’t realise it was you.’ When I reached up and touched the back of my head, my fingers came away bloody. Whoever had hit me had thrown all their energy into the blow. I hissed with pain, then accepted Webb’s wary offer of a hand to help me to my feet.
‘I’m amazed that anybody managed to bring you down when you’ve got a right hook like that,’ Devereau Webb drawled.
‘They sneaked up behind me,’ I muttered, embarrassed.
‘You didn’t see who it was?’
I shook my head, then immediately regretted it because it only made the pain in my skull worse.
‘You ought to take more care,’ he chided. ‘You can’t take risks when you’re pregnant.’
My answering glare was so ferocious that he released my hand and stepped backwards, obviously afraid I’d punch him again. Good. ‘How did you find me?’
‘I followed your scent.’ Webb flashed a sudden smile. ‘One of the many advantages I have discovered of becoming furry.’
I nodded in understanding then I stopped. ‘What else do you smell?’
‘I take it you mean beyond rotting food and damp wood.’
‘I mean can you scent anything of the person who attacked me?’
‘There is a lingering … perfume in the air,’ Webb said, ‘which is oddly familiar.’
I stiffened. ‘Familiar in what way?’
He shrugged with an ease that set my teeth on edge. ‘It’s human,’ he admitted. ‘And a human I’ve smelled before.’ He raised his eyebrows. ‘Unless I’m mistaken I recognise the scent from around Supe Squad.’
‘InsideSupe Squad?’
‘No. I can’t smell anything in there, thanks to that damned verbena and wolfsbane that you use.’ Webb paused. ‘Did use. I’m guessing you can’t smell anything there now apart from barbecue.’
I scowled at him but he only grinned again. When he sobered up, he said, ‘The scent is familiar to one I’ve noticed outside the Supe Squad building, but I could be wrong. It’s faint, and a lot of humans smell the same to me, so don’t go thinking that anything I say will stand up in a court of law.’
I didn’t need it to; he’d already told me more than enough. It was Stubman who’d attacked me. Alistair Stubman was behind all of this; he had to be. I nodded. ‘Thank you.’
Webb gave me a crooked smile and pointed to the back of my head. ‘You should get that looked at in a hospital, you know. You could have concussion.’
‘I’m fine,’ I muttered. I glanced down at the spot where I’d fallen. There was no longer any sign of the wallet. My mouth tightened as I turned to head out of the alleyway. ‘I don’t have time for concussion.’
He chuckled and started to follow me. ‘If you say so, detective constable.’
‘I’m…’
‘…suspended. Yeah.’
I shot him an irritated look over my shoulder. ‘Did you come straight here? Or did you manage to get the device from Tallulah?’
He pulled out the slim black box from inside his coat and waved it at me. ‘I removed it first, then I came looking for you.’ He bowed dramatically. ‘You’re welcome.’
‘Thank you.’
