Page 42 of Vallaverse: Noir
I hate this place. I hate everyone in it. They're all corrupt. All selfish. All horrible, pieces of –
“Pierce.” Dana calls my name cautiously.
I look at her and my disgust and fury recedes. “I'm sorry. I'm just surprised. I thought Terrence Hunt was a decent man.”
“There's no such thing,” Dana says sadly.
And sadly, I have to agree with her.
I sit in the back of my car, clenching and loosening my fists, the entire twelve minutes Dana is inside the council building. Her lips are pressed into a thin line when she gets into the car.
“I know it's him,” she snarls. “I know it.”
“Did he admit to anything?” Beckett asks.
She shakes her head. “No. He'soutfor the day. He has personal things he must attend to and he will be back in office tomorrow. I am, however, welcome to leave a note for him with his secretary so that he might call me back at his earliest convenience.” She slumps against the back of the seat and crosses her arms. “It's such bullshit.”
“So, we're going to his house?” Beckett asks.
“Obviously,” Dana answers. “Do you mind?” she asks me. “I don't mean to take over your life.”
“I don't mind, Dana. As stressful and frustrating as this all is, I'm enjoying it.”
“I feel like we're in a movie,” Beckett adds.
Dana smiles. “It can feel like that sometimes.”
I let the driver know where we're going and tell him to park in an inconspicuous place. When the car parks, I get the distinct impression that Beckett isn't the only one who feels like he's in a movie. I knock on the glass and smirk at Josef when he lowers the window. “Enjoying yourself?”
He grins at me. “Can't be obvious.”
I smile back at him and shake my head. “Just be ready to get out of here quickly if it comes to that.”
“Copy that, boss.”
Dana starts right for the front door. “Stay between me and Pierce, Beckett. Do you understand me?”
Beckett nods, but he glances back at me after she turns away to ring the doorbell. I tip my head at him. The silent understanding is that we will both collectively get Dana and her stubborn ass out of trouble if it's behind this door. It is neither safe nor ethicalas far as Omega well-being is concerned, but Dana is going to be a priority for both of us in the majority of situations, not that she needs to know that.
The man who opens the door is not Terrence Hunt. The man standing behind him isn't Terrence Hunt, either. I don't know who either of them is, but they definitely know Dana.
“Hello, Detective Dana,” the one in front greets with a lopsided smirk.
“Tavi,” she returns. “Dixon,” she nods at the second man. “I have a couple questions.”
“You won't find any answers here, Detective Dana.”
The way they say her name and title grates against me. She isn't fazed, though. She just carries on.
“Oh, come on, Dixon. If you don't at least try to find an answer, I'll have to start making assumptions.”
The one called Tavi runs his tongue across his teeth. “Wouldn't want that. Okay, Detective Dana. What are your questions?”
Dana pulls out her phone and shows him the picture of Celia. “Do you know this girl?”
To their credit, they both look at her phone. I don't believe either of them when they say they don't recognize her.
“What business do you have at Councilman Hunt's home?”
