Page 28 of Don't Bait Me (Nora Jacobs 3)

“Tomorrow,” Terrance says. I chuckle because there’s definitely a silentOR ELSEat the end of that demand.

Oliver looks to me as if asking for help. I shrug, and my grin finally breaks out. “You’ve seen my car. Obviously, I lost this argument, too.”

“I…” He blinks at me, then looks back at Terrance. His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows. “Um…” I can tell he wants to keep arguing, but Terrance is intimidating as hell when he’s set on getting his way. Makes it impossible to fight with him. “I guess if you insist…”

Terrance’s scowl disappears, and he smiles smugly, nodding his head with approval. “Good.” He looks at Oliver’s barely-touched dinner. “Eat.”

Oliver quickly picks up the sandwich.

Once Oliver leaves for work, I go back to the list Terrance gave me. Knowing I have at least an hour to wait before Parker gets here and that I’ll never be able to sit around and do nothing, I decide to get the jump on talking to the family and friends of the victims. The first two names on the list are both listed as solitary sidhe. The name listed next to them is not labeled as kin but aknown acquaintance. “Here goes nothing,” I say with a sigh as I dial the number.

The phone rings twice, and then a quiet male voice says, “Hello?”

“Hi. May I speak with Illren Kovros, please?”

“I am Illren Kovros.”

I gulp. There’s something about this man’s voice that has the hair on my neck standing up. It’s controlled. It sounds dangerous. Suddenly, I’m not sure I want to talk to him, but I need information, and I have no reason to fear this man. Pushing my nerves down, I clear my throat and force myself to speak. “Hello. My name is Nora Jacobs. I work as a bartender at Underworld.”

“Yes. I have heard of you. The little human who charmed a troll.”

The condescension in his voice has my face heating up and my anger rising. I’m grateful he can’t see the blush, and I push as much confidence into my voice as I can. “Right. Except it turns out I’m not human at all. I’m fey. A strong one, they tell me. Whatever that means.”

“I know the rumors.”

He doesn’t sound impressed. Not that I need him to, I just don’t like his snobbish attitude.

“What is it that you want?”

I grind my teeth but keep my voice calm. “I was hoping we could talk. I’m looking into the fey murders happening around the city. I was told that you knew both Shael Kelkas and Nei Bibella and might have information that could help.”

There’s a long pause that has me holding my breath. I don’t know why I’m so nervous. I’m not doing anything wrong. I was asked to help.

“Why would you do that?” he finally asks. “What do you thinkyoucan do about it?”

This guy is really starting to piss me off. I’m not an idiot. “I was asked by several fey clans and families of the victims to try to find the killer,” I say, some of my frustration seeping into my voice. “They came to me because no one else is willing to step up, and I’ve been known to help others in the past.”

“The missing underworlders,” he says. It’s not a question. “And the wolves.”

Well, he’s just all up on the Nora Jacobs gossip. “Yes,” I snap. “If you already know so much about me, what’s with the third degree?”

He doesn’t answer my question. Instead, he asks, “How much are they paying you?”

I scoff. “They’re not.”

“You’re just helping the fey out of the goodness of your heart?”

Heavy sarcasm drips from the question. His disbelief pisses me off. “Iwouldhelp just because they asked, same as I did for the missing underworlders and the wolves. But it’s also personal for me this time. The bastard went after Terrance. He’ll pay for that. And besides, as a fey I’m also a target. If I can do something to stop this guy, then you bet your ass I’m going to help. I’m not useless. I may not be a detective, but I do have gifts that make me useful.”

There’s another long pause, but when Illren speaks again, the condescension is gone from his voice, replaced with a hint of curiosity. “And these gifts would be…?”

I clench my jaw and try not to snap again, but I can’t keep the annoyance out of my voice. “Gifts I don’t explain to random strangers.”

The low chuckle that wafts over the line shocks me. It’s chill-inducing in more than one way. It’s both frightening and sexy. “Very well then, Miss Jacobs,” he purrs over the line, “we will get acquainted first. Meet me at Underworld at eleven p.m.”

“Excuse me?” The sudden change in his attitude has me tongue-tied. He sounds amused, almost flirty, even.

“I have information that may be helpful to you. We will discuss it over drinks tonight.”

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