“Which one is the death scarab?”
“It’s the red one.”
That brought me up short. “There’s only one red piece?”
She nodded. Well, now, wasn’t that interesting? I distinctly remembered handing Ren the red piece. Of course she’d hustled off right after that. It might just have been an accident. Or not.
“You’re sure? I mean, not too many people seem to know about these Wadjeti things.”
Dottie smiled sweetly, but her voice had that same scolding tone you get when you put your elbows on the table at Grandma’s house. “I am a clairvoyant, dear. It’s a tool for divination. Karl was planning on giving me a set for my next birthday. He was hoping it’d be easier for me to use than my bowl. I found it and the card, when I was cleaning out his house after his funeral. It came with an instruction book. I read most of it in one sitting. It isn’t hard to learn. I can bring the instructions in tomorrow if you’d like.” She looked at me slyly. “Should I presume I’ll be here tomorrow? Or was what you said to Dawna just to make her feel better?”
“You’d actually be willing?”
“Of course. And it will give me a chance to see Minnie regularly.” She smiled sweetly.
“Cool.” I was relieved. The temp situation was solved and, I hoped, the cat issues as well. “I won’t be here tomorrow, so just leave a copy for me here at the front desk.” I gave her my best smile and grabbed the Wadjeti box. “Now I have got to get upstairs, or I’m not going to get anything done. Are you sure you’ll be all right?”
“I’ll be fine.” She winked at me. “We can talk about my salary later.”
I just bet we would.
It was a relief to finally get out of the lobby and up the stairs. My office takes up a large portion of the third floor. There is no elevator, only a steep staircase. But if Dottie was going to work here . . . was there somewhere to put an elevator? Or maybe one of those electric stair lift things? It was a historic building. We technically didn’t need to be ADA compliant. But still—
As I rounded the second-floor landing, passing the stained-glass window, I heard Creede chatting amiably with Bubba about boats and deep-sea fishing. Creede was admiring one of the photos of Bubba’s boat displayed on the office wall. Technically, it’s a good-sized yacht, and he bought it at a government auction. But he calls it a boat, because “I ain’t that fancy.”
As I came closer, the subject switched back to Creede’s situation and what he was doing here. “I woulda thought you’d have had a binding oath set up to keep him from backstabbing you,” Bubba chided.
Creede’s small chuckle showed his dark side. There was evil under that laugh, mixed with the anger. “Oh, we did. He just decided that there’d be enough money left after the medical bills to make it worth it.”
I shook my head. To my mind, Miller was stupid. That’s all there was to it. Yeah, he’d get the money, but he’d made a bad enemy. Still, greed can make most people stupid.
“So, you gonna rent this place?” Bubba asked.
“I think so. Do you know if Celia had to get the floor reinforced to hold her safe? I’m going to want to put one in, too. Hers is just on the other side of this wall, right?”
“Yep. But you’ll have to ask her, or the safe guy. He’s due in a half hour. Comes in same time every week to reinforce the spells. If Celia’s not here, Dawna lets him in.”
A raw, jagged edge of paranoia rushed through me and I suddenly knew why Creede’s being here had me on edge. Bubba was being too friendly. Creede now knew the layout of the office, knew how often my wards were reinforced and all the tenant names. Future tenant, or future burglar? I tried to think of some way to limit the damage in case this was all a very simple and therefore very elaborate trap. So obvious it was overlooked. I decided to make a blunt, direct accusation and see how he responded.
I hurried to the doorway into Bubba’s office, just as he was saying, “We’re a pretty boring bunch here. Same schedule every week.”
“But, of course, that schedule will be changing . . . the moment you’re out of earshot.” They both turned and simultaneously gave me an odd look. My answering expression showed a lot of fang and as much distrust as was clawing at the pit of my stomach. “Tell me something, John.”
I paused long enough that he frowned. It was a better look on him. He crossed his arms over his chest and said, “Maybe.”
My nod was automatic. “Perfect. That’s just the mind-set I’d like you in for this. Let’s reverse our positions for a moment. You’re a sole proprietor, in business for a handful of years, comfortable but not wildly successful. Clients are attracted to you because you have a slew of magical gadgets and the skill to use them. With me so far?”
He nodded but didn’t comment.
“In walks me,” I went on. “I’m a partner in a multinational company that is so far above your level I can’t be considered competition. I only personally guard the most exclusive people, the richest of the rich.”
His brow was furrowing even further, if that was possible. At this point, Bubba had also started to frown and his eyes kept flicking to Creede to watch his reaction.
“I made a deliberate point of coming to your office in the company of a client—a client who has a personal grudge against you. Yet now . . .” I held up my hands as though a revival preacher in front of the faithful. “I appear before you with the—you have to admit—slightly outlandish claim that I’ve broken up with my partner of more than a decade and want to partner with you. I inspect a vacant office which just happens to be right next door to where you keep your gadgets. I learn the schedule from the other tenants.” I looked at him and smiled, showing as much fang as I could. “Tell me, John. What would you do, right this minute?”
His voice came out in a rumble that vibrated his arms on his chest while Bubba started muttering self-berations at himself. “Are you accusing me of spying?”
I shrugged, unwilling to react to his growl. “Spying, infiltrating . . . hell, maybe hexing. Or, you’re completely innocent and I’m just paranoid. I ask again, what would you, a professional security consultant, do in my place?”
He glared. I just raised my brows. I could feel magic now, and while he wasn’t casting anything, his emotional turmoil was causing energy to whip through the room like errant mosquitoes. You wanted to slap at them, but they were too quick and too small to be seen. Then the wheels started clicking. I watched as his eyes lowered to a place somewhere near but not quite on the floor. After a long moment, he let out a sound like a snort; his chest rose with the force of it. When he met my eyes again, he was actually blushing. “I’d put you in a full-body binding until I could call around to check out your story.” He shrugged uncomfortably. “Either that, or I’d kick your butt to the curb and then”—now a smile appeared—“call my safe company and have all the combinations changed and add a few special hexes for anyone cutting through the adjoining wall or ceiling.”
Actually, I hadn’t thought of that and gave the idea the credit it deserved. “Good idea. I’ll mention that. I’d only planned on waiting until you left, but then, I’m not a mage. I like the full-body binding, though. Do those come in a charm disk?”
He pursed his lips. “Dunno. I’d imagine I could come up with something.” He grinned again. “But it’ll cost you.”
The muscles in my stomach were loosening a little as I let out a small chuckle. Either he was a consummate actor or his story was true. I was going with my gut. I hoped I wouldn’t regret it. Bubba still looked embarrassed at being so effusive, but he was easing down a little, too. “Just make sure you’re not the first person I’ll have to use it on.” Creede didn’t respond, but his eyes were twinkling. “Obviously, I’ll need to talk to the others and will have to find out from Dawna where she keeps the sample leases with the terms and house rules.”
“Dawna’s your secretary? I think I met her at the wake.”
Bubba said, “Yeah, that’s her,” and shook his head. “Poor kid.” Dawna wasn’t exactly a kid, but his sympathy was well placed. He paused for a moment, then grinned and said, “My vote is to let him take it.”
I gave Bubba a return smile. “I could use the rent to pay for Dottie’s salary and Dawna’s raise.”
“You’re givin’ her a raise?” Bubba was obviously shocked. He’d probably expected me to vote for firing her for not showing up.
“Guilt money,” I admitted. “The bat that got her was after me. I’d do more if she’d let me, but she’s too damned proud.”
Bubba nodded. He was a tenant in the building before any of the rest of us ever got here. He’d known Dawna a long time.
“That’s nice.” Creede sounded shocked and gave me a startled look.
“I can be nice,” I answered, more than a little insulted by the implication.
He raised both hands in surrender and started to apologize. “Sorry. I’d just heard you were a stone-cold bitch. It’s sort of one of the reasons I considered you for the business. I need someone tough.”
I could just bet where he’d heard that from: Vicki’s mom. Damn it.
“Celia’s all right,” Bubba rose to my defense. “She’s only a bitch if you really deserve it. Act decent and she’s cool. But don’t make the mistake of thinking she can’t be a bitch.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Do.” The growl that escaped me along with the word surprised us all. Apparently, Creede had dug deeper than I realized. I’d get over my annoyance faster if I wasn’t in the same room with him, so I turned my back on them and walked to my office.
I unlocked the door and stepped over the threshold, feeling the buzz of power. Last time Bruno visited, he’d put a new set of wards on the doorway. He hadn’t bothered to ask if I wanted them. He’s sweet like that—he knows I’m always in favor of more security. But it was a damned good thing the vampire bite hadn’t affected me to the point where I set them off. That would be so embarrassing. And painful. Judging from the amount of buzz I was getting, very painful.
