Matters of the Blood Page 21

  But I had to stay and listen. Carlton was right. If I were a bank clerk, no matter how many transactions I'd process in a day, I'd remember somebody that came that regularly and from that far away. Knowing Marty, he'd been flirting with her, making sure to wait until she was free to help him. He may have been stupid, but he'd always been tenacious.

  Damn it all. I would swear on all my future talent and all the talent my family possessed that Adam was innocent of anything to do with Marty's death, but I was still confused. I was sure Adam never knew Marty, but he had to know each one of his guests and one of them must have been paying Marty for something, although I couldn't think what. Had Adam known it was happening? I didn't think so, but until I could talk to him, I wouldn't know the truth. I so didn't want to deal with this while Carlton was here.

  "There's more, Keira."

  "More? How could there be more?"

  "I'm sorry, but this is a murder investigation. What do you want me to do?

  "Go home, Carlton. Leave me alone and talk to Adam tomorrow.” I said, suddenly tired.

  I was beyond exhausted. Bone deep weariness flooded my body, making me want to do nothing more than sleep. I was tired of this nightmare that was now my life. I didn't want to deal anymore, didn't want to have a dead cousin, didn't want to think about any of this. All I wanted was to be left alone to try to figure out what I wanted to do next. How was I going to confront Adam about all of this?

  "You want me to leave?"

  "Don't sound so surprised.” I looked over at him. “Did you think I'd ask to you to take me home, rescue me, stay the night?"

  He shook his head. “I don't understand you, Keira, I wonder if I ever did. I tell you—your boyfriend may be involved in your cousin's murder and all you can say is ‘go home, Carlton'?"

  "What do you want me to say? Oh, gee, I've seen the light and I want to get back together with you?"

  "You made it perfectly clear that wasn't an option."

  "It's not."

  "Fine."

  "Fine."

  Okay, now we both had resorted to junior high verbal sparring. What was next, stomping off in a huff and not sitting together in the cafeteria? Shit.

  "I have to question him.” He said it as if it were a dare, a challenge.

  I shrugged, pretending indifference. “What's stopping you?"

  "Nothing."

  "Let's go.” I sprang up from the chair, just as suddenly re-energized. Damn Carlton Larson anyway for bringing all his personal baggage into this.

  As I turned to look for someone who could take us to Adam's office, Andrea walked through the bar and approached us. Great. Vampires who appeared on cue. Of course, she'd probably heard every word.

  "Sheriff, would you care to accompany me to the office?” Her melodious voice was subdued. I'd bet Adam had told her off for having let Carlton in.

  Carlton hesitated, then tucked his hat under his arm and followed the lithe security guard.

  My interesting night just got more than interesting.

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  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Adam came up behind me and took my arm.

  "Everything all right?"

  "Yeah. I'll live.” I smiled at him.

  "Good. Now let's go to my office and see what the Sheriff wants."

  He led me out through the lobby and down a small hallway to a door marked “Private.” Before he opened it, he turned to me, a serious expression on his face.

  "Keira, I don't mean to pry, but before we go in ... I need to ask you something."

  "Yes?” I braced myself. What could he possibly need to know right now?

  "Just what is the connection between you and our Sheriff?"

  Oh, crap. Even with the lovely little scene out front, I'd forgotten Adam wasn't familiar with all of my past. I drew in a breath, then let it out slowly. How to explain in a few words the confusion that was Carlton Larson.

  "On my part, what there was of a connection, is in the past, way past. We were lovers once. About a dozen years ago, for a very short time."

  "And that's over?"

  "Completely."

  "Odd,” Adam said. “I don't think the Sheriff knows that."

  I snorted a little. “Knowing and accepting—two totally different things."

  Before he could turn the knob, I stuck my hand out and placed my palm on the door.

  "The reason he's here ... is not me.” I hesitated. “Did you hear any of the argument?"

  "I deliberately didn't listen. I know it's hard to keep things private in a building full of vampires, but I promise. I wasn't listening."

  I thought for a moment, then just blurted it out.

  "Money. Someone from the Wild Moon was paying Marty money. Lots of it."

  "How does he know this?"

  I filled him in, gave him the short version, explaining the regular deposits and the payments to the Albrights.

  "He said there was something else, too, but I don't know what. I didn't let him finish."

  Adam grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the door, strode down the hall, gently dragging me along, and ducked into a small recess which held two chairs and a table. A typical off-the-beaten-lobby alcove, ripe for a romantic t?te-?-t?te. A grim look on his face made me doubt romance was on Adam's mind right now.

  "He was sure the money came from here?"

  "As sure as he can be, being human and getting the story from a bank teller. He's a good man, Adam. Despite everything."

  "Damnation.” Adam's curse was soft, almost silent. “That means one of my staff or my guests..."

  "He thinks it's you,” I said, putting my hands on his.

  "Do you?” He studied my face intently.

  "No."

  "But someone here did give him money."

  "I'm sorry, Adam. It looks like it's more than just Marty having had a vampire lover, doesn't it?"

  "I'm afraid so."

  "Any ideas?"

  He closed his eyes, as if trying to collect his thoughts. “Perhaps. Let's go speak to your sheriff."

  "He's not my sheriff,” I protested.

  Adam smiled, a pale echo of his earlier sensual expression. “I know."

  * * * *

  The office door opened onto a spacious reception area, decorated in the same dark purples as the main hotel. A large aquarium filled with exotic-looking fish dominated the wall directly opposite the door. A modern Euro-styled desk and chair sat in front of the aquarium, as if guarding it. A plush couch lined the right wall, facing two luxurious chairs in a dark violet suede on the left.

  Carlton sat uncomfortably in one of the chairs. Andrea sat in the other. I nodded to Andrea as we entered, acknowledging her power. She smiled slightly and nodded back. Both she and Carlton stood as the door shut behind Adam.

  "Mr. Walker, Keira. Have a nice chat?” Carlton's smirk was evident in the tone of his voice.

  "We did,” I answered, just as smugly and took Adam's arm. Two could play this game.

  I saw the answering grin on Andrea's face. Her senses were probably as acute as mine. She could smell the jealously on Carlton as easily as a human could pick up strong cologne. Adam stayed quiet beside me, his muscles still. I couldn't look at him now for fear of breaking into laughter. This whole posturing thing suddenly struck me as being terribly funny.

  "That's nice,” Carlton drawled. “Now, Walker, if you have time?"

  Adam gently disengaged my hand from his arm with a slight caress. “If you'd care to accompany me into my office?"

  He walked over to the right side of the aquarium and pressed against the wall. A hidden door swung open and revealed a glimpse of a sumptuous room inside, decorated in the same color scheme as the reception area. Adam turned and held the door open, motioning for Carlton to enter.

  Adam looked at me and smiled. “Keira, if you wouldn't mind waiting out here, I'm sure this won't take long.” He then looked at Andrea, who nodded and left through the main entrance. Adam and Carlton
disappeared into the office.

  I sat on the couch, prepared to wait as long as it took. I could try to eavesdrop—now that I was changing, my hearing would probably be more sensitive—but I didn't think it was fair. Adam would probably tell Carlton exactly what he needed to hear and nothing more.

  I'd barely gotten a chance to look around the reception room when the main door opened again and Niko walked in. Well, maybe “walked” was too tame a word. The man's movements reminded me of a shark's—smooth, deadly and ready to strike at the slightest provocation.

  "Well, well,” he said, a grin spreading across his face as he sprawled in one of the chairs. “If it isn't Ms. Land Rover in the flesh, so to speak. I didn't recognize you at first."

  Well, hell. Wasn't he the suave one? I wasn't about to cut this guy any slack. Any powerful talent who used it to spellbind others was breaking the code. At least my own personal code.

  I met his gaze, keeping my eyes fixed on his. The clear blue of his irises began to darken. The power surrounding him began to swirl, building intensity, thickening like the clouds before a sudden summer storm. His gaze bored into mine, trying to pull me down, capture me in their glittering stare, a cobra mesmerizing its prey. But I wasn't prey and I wasn't all that easy to catch, at least not when I knew what was happening.

  His smirk became a frown as he realized it wasn't working.

  "That's enough, Niko,” Adam said.

  The power died down like a transformer drained of electricity. I looked over at Adam, who was holding his office door open. I hadn't heard the door open and I'd bet neither had Niko.

  "We think it would be a good idea for you to come in and hear this."

  Niko stood up in preparation to walk into the office. Adam stopped him with a gesture. “Just Keira right now, Niko."

  I resisted the urge to turn and stick my tongue out at him. There had been enough childish blustering around here tonight. I didn't need to add to it, no matter how much I felt like it. Adam's sidekick brought out the worst in me.

  The office was a magnificent study in modern Renaissance revival decor. Whereas the public areas had encompassed hints of Victoriana, Adam's private room glorified the lush style of a previous era. The mahogany desk commanded attention as I entered, its dark wood polished to a satin sheen. Quatrefoil medallions adorned all four walls in between tapestry hangings, while pseudo-torch sconces provided the ambient light. I looked around for the requisite suit of armor, but saw only a couple of mahogany bookcases set into niches. At least the wide leather armchairs looked fairly modern and comfortable. Adam's own chair was a tapestry-covered version of the standard high-backed executive model.

  "So are you going to come in and sit down or just stand at the door?” Carlton smirked at me, making me feel like a tourist ogling the big buildings and fancy cars.

  "Stop it, Carlton,” I said and crossed the room to sit in the chair next to him. He still looked as uncomfortable as he had in the reception room, except this chair seemed to be a better fit.

  Adam moved around to sit behind the desk, pausing for a moment to touch me briefly on the back of the neck. I shivered involuntarily as a wave of heat flushed my skin. Carlton's expression turned from a smirk to a glower as he stared at me.

  "Keira, I explained your theory to the sheriff, about the poaching and about the deer head on your porch. He believes that someone here at the Wild Moon was paying your cousin money. Perhaps selling poached animals."

  Adam's voice remained smooth as the polished crystal paperweight on his desk, and about as expressive. I got the sense he was holding something in. I thought I understood the subtext. He was asking me to play nice.

  He continued. “Sheriff Larson tells me they found a knife in the Albrights’ apartment."

  I shot a glance at Carlton, who nodded. “I bagged it and sent it to Bexar County along with some other bits and pieces. But I'm pretty sure the knife had blood and bits of hair."

  "From the deer?"

  He nodded. “I think so. I've got a deputy following up with all their known relatives—here, in Medina, a couple in San Antonio. I'm hoping they just holed up in the area and didn't head for Mexico."

  "You still think they killed Marty?” I asked.

  Carlton shrugged. “They're my only lead right now. The knife wasn't the only thing we found. They had a lot of electronics in their apartment, too, like Marty. New stuff, some of it with price tags still on it. I found a few receipts where they paid cash."

  "So they were poaching?"

  "More than likely. Walker tells me that he and the wildlife manager saw the Albrights on Wild Moon property."

  He avoided looking at Adam and me.

  "It's possible that someone here was working with Marty and selling the poached animals or buying them off or something. That's why the money. It doesn't really click for me, but that's all I've got. It would, though, make more sense the other way round."

  "What do you mean?” Adam asked.

  "If the Albrights were poaching on your land, don't you think they, or Marty, would be paying someone here off to keep quiet? To keep it from you? Not someone paying them money?"

  "So you don't think Adam had anything to do with it, then?"

  Carlton played with his hat a moment, then sighed. “No, Keira, I don't think he had anything to do with it."

  He had a sick look on his face. I caught his gaze and a flash of anger and sorrow explained it. I knew that look. It wasn't because of Marty's murder. It was me. Specifically, me being with Adam and him having to do the decent thing and be a good cop and admit the truth.

  I turned away from him, feeling only pity mixed with sadness. He didn't understand and I couldn't explain. I was sticking with my own kind. Well, not exactly, but close enough. Carlton would never get this picture, because he'd only ever see the surface.

  "In my experience, Sheriff,” Adam said. “Money exchanges hands for a variety of reasons."

  "I'm aiming to find out exactly what those reasons might have been,” Carlton said, a touch of anger coloring his voice.

  "We will help you,” Adam replied with equanimity. I could see he wasn't going to allow Carlton's emotional response to affect him. I smiled at Adam, looking at him across the expanse of the desk. The clear sea-green intensified as our gazes met and held, each of us allowing ourselves just a fraction of a moment to recognize the other, to acknowledge the connection between us. I could get lost in those eyes, I thought. So easily lost and I'd enjoy every second of it. Adam's quiet smile echoed mine, his expression a mirror of what I was feeling. I'd never meant to let myself become entangled with anyone else, so soon after Gideon. I'd meant to spend the next few decades alone. But I suppose that Fate, or whatever, had other ideas.

  Adam stood and walked over to me, crouching down, taking my hands in his. “I promise, Keira. I will find out for you."

  I nodded, silent in the knowledge that he would do exactly what he said, even if it meant betrayal of one of his own.

  Carlton's voice, acid with anger, broke the spell. “I hate to interrupt this love fest,” he drawled, letting himself fall into the Texas cadence of his childhood, “but there's still a murder to solve here."

  I blinked, tearing my gaze away from Adam. I felt him doing the same as he took his hands off mine and stood in an elegant movement. He didn't go far, though, remaining standing next to me, a hand resting lightly on the back of my neck. I barely heard Carlton's next words.

  "The problem is, we still don't know why the Albrights would have killed Marty. They had means and opportunity, but what's the motive? He was helping them out. It doesn't make any sense. We won't know any more until we catch up to them."

  "You haven't gotten any leads?” I asked.

  Carlton shook his head. “We're looking. They could be anywhere. This is a big state and they had a pretty good head start.” His expression turned from grim to worried. I almost knew what he was going to say next and I really didn't want to hear it. I was right.

 
"In the meantime, Keira, you need to take care of yourself and stay out of trouble. I don't think they'll come back to this area, but just in case, don't go wandering around. Don't even go back home, at least not for a while. I mean it."

  He'd seen the automatic stubborn look on my face.

  "When it was just a few poached animals, I wasn't too worried, but I'm damned sure they left that head on your porch and the threat. It's probably just posturing, but what if they decide to keep messing with you? I'm sure Bea would be happy to put you up."

  I scowled even more. He made a certain sort of sense. Damn it. I hated this. I didn't want to have to hide out, like a weakling, like prey. I wasn't a predator yet and might never be, but I was far from powerless. I opened my mouth to speak but, right then, Carlton's mobile rang, interrupting me. I stayed quiet as he listened to the call for a few minutes and then mumbled something into the receiver.

  "I've got to go, Keira; that was the dispatcher. We've found the Albrights’ truck. It's been abandoned out near the old limestone quarry. I'm needed back in town.” He got up, his movements slow and deliberate. “I'll call you later to check in. Can I call you at Bea's?"

  Before I could say anything, Adam broke in. “You may call her here. I have round-the-clock security. She'll be safe."

  Carlton glowered, not liking the answer. Without a word, he walked out the door, letting it slam shut behind him.

  Adam squatted back down and placed his hands on the chair arms, keeping his eyes steady on mine. His right hand lightly touched my cheek. “He really does think he still has a claim on you."

  "Yeah, well, you're not far off the mark,” I admitted. “He's married now, but can't seem to remember that part."

  "You're not exactly forgettable, Keira Kelly."

  I blushed, remembering his admission to me at the mortuary.

  "You're not very forgettable yourself,” I said. “But I need to ask you, do you think Carlton is right about Derek and Dusty? You met them, you think they were up to killing Marty? Or was he drained by someone from here?"

  His eyes got that haunted look. “I don't know, Keira. I wish I did. You know that's what I was looking for. What I was afraid I'd find."