“No,” Merrick eventually said.“We need to start talking to people before they go to bed.Jacob is first on the list.We need more information on the dead man.So far, we’ve only been told that he was a supporter of Martin.That might be the reason he’s dead, but it also might not be, and we have to find out.”
Rex sighed heavily.“All right.Who wants to deal with Jacob?”
They all looked at each other again.No one volunteered, which made Harmon snicker.“I’ll talk to him,” he told the others.“In the meantime, you guys should get ready.Something tells me this is going to be long and complicated.”
“My life is long and complicated,” Merrick grumbled.
“Isn’t that a good thing?”Mallory asked.“It means you’ll be able to spend more time with Alpin.Think of the many years you’ll have with him.”
“Heis the person making my life complicated.”
Harmon smiled.No matter how much Merrick complained about Alpin, he loved the guy.He wouldn’t be with him if he didn’t.
“We can meet again in half an hour,” Merrick said as he disappeared into his bedroom.
Harmon decided he might as well get it over with.Jacob was still down the hallway in the bedroom, so the easiest way to talk to him would be to catch him there.Harmon headed that way after patting Rex on the arm.
“I’ll be right back,” he promised.
“You better because, if you’re not, I’m coming to get you.”
It sounded like a threat, but to Harmon, it was a promise, and he hoped Rex would keep it.
* * * *
REX WASN’T SURE WHATHarmon told Jacob, but forty-five minutes later, they were sitting in what looked like a conference room.It was odd to see this kind of place in someone’s home, but he supposed that with so many people living together, sometimes, it was needed.It made him wonder if there was a similar room where Harmon lived.
The table was a massive rectangle that spanned the entire length of the room.There were plenty of chairs around it, but there was also space for people to stand around it.The five of them had huddled at one end of the table, ready to get this over with.
Something told Rex it would be a while before they were able to leave.
Jacob was there, too, looking like he was about to bolt.He was sitting on the edge of his chair, still pale, glancing from one vampire to another.He wasn’t giving Merrick and Arlen as much attention, which Rex was pretty sure displeased Merrick.
“Has the body been taken away?”Arlen asked.
Jacob jumped as if startled.Maybe he had been.Rex didn’t like him, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t affected by what had happened.One of his clan members was dead.It couldn’t be an easy thing to deal with.
He nodded at Arlen.“It has been.”
“Can you tell us a bit more about the man who died?You said he was one of Martin’s supporters.”
“He was, and vocally so.That’s one of the reasons most of the clan avoided Brian.He had very strong opinions.”
“And how did Martin feel about Brian?”Rex asked, leaning forward.
Jacob hesitated.“I wasn’t close to Martin, so I can’t give you any details, especially about how he felt about people.”
Rex waved those words away.“Just tell us what you noticed and what you think.”
“Martin knew that Brian’s main goal was to become his second-in-command, and he liked that.He’d chosen Lou, but he didn’t care about either of them, and he was always pitting them against each other.I think he enjoyed watching them fight.”
“Do you think he ever seriously considered putting Brian in Lou’s place?”
Jacob shook his head.“I don’t think so, no.Martin and Lou grew up together.I don’t know if Martin ever liked Lou, but Lou was loyal.That meant something to Martin, no matter how much fun he had watching them fight.”
“What happened after Martin and Lou were killed?Actually, why wasn’t Brian at the fight?”
“He was supposed to be.He got sick the night before.”
