I gave him a guilty look. Viktor didn’t always want to know every tiny detail about our cases while under investigation, but maybe we should have run this one by him first. I steadied my gaze on Lenore, careful not to suggest that Viktor wasn’t in the know. “I needed a cover. To be honest, it was Christian’s idea. He thought with you being new, it would be a good way to make an impression with the local Shifters. It’s not easy to win people over, but money talks. We should have given you a heads-up, but I didn’t think anyone would be calling you this soon.”
It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since Blue and I had made those calls. Fucking hell, these guys were quick to check us out and make sure we weren’t lying to them.
Viktor glanced at his vodka bottle across the room, but he probably knew getting a drink would only invite her to stay longer. “I will, of course, be handling all the payments. We would never impose in such a way.”
Lenore slid her gaze from Viktor back to me and finally said, “Now that I know someone’s not pulling a fast one on me, it’s no trouble at all. I’m the one who volunteered the idea of using the higher authority as a cover. In fact, I think it’s a splendid idea. Not only can we make amends with the locals, but it’s also an opportunity for me to make personal connections.” She looked across the table at Viktor and canted her head to one side. “I do think it would be best to include me on your plans the next time so I’m not taken by surprise. When three messages mentioned your people by name, I knew you could solve the mystery.”
“Apologies,” he said. “It was a very late night.”
Viktor was clever not to lie to Lenore. Would she be able to see it as easily as a Chitah could smell it? He could have told her that we planned to call, and that might have smoothed things over, but he danced around the apology like a professional ballerina. Or were men called ballerinos?
“So this wasChristian’sidea.” Lenore was impossible to read, but she remained amiable, leading me to believe she wasn’t as opposed to the idea as I’d thought. “It’ll win over some of the powerful Packmasters in the region to know that the higher authority has their best interests at heart. I’ll have to make financial arrangements, but I need you to confirm each person who called. I’m assuming this is an exclusive list? Do tell me more.”
“I’m afraid we cannot divulge explicit details of all our cases,” Viktor said, leaning back. “It would bore someone of your high intelligence. We work so many jobs. Many are small and keep us busy. Very, very busy.” He glanced at his watch.
“Of course.” Lenore rose from the table. “I know enough. Since I don’t want to take up your valuable time, would you mind if I stole Raven for an hour or two? I know you have plenty of work to do, but I’m judging by her appearance that she has a little free time this afternoon. Did you tell her I was your primary contact for the last assignment?”
My eyebrows popped up. “Is that why Christian was guarding you?” Now it made sense. If Lenore had helped, that would have inadvertently made her a target, especially since some of her peers were involved in the fights. “I thought maybe you’d made a bunch of enemies.”
She laughed melodically. “I do enjoy your sense of humor.”
I shivered, having a weird sense of déjà vu.
“Perhaps you should shower and put on something decent,” Lenore suggested.
I caught Viktor’s look, and he knew how precious every second was. They needed to keep the kids away from the house and quiet. Viktor was smitten with Lenore but not enough to trust her with his livelihood. That was telling.
I stood and pushed in the chair. “Since it’s your invitation, you’ll have to take me as I am. If I go upstairs to shower, I’ll wind up taking a nap. That’s my routine, and I’ve been working out all day. Just give me a couple of seconds to wash my armpits in the kitchen sink.”
The sheer look of horror on her face made every bit of my uncouth behavior worth it.
* * *
Lenore owned a white Rolls-Royce.She also had a black car, but this one definitely fit her style. The back doors opened the opposite way, and I’d never seen anything so classy.
“It’s a 1948,” she said, running her hand across the interior wood paneling like one of those game show models. “Mint condition. I had to restore the leather bench, but isn’t it a dream?”
I pointed at a cabinet door in the center. “Is that where you keep the booze?”
Her black eyes sparkled as she studied me. “How did you know?”
“I’ve seen a lot of old movies, I guess.”
My dad would have loved this old car even though he would have called it a prissy waste of money. Deep down, he admired vehicles kept in their original condition.
“Have a drink with me,” she insisted, opening the cabinet and placing two glasses on a tray that lowered from the back of the front seat. “Is bourbon all right?”
“It’s fine.”
She handed me one and clinked her glass against mine. “To unexpected friendships.”
I wouldn’t have gone that far, but I kept quiet and gulped down my drink. Christian was right about keeping enemies close. Though, truth be told, I wasn’t sure if Lenore was friend or foe. I hated the bitch, but that was when she was after Christian. Now that she had her sights on Viktor, I didn’t feel threatened by her. She helped sell my necklace at auction and lent me money. That didn’t mean I trusted her either, but I was in her debt for that damn loan. It was wiser to have a good rapport with someone I owed a favor to, so I had to play it smart.
When I set my empty glass down, her eyes settled on my necklace. “Do you wear that all the time, even when you’re sweaty?”
I gave her a sly grin. “Especially when I’m sweaty.”
“Dear, oh dear. You should take better care of precious things.”
