“Anything else I need to know? Anyone who you came into contact with who made the hair on the back of your neck stand up?”
She shook her head and I put my phone down. “I require a five thousand dollar deposit which will pay for any incidentals, bribes, and travel necessary during the investigation.”
Mariam frowned at me. “I don’t think you realize just how important these artifacts are. In the hands of humans, werewolves, or other paranormals, they could wreak destruction across this world. Seelie artifacts can do everything from suppressing demon magic, to taking power from the world around them for the user to wield. If you can return them to us before they are used, I will pay you a hundred thousand dollars.”
Somehow, I managed to stop my mouth from dropping open. “Okay. I still need the deposit. And I need to talk to your receptionist.”
“She is waiting outside. You may interview her in here.”
Mariam got up and opened the door. I took the opportunity to take the seat behind her desk. When interviewing witnesses and suspects, always take the position of power.
Mariam disappeared and her assistant walked in, raising her eyebrow when she saw me behind the desk.
“Adelina?”
“Yes.” Her face was blank but her eyes radiated dislike. I’d met her once before with Vas. She’d attempted to block me from seeing Mariam, and I’d pulled out the big guns, threatening her with the demons. I wouldn’t like me either.
“Take me back to the day the belt went missing,” I said. “Did you notice anything out of the ordinary?”
She sat down, stretching her legs out in front of her. She wore a pale pink suit and a set of pearls. Her eyelashes were so long they gave me the willies.
Adelina cooperated, taking me through every minute of her day. Occasionally, she flipped through her daily planner or took out her phone to check a detail.
No, she hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary, and all the people who’d had a meeting with her boss that day had been trusted to the fae.
I let her go and leaned back in Mariam’s chair. With the way the fae were determined to keep their business to themselves, this was likely to be a long, complicated investigation. An investigation without the few resources I’d had with the Mage Council.
My hands fisted. Fuck those guys. I was going to solve this, get my money, and be set for at least the next few years if I lived frugally.
Mariam opened her door, her eyes narrowing as she took in my position in her seat. She walked toward me, handed me a check and hovered, clearly waiting for me to get out of her chair.
I stood. “I need to take a look around your office tomorrow. Is that going to be a problem?”
“No. I will tell everyone to cooperate.”
“Okay. I also need Aubrey’s information, along with anything you can tell me about where the amulet was last seen before it disappeared.”
“I will email the information through to you.”
“Thank you.”
I got in my car and drove home, where I had a nightmare that Odin was trying to kill me.
9
Danica
Imessaged my sister as soon as I opened my eyes the next morning. Evie said Cil and Zip were doing okay. They were quiet, but their new friend and the toys and games at Samael’s had them sufficiently distracted.
I called the hospital. Still no change in Gary’s condition. I hung up, fed Lia, showered, and drove to Mariam’s office.
The fae representative’s building had been decorated in gold and whites, with the kind of thick, lush carpet that screamed wealth. Adelina and I ignored each other as I strode through the small waiting area and past her marble counter, heading toward Mariam’s office.
A group of pixies flitted by, their voices so high pitched I held back a wince as they gossiped amongst themselves.
Mariam was waiting in her office for me, and she nodded as I stepped inside.
“Good morning.”
