We let ourselves out and I stalked toward my car, kicking out at the tire. “Goddamn it.”
Samael placed his hand on my shoulder. “You had to tell her. You had to ask.”
I shook my head. “That woman has one good thing in her life and I just took it from her.”
“Her son did that.”
“Yeah. And now he’ll die in prison— if he’s lucky, while his mom dies alone.”
Samael pulled me close, and I gave in, burying my face in his chest as he wrapped his arms around me.
“You have a miserable job.”
“Not always. But the past couple of weeks have been as bad as it gets.”
“We’ll take a few days off after you’ve closed your case.”
I stepped back and eyed him. “The workaholic demon will take a few days off?”
“If it means I can have you to myself.”
I needed to set up my new office— the one Keigan had given me, where I’d be seeing clients. I needed to start advertising… screw it.
“Deal,” I said.
“You’ll be looking for the son.”
“Yeah. His information says he lives in Wisconsin, but I’m guessing he moved back here when his mom got sick. Unless he’s an idiot, he’s ditched the car, but he might’ve kept the phone.”
“Are you sure?”
“He may not be answering, but that’s probably because he can’t face what he did. His mom’s dying. You’d have to be ice cold to ditch the only way she has to contact you. I don’t think he’s cold. I think he’s stupid and desperate, and he panicked.”
“You know who got to him.”
“Yeah. I can’t prove it until I find him. But it all goes back to the fucking hospital.” I kicked out at my tire again and then turned to face Samael.
“I need to ask you for a favor.”
“Eldan is already on his way.”
My heart squeezed in my chest and I had to swallow around the lump in my throat. “Thanks.”
“The woman may be too far gone. But at the very least, he may be able to reduce her suffering.”
22
Danica
Samael left to get back to work and I called Kyla on the way back to the hotel.
“I’m going to talk to Peter Hanson’s girlfriend. Evie and I also have some of the funerals later tonight. Steve is going to trace Hanson’s phone, although it’s probably turned off. But his mother says he might be in Emporia. It’s a couple of hours from here…”
“Virginia, right? I’m there.” Relief warred with eagerness in her voice. Kyla was obviously excited to do something that didn’t involve staking out the hotel.
“His Majesty decided he would prefer for me to be at the tower tonight, so he’s sending one of his demons to take over from you.”
Kyla laughed. “Sounds good. I’ll update you when I get to Emporia. Did his mom have any idea where he’d be?”
