“Uh, maybe nine-thirty or ten?”
“I’m going to need the names of those guys.”
He nodded and ripped a piece of paper off the pad in front of him, noting down a few names and their phone numbers. I slipped it into my pocket.
“What about after the beers?”
“I went home and slept for twelve hours. I was exhausted.”
“Did you talk to anyone while you were at home?”
“No,” he shook his head. “I just wanted to get some sleep.”
I got to my feet. “Okay. Let me know if you think of anyone who was giving Riona trouble. Anyone who might’ve hurt her.”
He nodded, his expression miserable. “Do you think she’s alive?”
“I’m assuming she is unless I learn otherwise.”
I mulled over what Jerry had said as I made my way back across the library. I didn’t know exactly when Riona had gone missing yet, but the fact remained that Jerry had no alibi for most of the night.
“Hurry up, you dumb bitch.”
I froze, slowly turning my head. Across the library, Bruce was once again tormenting Mella.
Her hands shook as she sorted through a set of files, and Bruce let out a low snarl.
“Fuck, you’re stupid. How long have you been here, and you still can’t do your fucking job?”
Mella dropped her files, chains rattling against the manacle around her ankle as she crouched to pick them up. A dull fury took up residence in my chest. I stalked toward them, visions of blowing Bruce’s head off his shoulders dancing through my imagination.
I let my voice carry over the murmurs of anyone within a few feet of me. “It’s been a crappy few days, asshole, and I’m more than happy to take my frustrations out on you.”
He turned and bared his teeth at me. “Oh yeah? Try, bitch, I dare you.”
“Someone needs to improve his vocabulary,” I said to Mella. “Didn’t he already just call you a bitch?” I smiled at Bruce. “You want me to buy you a word of the day calendar, pal?”
Mella ducked her head, clearly hiding a smile, and a dull flush worked its way up Bruce’s meaty neck.
“You don’t work here any longer, whore. That means I can make you hurt.”
I let my smile widen. “Why don’t you try and take on a woman who’s not chained up, huh?”
He snatched the file Mella lay on the counter, narrowed his eyes and sneered at me. “Your turn is coming, bitch. Sooner than you can imagine. I can’t wait.”
I yawned. “Get gone.” I stepped in front of him, facing Mella as I turned my back on him. I studied her face, carefully watching for any indication that Bruce was stupid enough to attack me from behind, but it was only relief that shone in her eyes as he cursed and stalked away, his boots clomping loudly on the floor.
“Thanks,” Mella said quietly.
“How often does he torment you?” I asked. “It seems like it’s getting worse.”
She shrugged. “Most days,” she attempted a smile. “It’s okay. He’s all threat. He wouldn’t really hurt me in here. The librarians would revolt.”
Frustration wound through me, joining the general pissy mood that was driving me through the day. No one would speak about exactly what Mella had done to wind up here, but Albert had stolen her pelt— or skin— which kept the selkie chained up in here. Without her pelt, she couldn’t shift to her selkie form, or access her power. The Naud chains clamped around her wrists and ankles only added insult to injury.
Whatever Mella had done, surely thirty years chained up in this library and dealing with fuckheads like Bruce was enough.
The worst part? I was pretty sure I knew where her pelt was. But there was no way I could get my hands on it.
