“Was I awake? Maybe I nodded off and you thought I was just nodding.”
She gave me a look that said she didn’t think I was funny. Ryder pointed at the Chewbacca cup on the table. “Caffeinate. We’ll figure it out.”
It was so close to what I’d told Piper last night, I almost laughed. “Fine,” I said, even though it was not at all fine. I sat and took a drink.
Lots of sugar, favorite cup, coffee strong enough to be used as an interrogation device.
Perfect.
I took a second gulp and glanced at Ryder.
He winked at me.
Winked.
My heart got all warm and gooey.
“I thought you were going to apologize for something.”
“I am.”
“Well?”
He made a circle with his fingers, indicating everyone in my house. “Pretty much this.”
“This intervention was your idea?”
He tipped his head with an eyebrow raised. “Well, I’ve been recently reminded, at length, that I’m a part of the police force. Since I have taken vows to look after Ordinary, there was no getting out of this team-building exercise. Although I don’t see Roy here.”
“Team Go Away and Let Delaney Sleep?” I asked Myra. She ignored me.
“Roy’s keeping an eye on the station. And because it needs to be said,” she turned her attention to Ryder, “Delaney told me about the conversation you had with her, Ryder. That you know there are vampires in town.”
Jean tensed up and Crow laughed. Crow tried to cover his glee with a cough that totally didn’t work.
I muttered, “‘Laugh it up...’”
“...‘Fuzzball’,” Ryder finished for me.
I lifted my Chewy cup in a toast. That was an old Star Wars reference. Not a lot of people got it these days.
“As we all know, we’re dealing with a murder in town that involved a vampire,” Myra went on like a kindergarten teacher who refused to give in to her students’ antics. “We understand you have some information that could be useful to our case.”
That teasing glimmer in Ryder’s eyes faded. “I already made it clear to Delaney that I didn’t have anything more to say on that unless she was willing to answer a few questions for me.”
“No,” I said.
“What questions?” Jean asked.
“Are there more vampires in town? Who are they? Who is their leader? How can I contact them?”
“That’s easy,” Crow said.
“No!” all us Reed girls chorused at once.
Crow sniffed. “Spoil sports.”
“You are still on my shit list,” I reminded him.
