“We’ll get Darcy, and he can hack the computer and you can’t tell anyone he did,” I demanded.
“I’ll need to tell Karson.”
“Why?” Exasperated, I threw my hand out.
“Because we’re all on the same team, we need to find who killed the dog and Jefferson. It could be the same vampire. Ifthere is a threat to you or not, the more of us working together the quicker it gets solved, the quicker you get your freedom back,” he stated, unapologetically.
“What if we don’t find out who killed Jefferson—who killed the dog? It’s probably got nothing to do with me, I don’t understand Karson’s insistence that it is.”
Ethan shrugged stared out the side window. “It’s a conversation you’ll need to have with Karson.”
“Need to know basis, too?”
He swung back to me. “The dog was targeted at you, that much we do know. Whoever did that was a vampire, you know that.” He held out his palms in a show of annoyance.
I kept my eyes on him, trying to read what he wasn’t telling me.
He scowled. “Keep your eyes on the road Amy, your driving skills are atrocious.”
I swung my head back to the road and straightened the car, which had crossed, slightly, onto the other side of the road.
Fifteen minutes later I pulled into a little café that sat at the edge of town and unbuckled my seat belt. “I need to eat, want something?”
He shook his head and climbed out of the car with me anyway.
We entered the fifties style diner. It was clean and surprisingly busy, and most of the booths were full. There was a faint smell of curry simmering, today’s chicken special, according to the board.
I looked around. Cole sat in a booth by the window talking to a male. The sight of him made my skin crawl. He looked up as if I’d just spoken to him. Recognition crossed his face, he stood, straightened his suit jacket. He sucked his belly in as he got closer.
I bit back a laugh.
“You’re the couple who tried to save Jefferson, aren’t you?” He held out his hand to Ethan.
Ethan hesitated, a muscle in his jaw ticked. I thought he wasn’t going to shake it, but he did.
“Ethan, and this is Amy,” he said, nothing friendly in his tone.
Cole didn’t hold out his hand for me to shake. If I had to take a guess, he was an old-fashioned sexist pig. The sort of guy who’d expect his wife to have dinner on the table when he got home and go butchers hook if she didn’t. I gave him a scant smile. I couldn’t bring myself to be overly nice, everything about this man sent warning signals through my head and ice through my veins.
“It’s a damn shame about Jefferson, good man that one. Who knew bears came that close to town? We got him though, did you hear?” He spoke louder and deeper than his short portly frame might otherwise suggest he should, as if he changed the tone of his voice to demand attention. It worked, half the diner watched and listened.
I shook my head.
He nodded. “Yeah, big bastard, not far away, blood still on his muzzle apparently. A landowner shot him.” He looked excessively pleased, as if he had tracked and hunted the bear himself.
“That’s lucky,” Ethan said, barely bothering to hide the look of disbelief on his face.
It bypassed Cole. “Sure is, I thought the interested parties might run a mile if we hadn’t got him. I might stick the bastard’s head on the wall in the restaurant when it’s built.”
Cole was clearly more concerned about his business than Jefferson.
“You work at the bar in town, don’t you?” His eyes, the size of sliced olives, grazed over me. I didn’t like the way he was looking at me.
“I do.” Did.
He reached into the pocket of his suit jacket, pulled out a wallet, bulging with hundred dollar notes. He removed a business card and held it out. Forcing myself to some kind of civil behaviour, I reached for it.
“I’m looking for staff. I’m in dire need of a personal assistant for around here. Call me, and we can arrange an interview.” His warm, fat fingers stroked my palm. The touch made my skin crawl and grated on my nerves.
