I was not in the mood for flirting. I dumped the book and the vial onto the table. “What do you guys know about Declan Wilkes?”
Galen’s smile faded. “What?”
“Declan Wilkes,” I repeated as I sat in the open chair next to him.
Lilac, crossing behind me with plates for a nearby table, gave mean odd look. She delivered the food and immediately circled back. “Did you say Declan Wilkes?” she asked.
“Did you know him?”
Lilac exchanged a weighted look with Booker.
“Should I take that as a yes?” I prodded.
“Why are you asking?” Galen asked.
“No, I asked first.” I shook my head. “You guys know something. Just tell me.”
Galen made an exasperated sound deep in his throat. “You’re so bossy.”
“You just said I was adorable.”
“You can be two things at once.”
“Galen,” I growled.
He sighed. “He was not a good guy.”
“I have his file.” I realized I’d left it in the cart and didn’t like the idea of it being potentially stolen. “I’ll be right back.” I hurried toward the door without saying anything else.
Leaving Galen, Booker, and Lilac to brainstorm about how much they should tell me was likely a bad idea. I was a woman on a mission, however, and would not be deterred.
When I returned, Galen’s shoulders were squared, telling me they’d made their decision.
I dropped the thick file on the table and glanced between them. “If you guys have decided to tell me the bare minimum in an attempt to keep me from running off half-cocked, you should know that won’t work.”
I regarded each of them in turn with a steely-eyed glare. “I’ve been in his house. Don’t let Julian buy that house, by the way,” I ordered Galen. “Some bad things happened there. It should be razed.”
Galen’s mouth opened in protest, but I shook my head to shut him up.
“There’s a mural in that house. It shows a dark shadow being worshipped by people, mostly women. One of the women is mymother.”
That was enough to suck the oxygen out of Galen’s lungs. He looked bewildered.
“What the hell?” Lilac said. “How did you get into the house?”
“Julian was there when I pulled up with Marjory. He had a key. The housekeeper — or whatever he is — said he’s willing to swing a deal for them to take over the house, but they have to give it back if Declan reappears before thirty years have passed.”
“That’s just weird.” Lilac’s mouth puckered. “I’m going to tell you the truth even though these guys want me to limit the information we share. They’re afraid you’ll go tearing back to Wesley’s place and race through that plane door again.”
“I won’t do that,” I assured her. At least not yet, I silently added. “I need a plan first.”
“Or you could just not go through the door again,” Galen argued.
“Yeah, that sounds nothing like me.”
Galen touched the tip of his tongue against his top lip — his brain was working overtime — but he ultimately nodded for Lilac to continue.
“Declan was a warlock,” Lilac explained. She seemed relieved to be able to say whatever she wanted. “Supposedly he had demon blood, or that was the rumor at the time. Nobody really knew him. I know this because I tried to get close to him when I was a kid.”
