He’d done all that…for me?
Tears slid down my cheeks. A whole different flavor from the ones I’d shed for Claudette.
Whatever Clement was doing to Roux — Interrogation? Torture? — he did it for nearly an hour. When the door finally creaked open, Roux stepped out, looking much calmer and cooler than Clem. Inside, though, he seethed. I could tell.
“You’re next,” Clem barked, pointing to Bene.
“Yes, sir.” Bene forced a wide smile.
Roux gave him a sharp look, and I remembered what he’d said at Gordon’s.No details. No promises. No confidential information.
Yikes. Did that apply here too?
Clem slammed the office door, and Roux sat down beside me. Hard.
I leaned in, whispering. “What’s going on?”
Roux ran a hand through his hair — the calm, composed tiger equivalent to throwing a tantrum.
“Are you sure you’re ready to hear this?”
I gulped. That bad, huh?
“Yes. And sorry about before. I’ve got my armor back on now.” I tapped my chest in a weak joke.
His lips curled slightly, but it faded fast.
“He’s not giving much away, but it sounds like a vampire attack. Sometime last night.”
“Did you tell him about last night? The intruders, I mean?”
Roux nodded. “He listened and took notes, but he didn’t see a connection. Hell, I can’t see a connection between the nagas and Claudette either. Unless…”
The furrow in his brow deepened.
“Unless what?” I whispered.
“Unless Claudette was selling information to someone who is out to get us.”
“Someone who sent three nagas after us and a vampire to kill Claudette?” I shook my head. “Why?”
He shook his head slowly. “I don’t know.”
We chewed that over in silence.
“Well, one thing’s for sure,” I finally muttered. “You don’t deserve to be treated like a criminal.”
And he doesn’t deserve all the grief I’ve given him,I reminded myself, ashamed.
He shook his head. “Claudette deserves a thorough investigation. I can’t fault the guy for that.”
Most folks pulled out their principles when it was convenient. Roux carried his front and center like scripture.
A good man, I decided. Too good for a girl like me.
“Well, Henrik doesn’t deserve it either,” I grumbled.
We both glanced down the back hallway, where the warlock agent stood guard over what I presumed to be Henrik’s cell.
