6
CATHY
Darn it.I was gonna do it. He was just too charming to turn down. "Yes, okay. I'll go on one more date. But I am also going to go out with one of the next people on the list Anne Fortuna gave me. You guys have convinced me to give your kind a hopefully unbiased try.”
He didn't miss a beat before replying, "I hope he treats you well but that there's zero sizzle." His answer was so unexpected I couldn't help the big laugh that escaped me. I clapped my hand over my mouth and fought not to snort through my giggles. He hadn't been upset about me going on a date. Just hoped that the date would lead me back to him.
How cute. I liked this guy.
But then some really strange sounds came over the line. Muffled shouts, plus a scratching sound like Rey had dropped his phone. I turned the volume up and listened. There was clearly a struggle.
Soon the phone cut off, but not before I heard the menacing sound of more than one male voice.
No, no, no. The alchemists had come for Rey. There was no other possibility.
Of course, there were hundreds of other possibilities. I didn't know him all that well. He could've had a plethora of enemies I didn't know about. Given his nature, it was likely.
Whoever it was, Roma and Bran would be much better equipped to handle this than I was. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I stood by and did nothing while he was attacked.
Thankfully, Roma answered quickly. "I think Rey is being attacked," I blurted out. "Someone has to get to him."
"Where is he?" her voice echoed. She'd put me on speaker. "Bran's here."
"He just said at home. We were on the phone, and he cut off, but the noises made me sure he's being attacked."
"Damn it," Bran cursed. "Okay, I'm on it."
The line went dead.
Oh, hell no. No way I was going to leave it like this. I couldn't wait around here to see if he was okay. Foolhardy? Maybe. But I had to find out. I ran for my car and pulled up the address I'd sneakily gotten out of Roma's little address book. She still kept a handwritten one, bless her. I had taken a picture of Rey's address to do some cyber stalking later, and I was glad for it now.
I plugged the address into my GPS and took off. I was much closer to this address than either place Roma might be. Her apartment and office were on the other side of town. I didn't know where Reynard lived, but hopefully, if they were at his place, he lived close by.
My mind whirred as I drove. Even at this hour, the traffic was horrific, and it took forever to drive to my destination in the hills. It gave me plenty of time to think in between wishing all the other cars to perdition.
What would I do when I got there? What if the alchemists had already taken him away and his place was empty? Or almost worse, what if they were still there? I didn't even have a knife on me, much less a gun or anything that might help. I had a small tube of pepper spray in my purse. Maybe that would be enough to surprise them, but if there was more than one, then I was wholeheartedly screwed.
In this section of the city, far out in the hills, the streets were almost deserted. I sped past a few loners walking around and only one or two cars.
Finally, I saw it. The house was massive. Far enough out of the city that he had a large lot, probably two acres, and a big, gated driveway.
The gate was wide open. That could only mean one of two things. They were inside or had left in a hurry.
I parked my car across the street and crept closer, trying to keep in the shadows.
The house was dark, but I could make out a few lights on in the back.
He'd been out in his garden. He'd said something about needing to trim some roses while we'd talked. I remembered that part clearly because it had surprised me to hear a man talk about flowers so lovingly. I made my way around the side, doing my darndest to keep my steps from making any noise.
Man, I was really bad at this. A spy I was not.
My foot scraped against a rock, and I cringed, expecting the worst. But nothing happened.
I rounded the corner of the house and looked carefully around.
Nothing. It was still and quiet.
Getting a little braver, I approached the rose bushes. Beyond them, the grass grew almost waist height, and there were signs of a struggle. There was dirt everywhere, and a large area had been trampled. I crept closer, searching for any sign of Rey.
