“There’ll still be CCTV all over the place, imbued magic spidey senses or not,” Boudica muttered. “I don’t see how we get in there without gettingspotted.”
Squaring my shoulders, I stood from where we lurked in the bushes. “Just followme.”
Instead of booking it across the courtyard to enter the back door, I rounded the corner and ducked through the elaborate archway. The crew followed close behind, fanning out in a V formation. The officers glanced our way, but they didn’t stop us. As long as you acted like you knew exactly what you were doing, and like you had little to hide, no one questionedyou.
When we reached the front door of the building, I pushed inside, motioning for the others to follow me. As I shut the door behind us, I flicked my gaze around, lingering on each of the cameras mounted in the corners of the ceiling. There were two in the front lobby, at least that I could see. Likely, there were more that couldn’t be spotted by a cursoryglance.
A pair of glass double doors separated the entrance from a reception desk inside, a tall, gleaming mahogany structure where a black monitor hunkered on top. On the other side of the desk were another pair of double doors, also glass. But what lay behind was obscured by thick, closedblinds.
The crew stayed silent as I pushed through the first set of doors and came to a stop in front of the reception desk. A man sat behind. Young—early twenties. He had thinning hair already turning white, and thick spectacles perched on the long bridge of his nose. He glanced up, a flush spreading across his freckledcheeks.
“Can I help you?” he asked in a nasallyvoice.
“Yes, we’re here to pick up some files for an investigation into the supernatural activities of the local vampire gangs.” I lifted my leather jacket, showing him the hilt of my golden dagger. “We work for KingLugh.”
The man paled, and he flicked his eyes toward the double doors where the officers stood outside. “Weapons are not allowed on thesepremises.”
“By civilians,” I said sharply. “I am not acivilian.”
He nibbled on his bottom lip, eyes returning to the edge of my jacket. “No offence, but what the hell are youthen?”
“I’m a fae,” I said, speaking in a bored tone, acting as if this entire thing was some sort of routine activity I’d encountered one too many times already. “I work for King Lugh as an investigator. We have the same rank as a detective on the human policeforce.”
He did not look convinced, but he didn’t look as if heknewfor certain that I was lying. “I’ve never heard anything of this. I’m going to have to call those officers in from outside if you don’tleave.”
Smiling, I pressed my hands firmly on top of the desk and leaned toward him. “Fae can’t lie. Didn’t you know? Of course you wouldn’t have heard about this. It’s far above your pay grade. Hell, I probably shouldn’t have even told you. Keep a secret, willyou?”
He still looked uncertain. “I’ll let you in, but you have to leave your weapons here at thedesk.”
I tried my best to look annoyed. “That is really out of the ordinary. You sure that’snecessary?”
“No weapons allowed inside.” He pointed to a sign that said that very thing. “I’ll buzz you into a waiting room, and then I’ll have someone come down to talk to you about those files. But I can’t let you go in with yourweapons.”
Frowning, I glanced toward Boudica, who lifted her shoulder in a nonchalant shrug. “Bit annoying, but can’t say I’m surprised. Last time I swung by, the other girl said the same thing. Forget her name. I think it was something pretty, somethinglike…”
“Alyssa?”
“Yes, Alyssa!” Boudica nodded. “She wouldn’t let me bring my weapon in either. Guess the policies are getter stricter. Not that I can blame you. It’s tough out there right now. City’s getting more dangerous every day. Which is why we want to help you lot stop thesevampires.”
I could have hugged her right then and there. Her words had softened the uncertainty on the man’s face. Slowly, he stood and motioned for us to deposit our knives behind the desk. Once we’d dropped them off, he opened the next set of doubledoors.
“Just wait in here,” he said. “The Mayor isn’t here right now, but I can get someone else to come speak with you, who will be able to get you thosefiles.”
He shut the door, leaving us inside of a small waiting area with plush chairs, a television, and some generic magazines on tiny oak tables. As soon as the door had fully shut, I whirled towardBoudica.
“That was a very inspired speech you gave back there,” I said with agrin.
She shrugged. “I took a page out of your book. Take a chance with your story. Sometimes, it’ll payoff.”
“And now we’re inside,” I said, rubbing my hands and glancing around. “Where’sUisnech?”
Boudica’s frown matched my own. Warin and Saoirse had followed us into the waiting area, but the hobgoblin had vanished. I tried to think of the last time I was certain he was there—about the time when we’d been hiding in some bushes. I’d been so focused on convincing the receptionist to let us inside the building that I hadn’t noted if he’d followedus.
Closing my eyes, I sighed. “Please don’t tell me he’s running around causingchaos.”
“He couldn’t come inside,” Saoirse said softly. “He’s a hobgoblin. Most humans don’t even know they exist. We never would have gotten inside if he’d shown hisface.”
“Well, then where did hego?”
