Page 36 of Just the Pool Boy at Vampire Mansion

After he’d gone, I stayed in bed, sheet tucked under my arms, and stared at the doorway he’d been standing in. Someone had been here before Bentley. Someone who smelled like fresh blood. That might have been the most unnerving thing he’d said, and he’d said a lot of unnerving things in the five minutes he’d spent beside my bed.

I picked up my phone and typed out. “Bentley was just here” to Theo. Then hesitated, thumb over send.

Theo couldn’t do anything, and Bentley had gone. He hadn’t hurt me. For him, he’d actually been pretty normal. Helpful, even. “Smells like fresh blood.” The front room had a view of the lot. I flung the sheet off and headed out of the bedroom, into the living area then to the window, where the blinds were closed. Early morning sunlight had already made the slats hot. It must have cost Bentley to break into my place while the sun was up.

I parted the blinds. No gray pickup. But I’d seen one before. Hadn’t I? At that hardware store. Could it be the same one? Or was Bentley screwing with me?

There was nothing I could do about any of it now. I dressed, grabbed breakfast, and texted Bet to meet me at our usual place if she was around.

A few hours later, I met her at our usual booth and told her all of it—the body in the pool, the neighbor, Theo’s messy family situation, Bentley’s threats, and the gray pickup.

She listened, nodding along, and when I was done, she picked up her bagel and said, “Get out now, while you can.”

I’d been afraid she’d say something like that. Because I knew she was right. And I wasn’t going to listen. “But Jay⁠—”

Bet blew out a breath while frowning. “Let the police do their job, Owen. Don’t make it your business.”

“I know that, I just . . .” I dug into my pocket and pulled out the ring, then handed it over to her.

She looked at it, turned it over in her hand. “What’s this?” she asked, handing it back.

“A ring I found in the filtration system. It has initials inside—JG—and Theo’s mom was asking if I’d found anything. I think she knew I had it. Or that I’d found something linked to Jay in their pool.”

“Okay, so give it back?”

“But it’s not theirs. JG. Jay Green,”

“Then give it to the police. It could be valuable evidence.”

She made it sound so simple. Just give it to the cops and walk away. I frowned, then remembered I was talking to a corrections officer who walked and talked like a friend, but who also had a job to do. Bet was only half a friend, the other half got paid to keep me from doing stupid stuff.

“Yeah, I guess.”

I wasn’t going to hand the ring over to the cops. Fate had put the ring in my hand that morning. Jay needed me to have it.

“Something weird’s going on in that house,” I said. “Not vampire weird—weird weird. My gut says Theo’s in more danger than he realizes, and not just because his brother has no shame about wanting to kill him.”

“Danger from who? He seems pretty connected and probably has bodyguards whenever he goes out. Also, vampire, so . . . don’t they have superpowers?”

Did Theo have powers? He had fangs and claws, but not much else. “I don’t think they do. Unless sarcasm is a superpower.”

“Owen, your gut has not been the best thing to listen to in the past.” Bet finished her bagel and wiped her fingers clean on a napkin. “You’re into this because you’re into him, and I’m telling you now, the last thing you need is trouble like that. Drop the Witherbornes as clients and keep your hands clean. That’s my professional advice.” She sat back, professional advice dispensed, job done.

“What about personal advice?”

Her lips twitched around what may have been a smile had she given it room. She picked up her coffee cup and peered over the rim. “He’s hot and has money, so I’d probably tap that and then tap out. Just sayin’.”

“Wow.”

“I got eyes and needs too, you know.”

“He’s what . . . ten years younger than you?”

“He’s a vampire. Age is a suggestion.”

“You’re disturbing me. This is disturbing.”

We chuckled together. I picked up my coffee and dropped my gaze to the ring on the table between us. I was meant to find that ring. Theo’s mother wanted it, but didn’t want me to know she wanted it, which meant it had value. The neighbors were involved, had probably killed Jay to protect a secret, and my gut said it had something to do with the pool itself. The Briars’ box house was too . . . perfect. The gardens, the pool . . . everything was too clean. It made my brain itch.