Page 81

And I was glad. I knew the prick as intimately as I ever wanted to. “What I know is enough.”

She sighed and pulled her hands from mine, twisting them in front of her. “I know you won’t believe me, but he’s changed.”

“I don’t believe people change, and I don’t trust him. I won’t get involved if you don’t want me too, it’s your life, but I’m here if you ever need to talk.”

She offered me a wobbly smile. “Thank you, Iris.”

“Stay safe, okay?”

“You as well,” she said.

When Nia and I hit the hall, I was still in shock. I couldn’t believe Penny would date Isaac. Literally, anyone would be a better choice. Male laughter rang out up ahead, a female voice joining in.

I glanced in one of the rooms as I walked by.

Chairs surrounded a long wooden table, and Cesare Sartori was there with a female I’d never seen before. A female who was not his wife.

Which would be fine, except he had his hands on her ass. Amy was still missing, and her father sure as hell didn’t look like someone worried about her safety, especially since Imogen had just turned up dead.

I knew Cesare was an asshole, but this was next level. Keeping my head down, I rushed past before he saw me standing there watching him.

I’d called his secretary earlier that afternoon, trying to get a meeting with him. I was hoping to talk to him about Amy. I hadn’t expected him to agree, but I needed as much information as I could get on the girls.

I’d been told he was in no state to talk to anyone. But, from what I’d just seen, the guy was doing just fine. Better than fine. I made a mental note to look more closely at Cesare, thanked Gunther as I passed him, and walked out.

It was dark and cloudy, and an ominous feeling settled over me. I rubbed a hand against one of my stitched-up forearms and looked around. Nia instantly went on full alert.

But there was no one in the vicinity, not even Draven. I thought I sensed him earlier, but I must have imagined it. Probably because I couldn’t stop thinking about him and what he’d said to me in the field the day before. And Nia certainly would have already sniffed him out if he was here.

Rushing to my car, I did a quick check of my tires, still wary after what Isaac and his demons had done. But everything looked fine. My nerves grew and my pulse was racing faster than usual. I couldn’t describe the feeling, but it was like my gut was telling me to brace, that something was coming.

I quickly got in and headed for home, trying to keep my mind focused on what I needed to do. I’d read over the documents I’d taken pictures of tonight and plan my next step. I needed to do a deep dive online and maybe ask around about Cesare Sartori. Something didn’t feel right there, or maybe he was just an unfeeling asshole. Either way, I needed to take a closer look at him as well.

The drive home was uneventful, which was how I liked it.

Until I approached our driveway and saw a car parked out front. Big, black, and expensive. It belonged to Councilor Trotman.

What was he doing here this time of night? I quickly parked and hurried inside. Trotman was a good guy, but we weren’t pals. He didn’t just drop by for a friendly chit-chat or a cup of coffee.

Something had to be wrong. Like finding a dead body on your property, wrong. Maybe it had something to do with Imogen?

Voices carried down the hall from the living room. Nia and I rushed in and pulled to a stop at the look on everyone’s faces. “What’s going on?”

Mags looked like she was about to kill someone, her eyes bright with fury. Bram had his arm around her waist, holding her against him, but he wasn’t comforting her, he was restraining her.

Mom was holding Art’s hand, and she looked like she couldn’t decide if she was going to scream or cry. Else had her hands planted on her hips, staring down Trotman. And Willow…well, I couldn’t read her expression. She didn’t look angry, though. Whatever this was hadn’t pissed her off like it had the rest of my family.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

No one said anything.

There was a knock at the door, and Willow rushed to answer it.

“Mom?”

“We’re waiting on a witness, Iris,” the councilor said.

“A witness? For what?”