Читать книгу Midnight Lover - Rosemary Laurey - Страница 11

Vlad was a darn good listener. Toby made his report as brief as possible but was still pretty involved and based, he realized, on Laura’s word and the coincidence of a surname.

It was more than enough for Vlad Tepes.

“I’ll send Zeke down to see what’s going on. Better an unknown investigate than you, who plan to stay awhile. Zeke can poke and pry and ask nosy questions, then report what’s happening.” Nothing like seizing the moment. “And just in case he does find an intruder, Larouselière will be on his way too.”

Short but seldom sweet, Vlad rang off. Toby was covered now and, with a bit of luck, Vlad would take care of everything, and leave Toby to concentrate on Connor Inc. and the FBI. More than enough for one vampire.

As Toby headed for the beach to give Adela the all clear, he couldn’t help wondering how Etienne Larouselière, who seldom left France and never, to Toby’s knowledge, ventured beyond Europe, was in obligation to Vlad Tepes.

Not that he didn’t have far more pressing things on his mind. Between the FBI, arson, a venal deputy and now a vampire poaching in his borrowed territory, it was just as well he wasn’t hampered with mortal limitations.

He’d rather fancied descending the cliff head first, à la Bram Stoker, but, since there was a mother watching three small children digging in the sand, he came down the steps mortal style.

Adela was sitting, perched on rocks on the far side of the beach. “I watched them leave,” she said, looking up at the road bridge that spanned high over the inlet. “Looked like a convoy leaving. Did they strip the house?”

“We still have beds and a refrigerator, and I think they left the bathrooms intact.”

She shook her head and sighed. “Is Piet okay?”

“Thankfully, he was oblivious to most of it. He started fretting at all the noise and doors banging, but the nurse calmed him down and one good thing: ten minutes attempted conversation and they decided he was no longer a good source of information. I doubt they’ll subpoena him anytime soon.”

“What about you?”

“I’m not worried. Not now. At least the house is clear. Want to come back and try to sort out your complication?”

“I called Gertrude while I was waiting.” Her mobile was still in her hand. “She was shocked and upset, as you’d expect, but it seems she is either very cautious and provident or had a premonition. She put all her papers, house deed, insurance, car titles and everything in a lock box in the bank just before she left and took copies with her. She’s contacting them and will fax over any forms I need completed.”

“If she wants to come down, she can stay here, if you like.” What was one more?

Toby, you are such a nice man!” She gave him a quick hug. “But better not. If she comes, which I don’t think she wants to, I’ll find us a B and B or a motel. Gertrude is pretty sensitive to aura and if she noticed you didn’t have one, she might just put two and two together. Aside from your need for privacy, I think she has enough stress already without adding a vampire to the mix.”

Good point. “You’re right.” No point in mentioning there would be two vamps in the house. Better keep her in ignorance. “You’ll need a car. Want to use the Mercedes?”

“Don’t wish to sound ungrateful, but is there anything slightly less conspicuous?”

“Ah! You fancy slipping in and out with as little attention as possible.”

“Might be judicious, in the circumstances.”

Sensible woman. “We need the van for Piet, but there is a Hummer.”

She tilted her head to one side. “Nothing as plebeian as a Bug or a Toyota for a vampire!”

“They’d hardly fit our image, would they?”

“And Hummers do?”

“Hummers are different.” And besides, it was Piet’s, but at least that got a smile out of her. She was strung out—understandably enough—but strung-out mortals took risks and made mistakes, and right now he wasn’t sure he had energy or time to iron out another crimp around him. “When do you want it? It might need petrol.”

“I can check that. I can fill it up this evening.”

One complication dealt with; now he had to decide what to do with Laura—besides wanting her in his bed.

It didn’t bode well to set off for work with a raging headache. Come to that, it didn’t bode well to set off for work knowing her employer thought her a thief. Toby Wise had listened to her convoluted tale about her father, but that didn’t stifle the sneaking suspicion he was going to do a lot more than “help” her. Why in the name of sanity would he fabricate “evidence”? Was he trying to trap her? And why hadn’t she flatly refused Dad from the get-go? Because she was a sucker for a sob story, that was why, and when the sob storyteller was her father…Damn! The least she should do was offer to quit the job before she dug herself in any deeper. Dad would rant and wail, but he was asking too much, far, far too much. She was darn lucky Toby hadn’t fired her on the spot.

Thinking and driving at the same time made her head ache. Roadwork on 101 delayed her when she’d hoped to actually arrive early and to crown it, after turning off the road and up the curving drive to the house. Just a few yards ahead was a vast, black Town Car. Toby had visitors, unless the local police had raided the budget and gone ostentatious.

Visitors meant Toby would be occupied all evening. Would he forget his promise to help her out?

Zeke Randolph surveyed the sweeping, wooded drive with its strategic glimpses of beach and ocean. Very nice if you liked that sort of thing. He preferred cities. Felt safer in them. But Devil’s Elbow seemed okay. Heck, after checking out this tale of another rogue vampire—sheer moonshine, in Zeke’s opinion, two in the same decade, let alone the same year, was pushing it a bit—he might even snatch a day or two on the beach.

He eased the sleek nose of the gleaming Town Car round another bend, brushing tree branches. Better take care. Vlad wouldn’t gripe about renting an expensive car—he was a believer in impressing the populace—but charges for dents and scratches were another matter.

Wowee! Zeke’s first sight of the house impressed, despite his determination to be cool about everything, although he admitted curiosity about meeting a British vampire brother. Turning the car sharply, he sprayed gravel—damn, better watch that—and parked. He reached for his overnight case and headed for the wide open front door.

And all but froze.

The woman from the El—the witch he’d met a few months earlier—was standing in the doorway.

Wasn’t often Zeke Randolph was stopped in his tracks, but this woman had just managed it for the second time.

Adela couldn’t believe her eyes. She’d stepped out to check on the Hummer Toby had lent her and came face to face with the vampire from Chicago. The one who turned out to be an aide or secretary or whatever he was to Dracula.

She gaped. He stared.

“You!” They practically spoke in unison. Hers was more of a strangled gasp. His, an accusation.

“Yes,” she managed with slightly less horror than her earlier monosyllable. “You want to see Toby?” She had no idea what this vamp was doing so far from the Windy City, and preferred not to know.

“He’s expecting me.”

News to her, but she had quite enough to worry about without adding an extra vamp to the mix. “He’s inside, in his study, I think.”

“Okay. Where will I find that?”

She was about to show him when the night nurse pulled up. The front drive was looking like a parking lot. And Zeke—she now remembered his name—was looking at the nurse as if she were good enough to eat, a circumstance that was far too probable to be comfortable.

Adela grabbed his arm. “Let me take you into the study.” Over her shoulder, she called, “Piet’s out on the terrace, Laura.”

Laura paused just inside the double front doors. “I need to talk to Mr. Wise.”

“So do I,” Zeke said.

“I’m here!” A calm, oh-so-Brit voice announced.

Adela decided Toby could cope with all this while she ran away to get gas and find a spot for quiet meditation and prayer.

He came forward, hand outstretched. “Hello, Zeke. I was expecting you but not quite this early. Brilliant, and thank you for coming.”

Zeke grabbed the hand. The subsequent handshake would have crippled a mortal. Zeke grinned. Toby offered a polite smile.

“Glad to come, man! Not often I get a weekend by the ocean, but when Vlad the man says, ‘Zeke, get yourself to Oregon!’ I get my tail into action.” He looked around the wide, slate-floor hall. “Nice place you’ve got here.”

“It is, and it’s borrowed. I’m a guest here too.” There was just the teeniest bit of aspersion in his words. Adela sympathized. They surely did not need this on top of everything else today.

“Excuse me, Mr. Wise?” Laura, the nurse, hovered on the fringes of Zeke’s unmistakable presence.

“Ah! Laura!”

Curious. Very curious. Toby’s wide smile and the light in his eyes suggested more than professional interest. Goddess help the girl! Or maybe she already had! After all, Lizzie seemed more than content with her vampire. Meanwhile…“Toby, I’m off. Thanks for the keys. I’ll gas it up.”

“Don’t go back there alone.”

Came out as an order, but she’d take it as friendly concern. He’d been incredibly supportive through it all so far. “Don’t worry. I won’t! See you later!”

She didn’t exactly run but needed vampire-free space and clear, tension-free air. Adela hoped Laura would be okay but sensed Toby could be depended on.

Toby didn’t blame Adela scarpering off fast as the Hummer could carry her. He rather envied her the opportunity, but he had responsibilities, and two were standing at arm’s length. “Laura, I have news for you. Not quite what I had in mind but should serve, for a few days at least. Please see to Piet and let Amy Redding leave, and I’ll talk to you soon. I’ve matters to discuss with Mr. Randolph.” Who was giving Laura far too much of his attention.

“Call me Zeke,” he said, with a decidedly interested smile.

“Good evening,” Laura replied, seemingly unimpressed. Good! “Welcome to Oregon. I hope you enjoy your stay, and if you’ll excuse me, I must see to my patient.”

The look that came Toby’s way begged him not to let her down. He wanted to tell her he wouldn’t ever, but couldn’t while Zeke was within earshot. And damn him for watching as Laura walked away, down the long corridor toward Piet’s suite.

“Very nice!” Zeke turned up his mouth in a smug smile.

“She’s marked and she’s mine!” He snarled it and didn’t care. Hospitality be damned. The riot of emotion all but curdling his brain stunned Toby. If Zeke as much as breathed on her…

“Hey! It’s cool, man.” Zeke stepped back and raised both hands in a gesture of submission. “Nothing in it. She’s yours. I respect that.”

“I trust you will.” If he didn’t, he’d rip out Zeke’s guts and hang him with them.

“Well, man, I’m here and ready to take care of this Radcliffe dude.”

Abel help him! Zeke made Toby feel like an alien in his own country, but they had to work together, and if Vlad thought he was the vamp for the job, he’d not question the Lord of Wallachia. “Better come into my study.”

Perhaps not the best choice. Zeke stared at the bare desk, the wide-open filing cabinet, books obviously swept off shelves, and a couple of overturned chairs.

“Hey, man! You been broken into?”

“No, just a visit from the FBI!”

“No shit!”

“I rather disagree. In my opinion, it’s a pile of shit!”

Zeke threw back his head and laughed. It reminded Toby the lad had only been eighteen when transformed, if gossip were true. “You said it! Why are they on your case?”

Toby put his finger to his lips. Zeke’s nod conveyed he understood the room might be bugged. “Have a seat,” Toby said, crossing the room and picking up an overturned Sheraton chair and tossing it to Zeke, who caught it deftly, set it upright and sat down, waiting. Toby brought the other over.

“They have some bee in their bonnet that Connor Inc. is/was/has been involved in money laundering. It’s my belief that the old CFO, Laran Radcliffe, gave them some false information, no doubt to cause us even more trouble.” Toby shook his head. He doubted they’d installed closed-circuit TV, but he was rather getting into the spirit of this. “The man runs off. They keep asking me where he is. As if I’m likely to know! Hell! I’ve done nothing the past three months but sort out the books and try to make sense of the mess.

“I offer to cooperate. Agree to give them anything they want, and in reply they come barging in here when I’m out, scaring the willies out of the nurse and pestering poor Piet.” Another pause for emphasis. “At least now they can’t suspect him of conniving to flout any laws. The old chap doesn’t know what day it is half the time.”

“You said it, man!”

Zeke looked ready to elaborate. No point in risking overkill. “Hold on, Zeke. If you want to smoke, let’s go outside.”

Had to hand it to him, the lad picked up clues fast. “Oh, man! I thought you Left Coast people were laid-back.”

This could get to be fun. “Not when it comes to smoking on an Aubusson. Outside.”

“This is something else.” Zeke leaned against the balustrade and looked out over the ocean. “And I thought Lake Michigan was big.”

“In point of fact, it is. The Pacific happens to be vast.”

“You lucked out getting this job.”

“Maybe.”

Zeke gave him a knowing smile. “Nice house. Cushy job. A bit of excitement from the Feds and a very nice companion. You lucked out, man.”

Right! The so-called companion was just around the corner of the house with Piet. In spite of the brisk ocean breeze and Zeke’s pungent aftershave, Toby swore he could smell her. Yes, he was losing his grip. A few tastes and he was claiming her! Just would not do. Back to business. “Vlad did not send you here to enjoy the ocean breeze.”

“No! What’s happening? Another rogue poaching on our territory?”

“I suspect so. I only heard about it this morning, but the circumstances combined with the coincidence of the name was enough to concern me. Vlad, I gather, agrees.”

“He told me to find out all I can and report. So?” He shrugged. “Where do I start?”

Unfortunately, with Laura. “I’ll get the nurse. She mentioned it to me.”

Laura jumped up as Toby entered Piet’s screen porch. Elizabeth had added this on, right on the corner where it caught both land and sea breezes. The old man seemed to enjoy it here. Laura was less relaxed.

“Mr. Wise?” she asked, her face pale and taut with worry. “What happened? Amy was saying the FBI had a search warrant and…”

He should have known this would happen. “She’s right. They had a search warrant and took my computer and armloads of papers.” Not that it would do them any good. “In the ensuing chaos and mess, I didn’t get together what I promised for you but…” He went on fast, seeing her bite her lip and frown. “We have something even better that you can feed your bothersome newspaper man.” Better not call him a vampire. “Tell him the Feds took the place apart, so there has to be something going on. Should keep him happy and he can’t expect you to find anything when it supposedly is all in the hands of the FBI.”

“I’ll tell him.” She looked Toby right in the eyes. “Why are you helping me? Why didn’t you just fire me and be done with me?”

Not the moment to tell the truth. “Because you are a good nurse and Piet likes you.” And I love your blood and spirit. “I believe your story. You were wrong to pry but weren’t acting off your own bat but to help your father and…” Better pick the fragments of truth carefully here. “You mentioned the name of your father’s new partner: Axel Radcliffe. I suspected he might have some connection with our missing CFO.”

“Oh! The man who ran off with money.”

Toby nodded. “You think Axel Radcliffe is going to do the same? Dad has no money. That was why he sold the interest in the paper and…”

Toby touched her shoulder to calm her. It was a bit of a mistake. Feeling her warmth put too many good ideas into his brain. “I’m not sure of anything, Laura.” Other than that he wanted her skin under his lips. “But the name caught my attention. It’s not particularly common, but not rare either. I’ve called in a private detective from Chicago to investigate. Would you be willing to tell him all you told me this morning?” Had it only been this morning? Abel! It had been a long day and was nowhere near ending yet.

“The man who arrived just before I did?”

The lout who’d eyed her with hunger and presumption. “Yes. His name is Randolph, Zeke Randolph.”

“And he’s a detective?” Sort of. Toby nodded. “Okay then, I’ll tell him. If you think it will help.”

She was as good as her word. Zeke obviously unnerved her, wise woman there, but after Toby brought chairs out from the debris of the study, insisted she sit and sent calming suggestions her way, she told everything, only excluding the details of his mode of attire when he found her rifling through his drawers.

Toby sensed the stress in her and appreciated more than ever her honesty and genuine dilemma. She was worried—scared, even—for her father, angry at the situation he’d placed her in, and broadcasted a whole range of emotions that had Toby wanting to pull her into his arms and tell he’d make it all right.

He was losing it!

Right in the middle of a tangled situation of major proportions, he was falling for a green-eyed mortal. Definitely ill-advised.

Telling Zeke that Laura was marked and owned was an inspiration. The vamp’s attitude changed 180 degrees. He questioned her, yes. Some probing questions too, but he was courteous and respectful. Funny how even the most ostensibly street-smart vampires respected the ancient laws. Having Vlad Tepes to answer to no doubt had something to do with it.

Laura left to watch over Piet and was well out of earshot when Zeke turned to Toby, one bushy eyebrow raised. “Think she’s telling the truth, the whole truth?”

Knowing darn well he was also under scrutiny here, Toby replied, “Not the whole truth. She left out a minor detail, more out of embarrassment than anything else, I imagine.” He filled Zeke in with the precise details of his entry through the window. No point in sharing the events of the evening prior to his awkward and enraged arrival.

He expected the laugh and the wicked, knowing grin. “Man! That must have been some sight.” The annoying grin widened. “Was she impressed?”

“I didn’t ask! Hardly seemed apropos at the time.”

“You Brits miss all the chances with your tight-assed attitude.”

Time to steer the conversation back on track. “What do you think about this second Radcliffe? Coincidence or something more?”

Zeke shrugged. “Hard to tell. The boss is taking it seriously. Told me to look around and be careful. That French dude is on his way too.”

“Larouselière?”

“Yeah. That was his name. Some sort of expert, right?”

“Yes. Expert in vampire lore, vampire and human history and seduction.” And if he as much as smiled at Laura…“He’s coming here?”

“On his way as we speak. The boss said you know something about these rogue vampires too. Characteristics, habits…”

“I was present when Etienne Larouselière briefed us in London over Laran. If this one’s the same, they are vicious and predatory. The sort of vampires who give the rest of us a bad name. Origins in South or Central America. They eat mortal food and thus pass easily among them. Are repulsed by silver, and about the only way to kill them is magic.” At least that took care of Laran Radcliffe—with side effects, he amended to himself, thinking of Piet’s sorry condition.

“Yeah! Vlad mentioned the silver. He’s having a few toys made to help if needed. Lucky dude getting to eat. I sure miss having a nice double bacon cheeseburger and fries once in a while. And bring on the ketchup!”

“My hankering is for grits and collards with ham hocks, like my mother used to cook.” And he could still smell them even though he barely remembered his mother’s face.

Zeke went quiet. Definitely out of character. “You were sure lucky. I never knew my mother. Grew up in foster homes.”

Zeke needed educating about the realities of slavery, but not right now. “Tough luck that.”

He shrugged, much more the Zeke Toby knew and slightly mistrusted. “It’s the breaks. Some were good. Others the pits, but it’s history. Better get busy on this Axel dude. Ever seen him?”

“No, but you’ve Laura’s description and the addresses she gave you. I can give you a map and directions.”

“Thanks, man! I’ll indulge in a couple of blood bags and set off in a couple of hours. Easier to pry around at night when the pesky mortals are in bed.”

“Be careful. We don’t exactly know what we are dealing with here.” Perhaps he should have mentioned the chupacabra, but he didn’t want Adela yanked into this, and what earthly connection could there be?

Zeke grinned. That look must have driven teachers and authorities batty. “Man! Don’t worry about me. I’m a big bad vampire dude. No one gets the better of Zeke Randolph!”