“My ex-partner from the force.”
When no more was forthcoming, Asmodai rose to his feet. “And what does she want? Come on, we’re partners now, tell me what’s going on. Is this woman going to be a problem?” He curled his lips into a smile. “You want me to sort her out?”
Asmodai had no intention of “sorting out” Ryan’s ex-partner. Well, maybe he did—just not as Ryan no doubt imagined. But he was interested in what she meant to Ryan and, from the alarm that flashed across Ryan’s face, he and this Faith must be close.
“No, I don’t want you to sort her out. I don’t want you anywhere near her.”
“So what does she want?”
Ryan sighed. “She’s still working on the murder case—the girl Jack killed.”
Jack had been a renegade vampire in league with Andarta, a mad bitch of a demoness intent on taking over the world. Piers had killed him but not before Jack had left a few dead bodies littered about the place for the human cops to find.
“And…?” he prompted when Ryan remained silent.
“There was a second girl. Roz helped me find her before she was killed. Now she’s asking to talk to the woman who found her. Faith is hoping she might remember something else. Anyway, she’s downstairs in reception with Faith.”
“Why did she bring her here?”
“That’s what I don’t understand. Apparently, someone told her I was now working with Roz, but she wouldn’t tell me any more until we meet.”
The phone rang. He picked it up and listened, before placing it down again. “Roz is still here. She’s meeting us in reception.”
Asmodai shrugged. “So let’s go find out what your ex-partner knows and get rid of her.”
“What do you mean ‘get rid of’?” Ryan asked.
“You have such a suspicious mind, Detective. I mean, tell her something that will satisfy her, and send her on her way.”
“You don’t know Faith,” Ryan muttered. “Only the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, will satisfy her.”
“You sound as though you admire her?”
“She’s a good detective. She’s tenacious, like a dog with a bone—she’ll keep worrying. And for some reason this murder meant something to her.”
“Maybe we should get Christian to deal with her.”
“Deal with her how?” Ryan sounded suspicious again.
“He can see what she knows, then wipe out anything that might be a problem”
“I’m not having Christian do any of that vampire shit on Faith. Besides, there’s something else. The girl—Jessica—Roz saved her life, but more than that, she saved her sanity. And if Jess is hurting now, maybe Roz can help her again.”
Asmodai didn’t think that was the number-one priority here—humans had always been expendable—but didn’t want to disillusion his new partner so soon. “Okay, we do this your way, but if your friend knows too much, we call Christian in. It doesn’t hurt and does no permanent damage.”
Ryan glared. “No ‘mind-fucking’ unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
At least he was considering that it might be necessary. There was one other option. “What about we offer her a job? I know they’d like more humans on the team and if you’ve worked with this woman, trust her…”
“I know, Piers talked to me, and I have thought about it,” Ryan said. “But I don’t think Faith would leave the force. It’s her whole life. Besides, she hates all that ‘supernatural bollocks.’ She thinks it’s a load of shit.”
“Well, it would be easy to prove her wrong.”
“Maybe, but I also suspect in Faith’s mind, you’d definitely be one of the bad guys. In her books you’re either bad or you’re good. There’s nothing in between.”
“She sounds a little…intolerant.”
“Yeah, she’s that, but she’s also a bloody good cop. Right, I’ll go down and see what she really wants.”
Asmodai picked up his long leather trench coat and slipped it on to cover the weapons. “And I’ll come with you.”
“You don’t need to.”
He bit back a grin at the alarm in Ryan’s voice. “Hey, we’re partners remember?”
Ryan gave a nod of resignation. “Okay, but what do we call you? Because I’m not introducing you as ‘Asmodai.’ I’m thinking it won’t give the right impression.”
“Depends what sort of impression you want to give.” He shrugged. “Call me Ash. Ash Delacourt—it’s the name I usually go by when I’m…visiting.” Ryan shot him a filthy glance, and this time he did grin. “Don’t look so worried. I promise to be on my best behavior.”
“Why doesn’t that make me feel any better?”
Chapter Three
Faith examined the reception area of CR International from her strategically situated chair. Ryan had done all right for himself.