Once he pointed it out, I could make out the ring. It was an aggressive piece of jewelry.
“From what Alonzo didn’t say, I’m guessing the chick’s a vamp, and was turned when she was about fifteen. He implied that she was classy, like an old-world vamp, though the words he used were ‘like she was a movie star, like from the ’forties. You dig? Like, a real classy chick.’” I managed a partial smile, but I didn’t think it fooled Alex at his mimicry. “The other one he didn’t say anything about, but I’m guessing it’s the vamp’s blood-servant or primo or something.”
“How many redheaded vamps have lairs or homes in New Orleans?”
“A few. I pulled up six. If we could get a name—”
“Yeah.” I stood. “Anything on Mo— On the family case?”
“Nothing new. I made it into the hotel security footage, but it’s a lot of work to locate the right floor and right day without access to their dedicated system. I’ll text you the minute I get anything. The plates from the limo that the ‘family case’ got into were hard to trace because your source didn’t give you a state for the rental agency. The car was rented out of Galveston, Texas, seventy-two hours ago.”
My forehead crinkled in surprise. Texas? Leo didn’t rule Texas. I didn’t know who did, but it was in a database somewhere. The Kid went on. “Within an hour, but not on the same credit card, two buses were rented, all vamp-specific, which could have nothing to do with the limo rental. Or it could be related.” He shrugged. “I can’t rule it out, so I included it in my report.”
“Yeah. Good,” I murmured, trying to figure out what Texas had to do with anything in New Orleans. “Find out which vamp rules Texas,” I said. “I’ll ask Bruiser to look into who came here and who is on Leo’s territory. Vamps are real careful about traveling into another vamp’s hunting grounds.”
The Kid snorted at the term, but that was the way vamps thought of land—space filled with humans to hunt and drink.
“I’m supposed to be at vamp HQ before dusk for chili and a security meeting,” I said. “I’ll go alone. You and Eli keep working. And maybe send Eli to the black cab limo company to talk to Alonzo?”
Alex laughed softly and looked up at me under his shaggy, curly hair. “Yeah. Big brother could probably get all the info we need.”
“Tell him no broken bones, no blood, no witnesses—real or electronic.”
“Hmmph. Eli will charm the dude.”
“Eli? Charm?” I thought about the way Eli acted around me—no charm at all if you didn’t count innuendo and verbal sparring, most of which had dried up now that children were on the premises. And then I thought about the way he had handled himself at Guilbeau’s, with Scott Scaggins. The former Ranger had skills that were vastly underused. “Okay. Yeah. Eli can charm Alonzo.” I drank my tea and the spicy warmth eased some of my internal chill away.
Before I finished the mug, Big Evan came in, Eli behind him. Evan was grumpy, glowering at me, but at least he didn’t jump me in my own living room. EJ, unimpressed by his father’s size and attitude, raced to him, squealing. There was no way to be out-tuded by any guy, no matter how big and gruff, when a toddler (holding his sister’s doll) was hanging on his pants demanding to be picked up. I managed to keep my grin off my face, but Evan clearly knew the picture he presented wasn’t overly formidable; he heaved a breath at lost opportunity and lost machismo, and lifted his son to his shoulder. “You got anything?” he asked after EJ kissed him on both cheeks and tugged on his beard.
I pointed to the couch. “Angie, will you watch your brother for a minute?”
“Okay,” she said, not looking up from the TV, which was playing a Disney film, one with fish, the title escaping me. Evan set his son down beside Angie while I got him a mug of coffee and a package of cookies that he had brought in the travel supplies. Old-fashioned Fig Newtons, which I hadn’t had since I was a kid. I bit into one as Evan lumbered back to the kitchen and sat down. He slurped his coffee and said, “You’re about to piss me off, aren’t you?”
“Maybe.” I turned my mug in a circle on the tabletop. It made little scuffing sounds on the old wood. “I left a message for Leo that Molly was in town and missing.”
“And the fanghead said what?”
“Nothing so far. It’s been three hours and no reply.”
“I’ll bust—”
“Nothing and no one,” I interrupted without looking at him. “I’m heading there shortly. I’ll deal with it. And if you can’t sit things out, then I’ll start telling you nothing. You’ll be out of the loop, and anything you do might endanger Molly. She’s in trouble. She’ll need you whole and hardy and full of power. So stay here. Protect your children.”
I felt magic swirl into the room, dark and stormy. I didn’t look up. I didn’t want to see what was in Evan’s eyes. He kicked back his chair and it hit the countertop before clattering to the floor. Eli stepped into the room.