He nodded. “I’ll make us some coffee.”
He walked into the kitchen, and some other time she was going to remember with relish the sight of his nude figure moving around her apartment with total confidence. For now she simply scooped up the blanket and her shredded nightgown and took them to her bedroom to dump on the bed. Even though it was still full dark outside, the illuminated clock on her bedside table read 7:08 am. She felt she was marking the time’s passing with each dark event and she would never forget the numbers. Nightmare, 3:23. Missing friends, 7:08.
She took a quick two-minute shower to sluice off the evidence of their mating, ran her toothbrush over her teeth, then she dressed in the soft, comfortable clothes she had worn the night before. By the time she had finished, she was able to think again.
She walked into the kitchen. Gideon had slipped on his jeans but remained barefoot and bare-chested. The coffee had finished brewing, and he had already poured two cups. He handed one to her with a quick kiss, the short stubble from his unshaven face scraping her chin. “I make it strong,” he warned.
“That’s okay, I need strong right now,” she said. She brought the cup to her lips and sipped. The black, pungent brew was like a kick in the teeth. That was a good thing. She cleared her throat. “I’m just going to talk, like I did last night. Okay?”
“Okay,” he said. He leaned back against the counter, drank coffee and watched her.
“Stewie was so excited to be going to see his grandma and grandpa. They can’t afford to make the trip very often, so this visit was a big deal. He had his backpack packed by Wednesday. His mom lets him carry whatever toys and books he wants in his carry-on so he has things to keep him busy on the flight. Leigh and Jim had just gotten engaged. They were going to break the news to Leigh’s parents once they got to California.”
“They’re on a tight budget?” Gideon asked. She nodded. “How does Leigh afford private schooling for Stewart? Or is that why their budget is so tight?”
“I think Leigh said once that her parents help with the tuition,” she said. She drank more of the bitter brew and kept going. Now that she had started talking, she didn’t seem able to stop. “And I’m sure they qualify for a hardship scholarship, which would reduce the fees. In the group we all help each other out as we can, you know, according to the situation and what the other person will accept. Free babysitting or whatever. Sometimes we barter. Leigh was pretty thrilled to get a ride to JFK airport instead of having to pay for a shuttle…”
Her voice trailed away. Gideon’s coffee cup came down on the counter. He asked calmly, “Do you know who was supposed to give them a ride?”
She shook her head. “I know Alex offered,” she said. “I did too. I don’t know if anybody else did or whose offer they accepted.”
“Okay,” he said. “We need to talk to Schaffer and everybody else to see if we can pinpoint who saw them last.” He spoke over his shoulder as he turned away. “I’m going to jump in the shower really quick. Sweetheart, do you mind going to the station with me for a while?”
“Not at all,” she said. She stared after him as he strode out of the room. As they had talked, his Power had spiked, sharp and sulfurous, even as his face and demeanor remained soldier-calm. She had said something that interested him, maybe interested him a lot, but he hadn’t seen fit to share whatever it was with her.
Her feelings weren’t hurt. She was willing to wait and find out why he had shut down.
She just wanted to know what it was she had said.
Gideon scooped up his pile of stuff—gun, clothes, toiletry bag and phone. Moving fast, he hit the bathroom, shut the door and turned on the shower. Soon as the sound of the water filled the room, he hit Bayne on speed dial.
Bayne answered on the first ring. “What’s up?”
Gideon asked, “Where’s Schaffer?”
“Alex Schaffer? Last I heard, his guards reported him moving around inside his townhouse, safe and sound. All the chameleons are at home, except for the three missing and the ones who we’ve confirmed have made it to Arizona. Why?”
“I don’t know,” he growled. “He just keeps coming up in conversation. It’s piqued my interest.” He told Bayne rapidly about the conversation with Alice. “All the chameleons need to be questioned again. Alice said Schaffer offered Welch and the Rogers a ride to the airport. She did too, but we know she didn’t take them.”
Bayne swore. “We’ve been calling all the limo services to see if the Rogers had booked a trip with one of them.”
Holding his cell to his ear with one hand, Gideon unfastened his jeans with the other and jerked them off. Sixty-second shower, no shave. He and Alice could hit the door in under five minutes. He said to Bayne, “We’ve been focused on the chameleons as the victims. Thing is, one of them might also be the killer.”