“Guys,” I said with a sigh. Like we really needed another dose of trouble. Legal, at that. “We’ve got a bit of a problem.” I read the text aloud. Well, most of it.
River and Camilla cursed.
“They’ve already come knocking at my door,” River said.
Cole stopped drumming. “What did you tell them?”
“That I had nothing to do with what happened. Then I gave a rock-solid alibi.”
I bet his alibi involved his crew, which meant the police probably hadn’t bought it. And if they ever found Collins... “Will showing up together hurt us or help us?”
“Help,” Cole said, at the same time River said, “Hurt.”
Great.
Cole added, “Why not let them know we’re working together to find the people trying to take us both down? Because if they ever put a tail on us, and I’m sure they will, they’ll see us together and wonder why we kept quiet about our association.”
River thought for a moment, nodded. “All right. But if you sell me out, I’ll kill you.”
Oh, heck no. Death threats weren’t allowed. “Say that again, and I will do horrible things to your intestines.”
River gave a mock shudder.
Cole reached over and tugged on my earlobe—I’d claimed the passenger seat. “That’s sweet of you, love. A part of me kind of hopes he repeats himself. Later. For now, everyone will put on a cheerful face. We’re here.”
The iron gate blocking Mr. Ankh’s property from the rest of the world opened automatically, responding to the sensor on the dash of the car. Neither River nor Camilla looked particularly impressed by the sprawling mansion with alabaster columns and wraparound balconies, and I wondered if pride had anything to do with it. They seemed to have more than most.
There was an unmarked sedan parked in the circle driveway. Cole stopped behind it, and we each removed our weapons, hiding them under seats and in cubbyholes, leaving nothing out in the open.
I finished first and stepped into the cold morning, exhaling deeply. Mist plumed in front of my face. I think my damp hair turned into icicles as I searched for a rabbit cloud. When I spotted one, my heart tangoed with my ribs. So, on top of everything else, we’d be fighting zombies tonight.
Great! We didn’t have time for this.
Um. A slayer without time for zombies? I should finally get that spanking, because dang, I was being so dumb.
Cole came up beside me. We walked inside hand in hand, with River and Camilla trailing behind us.
“There’s a rabbit cloud,” I whispered.
He stiffened but said, “We’ll be ready. Don’t worry.”
The moment we were ensconced inside, warm air embraced me, but it wasn’t very welcoming. What kind of interrogation awaited us?
“Cole?” Mr. Ankh called.
“Yeah,” he returned, as if he hadn’t a care.
“Come to my office, please. And bring Miss Bell.”
Okay. This was it.
Game on.
The four of us trekked to the office, our boots thumping against the marble tile. The doors were open, allowing us to see inside before we entered. There were two detectives. A man and a woman. The man looked to be in his thirties, and the woman looked to be in her forties. Neither smiled in welcome, but both twisted in their seats to assess us.
Mr. Ankh introduced everyone but River and Camilla. I nodded at Detective Gautier, the male, then Detective Verra, the female. “They have some questions about the night of the shooting,” he said. “Your friends should probably wait—”
“No,” Gautier said. “They’re a part of this. They can stay.”
Everyone but Mackenzie, Veronica and Juliana was present. Kat and Reeve, sitting together on the couch, gave me terse waves. Frosty and Bronx stood beside Mr. Ankh, who sat behind the desk. Jaclyn and Gavin perched at the edges of the desk. So awesome seeing him on his feet.
Gavin noticed me staring at him and winked, and I had to curb the urge to run over and hug him. He didn’t look like a guy who’d just suffered a mortal injury. He looked healthy, whole...and thank God, like a major pain in my butt once again.
Cole took the only remaining space on the couch and pulled me onto his lap. River sat on the arm of the couch, and I expected Camilla to claim the other side, but she settled at his feet.
“Tell us what happened the night of the attack,” Verra said, peering at Cole. Everything about her was no-nonsense. “And then explain why you’re with your biggest rival.”
Cole just blinked at her. “Rival?”
Gautier tapped his pen against his thigh. “You two are feuding, are you not?”
“You seriously believe what the stations are reporting? That we’re part of rival gangs?” Cole scoffed. “Sorry, but that’s probably the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”
Both detectives scowled at him.
“I have a group of friends,” he continued. “We hang out together. That’s it.”