Each day Christian came into the shop, he wore something completely different and sat in a new spot so regulars wouldn’t notice. Sometimes he’d obscure his face completely with a magazine or newspaper.
The balding butcher wrapped a woman’s order in paper and secured it with twine. She tightened her maroon scarf around her neck before heading out with her meat.
Christian set the newspaper down, fantasies consuming his thoughts of what he would do to Fletcher if that malignant little numpty showed his face. Perhaps a shotgun up his arse. Men like him were a dime a dozen in the Breed world. Some were criminals, and others lived normal lives, but they all shared a dark secret. For most it was light addiction. For others it was a sick and perverted desire to own a slave. What Christian knew of Fletcher was that he was British, shaved his head, and had a long beard like a rejected member of ZZ Top.
A long-haired man entered the shop, and when his black hood fell away from his face, Christian recognized Niko. Beneath his black coat was the distinct bulge of a katana. Any seasoned immortal could spot it. Shepherd had given him a nice selection of sheaths and harnesses, making it easier to carry, conceal, and draw his weapon from all angles. If it weren’t for the Pink Panther shirt, he’d look like a ninja.
Niko stood still as soon as he entered the shop.
“What can I get for you?” the butcher said in greeting.
Christian cleared his throat. “He’s with me, so you don’t see him.”
Just in case Fletcher came in and they got into a fight, Christian made sure to plant the suggestion for the butchers to ignore people on his command.
“Straight ahead to my voice, Niko. It’s all clear.”
Niko’s quizzical look faded as he made his way over, his hand outstretched and his pace slow. Blue made an excellent partner for him, always making sure he knew his surroundings. Without her, he struggled in unfamiliar places. But Christian had to give credit to the man for learning his way without the use of a cane. Those tools made you stand out in the Breed world—they made you a target.
“Five steps, and you’re at the table.”
Niko bumped into the corner and felt around.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to sit next to me on the bench.” Christian scooted over to create a buffer between them.
Flecks of snow that clung to Niko’s coat were finally melting. “Apologies for intruding. I rode with Claude on his way to work and asked him to drop me off. I have news.”
Christian shifted in his seat and rested his right arm on the table. “I hope you didn’t come here just for me. Wyatt said he’d call with any updates.”
“Gem spoke with Hooper this morning. He had a message to deliver.”
“What message?”
Niko reached inside his coat. “Viktor’s already seen it.”
Christian took the small card that Niko handed him and read the note. It was handwritten with Raven’s name at the bottom. “Clever. She doesn’t have a Mercedes.”
“Exactly. Wyatt collected her notes from cold cases, and that’s not her handwriting. He’s certain it belongs to a woman.”
Christian examined the note for a while longer. “The cryptic reference to a car means she wants us to keep searching. How did you get this?”
“That’s why I came here. I thought you should see it in person. Now that we know she’s alive, what you’re doing here is important.” Niko glanced over his shoulder as if he could somehow tell if the butchers were listening or not. “A woman gave Hooper the note—probably the same woman who wrote it.”
“What are you blathering about? If Raven had someone helping her, don’t you think she’d be free by now?”
“Hooper said the woman gave off weird vibes on the paper. Paranoia, fear—it sounds like she’s afraid for her life. Otherwise, she would have given it to the authorities. If all this is true—”
“Then it means the lass has seen Raven in person.”
“Precisely. Hooper described her as having short hair, like how a man wears it. She was average height and build, no distinctive marks, and had large green eyes. He said they really stood out, probably because of her pale complexion.”
“And her style?”
“He didn’t recall anything distinct about her attire. Just a jacket and boots. He also noted that she didn’t paint her nails and kept them short.”
Christian faced forward and scratched his fingers through his short beard. “I’d wager she’s his Learner. That would explain her fear and connection to Raven. What color was her hair?”
“Brown. I didn’t ask the shade. Is that important?”
Christian hadn’t even noticed the two men standing in line. An old woman hobbled over to the bench near the door and sat down. Time skipped like a broken record as he processed this new information. “Who did the Enforcers question at the hospital?”
“Viktor can probably get us that information. You don’t think she works for him, do you?”
“I bet that ambitious bastard created a Learner to fill his personal needs and do his bidding. Not everyone has the balls to escape. Some people are sheep.”
“Come back again,” the butcher said. “Next!”
Christian racked his brain, trying to remember if he’d seen a customer in the past few days who fit the woman’s description. If Fletcher had a trusted Learner he allowed to leave the house, then maybe she was the one doing all his errands. It was possible the woman was his lover, but that didn’t sit right with Christian. It seemed like acquiring a slave would be the deal breaker in a relationship.
“One pound of lamb shanks, please. I called in my order.”
Christian glanced toward the counter and saw the back of a woman in a brown coat. His eyes scanned down to her thin legs and furry boots. It had almost slipped his mind about how Fletcher liked his lamb.
A guy wearing a pub cap knocked on the counter. “How much is the veal?”
“Jaysus wept. I think that’s her,” Christian whispered, still looking at the woman. “Surely the heavenly angels didn’t just place her in our laps.”
“Don’t intimidate her,” Niko said. “Her light shows signs of nervousness.”
“Worry not. I just want to get the lass to do a twirl so I can see her face.” Christian knocked his bottle of water onto the floor, and it made everyone turn around to look.
He casually bent over to pick it up, smiling at the young woman with short hair and green eyes. She turned back around when the butcher appeared from the back room.
“I think we have a winner,” Christian said quietly. “Care to join me?”
“Are you certain it’s her?”