“Yeah, the sort that screams spooks.”
Ash guessed he wasn’t meaning the ghostly sort of spooks. This was getting interesting. “Was the second man a priest?”
“No, he was ex-military and he introduced himself as Colonel Grant. They wanted to talk to me and mentioned the Julie Foster murder case. Hinted that they might have information. I went along with them, but it became clear that the reason they were interested in me was because I’d worked with Ryan. It turns out they’re part of a government department that’s investigating Christian Roth—”
“What?” Ash wished he could bite back the word as Faith turned her attention on him.
“That was Ryan’s reaction as well,” she said. “Why are you two so shocked that someone might be investigating Roth?”
“Because we know him,” Ash said smoothly.
“Really? He’s a billionaire recluse whose employees look like gang leaders and carry weapons.”
Ash smirked. “I don’t think Ryan looks like a gang leader.”
“Ha-ha. I wasn’t referring to Ryan. But that wasn’t all.” She fidgeted as though uncomfortable with what was coming next.
“Come on, Faith. Spit it out.”
She shrugged still uncomfortable. “You know we had all that weird shit tie-in with Julie’s murder. Well, they were hinting that it wasn’t shit and that Roth is right in the middle of it all. They admitted at the end that they were investigating paranormal incidences and that Julie had been murdered by a real vampire.”
“And I’m betting that was the point where you got up and walked out,” Ryan said.
Faith grinned. “Well, they were the ones who walked out, but I did suggest it was a good idea.”
Ash glanced at Ryan and raised a brow.
“Faith doesn’t believe in all that supernatural stuff. She thinks vampires and demons are a load of old bollocks.”
“Come on, Ryan. Are you telling me that you believe in all that crap?”
“No, but I have more of an open mind than you do.”
Ash studied her and wondered why she was so adamant in her disbelief. There would be a reason for that. Likely, somewhere in her past, she must have encountered something and this was a defense mechanism. Her way of existing in a world that might otherwise be so terrifying she couldn’t continue.
They’d been working under the assumption that they remained a secret. Well, it appeared they’d been wrong there. And now Detective Faith Connelly knew more about them than was safe for her. “Perhaps she needs to meet Christian,” Ash murmured.
“No,” Ryan snapped.
Faith peered from one to the other and lifted one shoulder. “Actually, I don’t want to get in any deeper. I hope I’ve seen the last of these guys, but I don’t want to give them any reason to follow up. For all I know, they could have this place under surveillance.
The idea made Ash a little twitchy. The whole building was warded against any magical intrusion, but he wasn’t sure that would keep out modern technology. Something else to take up with the Order.
But later. Right now, they had to decide what to do about Faith. Maybe Ryan was right and there was no problem. Yet. She knew nothing for certain. They had to make sure things stayed that way.
Of course, the alternative was to recruit her. It would be a whole lot of fun to show Faith Connolly just how real demons could be.
“Anyway, that’s pretty much it,” she said. “I wanted to give you a heads up that these guys are watching you.”
“Thanks, Faith,” Ryan said. “I appreciate it—I know how hard this must have been for you.”
She gave a strained smile. “You’re one of the most honest people I know. Whatever they say, I don’t believe you’d be involved with this Roth character if he wasn’t straight.”
“He’s straight.”
“And while you’re definitely keeping some dodgy company these days”— she cast a glance at Ash— “we can’t always control who we work with.”
“Hey, I’m not dodgy,” Ash said. “I’m as straight as they come.”
“Yeah, right,” she muttered and got to her feet. “I’d better go. Would you call me a cab?”
Ash didn’t want her to go yet.
“Of course, and I’ll walk you out,” Ryan said. At that moment, his phone rang and he picked it up and listened.
“That was Roz,” he said. “Jess is staying over, and she wants to talk to me.”
Faith pursed her lips. “Well, see if you can get her to remember anything else.”
“You go,” Ash murmured. “I’ll see to Faith.”
She gave him a sharp glance. “Faith is actually quite capable of seeing to herself.”