Chapter 23
Tori sat at a metal table, rubbing her aching wrists. Agent Franks had released the ties and left her sitting in the freezing room for about an hour. The walls were a boring light blue with a couple of black-and-white photographs of the Washington wilderness as decoration. Finally, the agent returned and pushed a steaming cup of coffee toward her.
“Thanks,” Tori said automatically, reaching for the fragrant brew. She took a drink, and the bitterness scalded her tongue. She winced.
“Yeah, the coffee sucks.” Franks slapped a yellow legal pad on the table and sat across from her. She set her phone next to the files. “I think you’re a decent woman who probably never had a real chance, considering who your father is.”
Tori lifted an eyebrow and blew on the coffee. “Is that a fact?”
“Yeah. Same with your sister. Oh, I think she was doing all right until she fell for that Titans member, and then I think she got in over her head. Dragged you in with her.” Franks reached into a briefcase she’d set on the floor and tugged out several manila file folders. “It’s always the men, right? I’ve seen more than one good woman end up in serious trouble because of a man.”
Tori sipped again. That was true about most men, without a doubt. Her father was a real bastard, and Tori had dated more than her fair share of assholes. But Adam? He was different. Oh, he was hard to read, and he’d kept secrets, but there was something about him that inspired trust. Deep down, where it really mattered, she knew he wouldn’t let her down. She blinked. What did that mean? That meant something, right? “My sister is a good cop, and she’d never run drugs. Neither would I.”
Franks sighed and tapped a closed file folder with one long red nail. “It’s time for you to start thinking about yourself. Let me help you.”
Tori couldn’t stop a small smile from tickling her lips. “Yeah. I can tell. You really want to help me out.” Just how dumb did Franks think she was? “Let me ask you: What did you find at the Grizzly compound?”
Franks’s bright red lips thinned.
“Yeah. That’s what I thought.” Tori ignored the anxiety in her stomach and sat back, studying the agent. “You’re so desperate to solve this case you actually stink of it. But you’re way off base. You have to know that deep down, right?”
“I’m going to be there when they pump you full of poison,” Franks snapped.
Tori shook her head. “That’s never going to happen. What do you have on me, anyway?” She set down the cup and tilted her head. “I had a friend who bought a drug, and I helped you try to find the drug dealer. That’s it. My sister is a cop, and she’s dating a motorcycle club member, one without a record. That’s it.” She leaned forward and let her voice drop even more. “My father is and always was a real bastard who did and probably still does deal drugs, but I’m not in contact with him. Ever. That’s. It.”
Franks’s nostrils flared. “Your friend who bought the drugs gave some to Bob, the poor kid, who disappeared with you that same night, not feeling well. To this day, we haven’t found him.”
Tori opened her eyes wider. “Bob is a rambler and probably moved on. He was just sitting in with the band as a substitute bass guitarist, and then he left. That’s what he has always done.” True story, actually. Of course, the poor guy was buried somewhere in the woods around the cabin now. “Have you contacted his family? I mean, if he has any?”
“He doesn’t,” Franks said. “I think you know that fact. And I think you know where his body is. He’s dead, right?”
Tori swallowed and glanced at the stark photograph to the right. “I want a lawyer.”
“Wait a minute. You get a lawyer and I have to charge you.” Franks tsked. “How about you tell me who blew up the entire Fire compound? There’s one sick crazy person out there, or several, who would do something like that.”
Sick? Not even. Adam hadn’t acted in passion or anger. He’d blown up the buildings because it was the most expedient way to get rid of the entire motorcycle club as well as hide the bodies. He wasn’t cold so much as efficient. Tori twirled the plastic cup around in her hands. “How should I know who blew up the club? Probably Pyro. That means fire, right?”
“Where is Pyro? And Jamm and Ziggy?” Franks leaned forward, lines fanning out from her eyes. “We’ve found most of the Fire members but not those three. Or the three Enforcers whose Irish club merged with Fire. Where are they, Tori? Where’s your new boyfriend?”
Man, all the questions were probably driving the agent crazy. But the answers would reveal secrets that Tori couldn’t share. “I think the Dunne men went back to Ireland even before the place blew up.” She sighed. “Adam said good-bye and told me we were over. Said he missed home and they were all leaving.” As lies went, it really wasn’t bad. She shrugged. “I guess I can pick ’em, right?”
“I think you’re full of shit,” Franks said. “Is your sister in Ireland with Kellach Dunne?”
Tori sighed. “All I know is that they took a leave of absence to spend some time together. You know. Explore their love.” She faced the agent without blinking. There really wasn’t enough to hold her on. “My sister is a good person, and you should know that if you’ve been investigating her. I hope you’re good at your job.”
“I’m excellent at my job,” Franks said, hard-won confidence on her wide face. “You want to work with me.”
“Actually, I want to go home,” Tori said, flattening her hands on the table. As a card player, she wasn’t bad, especially with bluffing. Her legs wobbled, and her stomach churned, but she kept her expression direct. “So either arrest me, or get out of my way.”
“But then you would miss the family reunion,” Franks said, flashing her teeth. Against her dark blusher on her cheeks, her teeth were a stark white. Maybe she bleached them.
“Family reunion?” Tori met the agent’s smile with her own. “While I’d love to see my sister, she’s on vacation. So unless you plan on keeping me here, probably against the law, then I don’t think we’ll meet up in this place.” Her mother was still safely enjoying a sunshine cruise, covered by both witch and vampire soldiers, so Tori wasn’t too concerned.
“Oh, not your sister.” Franks drew imaginary circles on the file with her finger. “Daddy is coming home.”
Tori blinked, the entire world narrowing with a frightening rush of sound. “Excuse me?”
Franks looked up, triumph darkening her expression. “Your father. I’ve had him moved to one of our interrogation rooms. What do you think? I’m betting he’ll give you up in exchange for a carton of cigarettes. Care to put money on that?”
Pain, of the old and childhood kind, rippled through Tori. “I think he’ll say anything to hurt us. Doesn’t matter if it’s true or not.”
“Yeah, well, considering he’s in serious trouble after shooting your sister while on parole, then maybe you’re right.” Franks flipped open a file. “Though I’d like to get him on more drug charges.”
Tori blinked. “What are you talking about?”
Franks spread out papers. “Drug charges. He violated his parole, within a week by the way, and we have him on attempted murder of a cop and possession of Apollo. I want him on the dealing and manufacturing charges.”
Tori shook her head. Her ears burned. “No. What about Lexi? He shot Lexi?”
Franks paused and looked up, a slow smile moving all that red lipstick. “You didn’t know?” She threw back her head and laughed. “Oh, that’s rich. Big sister gets you involved in the drug trade but doesn’t want to screw with your head by telling all the truth? Maybe she wanted you to go on working for daddy.” Franks leaned forward, her gaze turning intense. “Maybe she’s just like the old man—cold as ice and money is all that matters.”
Fury gripped Tori, and her shoulders vibrated with fierce trembling. “My sister doesn’t deal drugs, and she hates our father more than I do.” Her mind tried to process the new information. “He must have shot her when she had him arrested,” Tori said slowly.
“Yep. Aimed right at her. Wasn’t just trying to get free.” Franks tilted her head and studied Tori. “Why would you protect a man like that? He shot to kill, Tori.”
Tori breathed out, her stomach cramping so badly she needed a bathroom. “I would never protect him.” Too much information assailed her, and her head swam. Tears pricked the back of her eyes, and she shoved them down, trying to concentrate. How could their own father want Lexi dead? Emotions swamped her.
The agent’s phone started to smoke. Ah, shit.
Franks yelped and grabbed the papers. Flames burst from the phone. “What the hell?” She knocked it onto the floor and stomped out the fire.
Tori chewed the inside of her lip. “That was weird.” God, she had to get her emotions under control. A speaker in the corner started to buzz.
The buzzing turned into a piercing wail. Tori closed her eyes and dug deep, trying to calm herself. Adam. His face, the feeling of his arms around her, the impressive ripple of his muscles . . . those calmed her.
The wail stopped.
Franks sputtered, “What the hell is going on around here today?”
The door opened, and Tori’s head jerked up. What in the world? Adam Dunne and King Dage Kayrs strode in, wearing what looked like million-dollar suits, blazing power ties, and identical irritated expressions.
Her heart exploded, heating her entire torso. She’d known Adam would come. Yeah. She smiled, and then as the facts ticked into place, she lost the grin and her eyes widened. Behind Dage came a rail-thin man with bushy gray hair, a stained tie, and a shabby brown suit. And a frown. He shut the door after they had entered the room.
The area swelled with tension, growing heavy and thick. What was Adam doing there? Agent Franks wanted him locked up, without question.
Adam zeroed in on Tori immediately. “Are you all right?”
She nodded numbly.
The vampire king also looked her over. “If Victoria has more than a scratch on her, I’ll shut down your entire organization.”
“I’ll blow it up,” Adam said grimly. “Victoria?”
Agent Franks jumped to her feet. “Adam Dunne, you’re going to be held for questioning.”
“I don’t think so,” Adam said, his gaze never leaving Tori’s. “I asked you a question.”
Her legs wobbled, but she stood, letting her injured wrists fall to her sides. “I’m, ah, I’m fine.” Her brows drew down as she focused on Adam. “I don’t understand.”
The other guy, the one she didn’t know, handed a folded piece of paper to Franks. “She’s to be released immediately.”
Franks drew in a sharp breath. “Not a chance. I have them both now.” She slowly unfolded the paper and quickly read. “You have got to be kidding me.”
Adam skirted the table and gently took Tori’s arm, but his eyes remained hard. Angry. At her? “We’ve been cleared to leave town, Victoria. Let’s get going.”
Franks held up a hand. “Wait a minute. Just wait a damn minute here.” Her hard gaze swept to Tori. “You’re telling me you all work for an international drug-fighting agency in connection with Interpol and Homeland Security?” Her mouth dropped open. “No way.”
“And the CIA,” Dage said helpfully, looking dangerous in his black suit.
Adam’s suit was a dark gray with a fine weave, and he looked like what he was: a furious predator forced to cover himself with the trappings of civilization. How could anybody, especially trained law enforcement people, believe he was human? There was just something too male, too primitive about him. “Are you sure you’re all right?” he asked quietly, ignoring everyone else in the room. Anger still threaded through the kind words.
“No.” She gave him the truth instinctively. “Did my father really shoot Lexi?”
“Yes,” Adam said without hesitation. “I told them they should be honest with you, but your sister wanted to protect you.” He rolled his eyes. “Siblings, right?”
She tried to smile at his attempt to soothe her.
A phone buzzed from somewhere on Dage. He sighed. “You’re telling me. Siblings.”
He was the king, right? Couldn’t a king do whatever he wanted? Tori’s legs twitched with the need to get the heck out of there. “We can leave now?” she whispered.
“I guess you can,” Agent Franks spat, fury in her eyes. “But say good-bye to Malanie Morris. She’ll be spending a good amount of time in federal prison.”
Panic swept Tori. “But—”
Adam held up a hand. “I forgot to give you this.” He reached in his lapel and drew out another piece of paper. “Malanie has also been working for us, and she has been reassigned elsewhere. Here’s a directive from your superiors to wipe any mention of her from your case files. She’s gone. I assure you.”
Tori didn’t move. Thank God. Somehow, Adam had secured Malanie’s safety. She’d thank him later.
Adam’s pants rang out Bon Jovi’s Right Side of Wrong. He frowned and drew out his phone, pressing it to his ear. “Dunne.” He listened for a moment, and then his entire body straightened, making him seem even taller than usual. He clicked off and turned to Franks. “You took Parker Monzelle out of a secure prison.”
“Yes.” Franks glared and held her own with him. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but I know you’re not an undercover agent for anybody. Monzelle is going to give me the truth.”
Anger vibrated down Adam’s back. Tori swallowed and resisted the urge to step away from the furious witch. “Adam?” she asked.
“Parker Monzelle escaped the transport van about fifteen minutes ago,” Adam said, his words clipped. “He’s in the wind. Right now.”