The Isis Collar (22 page)

The only messages I was sorry I’d missed were the ones from John. “Hi, Ceil. I’ve got something. Call me.” I saved it and went to message two. This time his voice sounded more unsure. “I’ve tracked the caster, but it has to be a stalking horse.… We should talk. Call me ASAP.” Another save and on to message three. Tension and worry threaded through his words. “Unless something’s gone horribly wrong at your end, you really need to ca—” Then a mechanical female voice: “End of Message. If you’d like to listen to this message again, press five. To save—”

I pressed 5. I listened, then pressed 5 again. There was an odd sound on the recording, right at the end. I couldn’t make it out, even after repeated attempts. I saved the message, just to be safe. Then I pressed the button to return the call. It rang four times and went to voice mail. “John, it’s Celia. Sorry I didn’t call back yesterday. I know you’ll be shocked to hear that things went horribly wrong, but it’s all okay now. Call me and we’ll talk.”

I started to hang up, but no, I needed to try to reach him. If he felt it was important, it probably was. I dialed his office number. I knew he often stayed there, in a bedroom next to his ritual room. Four rings later, I figured he wasn’t there, and I was just about to press the end call button when I heard a voice on the other end. “… help you?” It wasn’t Creede’s voice, but it was kind of familiar.

“Hello? Is John there?”

The smoothly professional male voice responded, “I’m sorry, our office is closed today. I’ll put you through to Mr. Creede’s voice mail.”

“No! Wait. This is Celia Graves. John left me a message and said it was urgent I call him back. I can’t reach him on his cell. Have you heard from him today?”

The man’s tone changed slightly, becoming more friendly, and I suddenly realized I was talking to John’s assistant, whom I’d met at a party to launch a wine John had helped produce. “Oh, I’m sorry, Ms. Graves. This is Andrew. No, I haven’t talked to John yet today. I sort of expected him to be here already. He has his first meeting in a half hour and he’s normally early. I’ll let him know you called, and if you reach him first, would you remind him about the appointment?”

An initial client meeting on a Saturday was pretty common in our business. Most people who require bodyguards work odd hours and expect us to as well. Well, at least I knew where he’d be later. Because Andrew was right. John was always early … for work, that is. For dates, though? He might show up hours late, if at all. I swear the man is as much of a workaholic as me. “Will do. Thanks, Andrew. Bye.”

After the call, I tapped one fingernail on the edge of the screen. I’d thought of asking for John’s home number, but I doubt Andrew would have given it to me. Decent assistants don’t give out that sort of thing. Given what was going on between us, I probably should have John’s home number, but I’ve never asked. It’s probably just how I was raised, but I always thought it sounded sort of … needy to ask for a guy’s home phone number, even though it’s fine for a guy to ask the girl. There’s no rational reason, but there you go.

But that was only part of the problem. And I knew it. I promised myself that I’d discuss it with Gwen at our next appointment. In the meantime, I had other things to discuss—with other people. And I knew just where I wanted to do it. La Cocina is a wonderful little Mexican restaurant in an iffy neighborhood near campus. It’s been the traditional hangout for my friends and me since my first week of college. Rather than repeat myself over and over on the phone I sent a group e-mail on my laptop, asking a few key people to meet me there for lunch.

Unfortunately, a glance up at the clock showed me I was going to have to scramble to make it to La Cocina on time. Sighing, I stomped back into the bedroom to change.

I dressed all in black, which suited my mood, and added only the garnet earrings that had been one of Vicki’s last gifts to me, along with a new necklace that I’d had made to match. The original one had disappeared when I was turned. Slathering on the sunscreen, I started out the door.

I hadn’t made it more than two steps down the stairs when the phone inside rang, which caused me to scramble to get the door open again and reach the nearest phone. “Hello?”

“Is this Celia Graves?” I didn’t recognize the soft-spoken woman’s voice.

“Yes. Who’s calling?”

She breathed a sigh of apparent relief. “Oh, thank goodness. This is Gillian Paige. Did John stay there last night?”

My jaw dropped and I stammered, “Ex . . excuse me? Who is this again?” Her name didn’t ring a bell at all.

Her voice was bright and friendly, except with an edge of worry. “Gillian.”

Another long pause from me because I didn’t know anyone with that name. The silence made her add, “John’s Creede’s sister? I’m sorry. I know we haven’t formally met, but I’ve heard so much about you. I wouldn’t normally call, but I haven’t been able to reach John and I’m hoping … well, maybe that he just forgot our breakfast. Except he’s never forgotten before, and we’ve had breakfast together every Saturday for six years. So … um, oh Lord, now I feel awkward … but have you seen him?”

John’s sister. I didn’t even know he had a sister. Or that he had breakfast with her
every
Saturday. So that made me wonder if she really was his sister and if this was a digging expedition? “Um, no. Unfortunately, I haven’t. I’ve been trying to reach him, too. I was supposed to get a call from him, but I … lost … my cell. Where else have you already tried?” If this really was his sister, she’d know who she should call first. Like I did.

She sighed, not in frustration for me asking but more that she’d already done everything she could think of. “The office and the winery were my first calls. Andrew said he talked to you and that John never showed up for his conference call. And I talked to Pam at the winery, but he hasn’t been up there for more than a week. No surprise since the vines are barely starting to leaf out. I was just hoping … he normally keeps me in the loop and I know you two have gotten closer lately.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I didn’t say anything.

She sounded really odd now. “Um. Well, sorry to bother you. But if you hear from him, could you have him call me? I’ve been worried ever since he had to go to the ER for the food poisoning last month. It just didn’t feel right. You know what I mean? He’s so careful about what he eats and he does have enemies.”

Food poisoning significant enough to go to the hospital? John hadn’t mentioned that. A fluttering started in my chest that made me take in a sharp breath. A powerful practitioner, capable of setting up a stalking horse, whom John was tracking. A talented witch, capable of blowing up a bomb inside a grade school, whom I was tracking. Damn. “Yes, he does. Hey, tell you what. Let me get your number. I’ll look around and see if I can track him down. Then one of us will call you.”

“Oh, could you? That would be wonderful. John was right, you are a doll. Thank you so much. I live far enough away that I can only make it up once a week. But I’ll come if you think I need to.”

“No problem. Happy to do what I can.” I took down her number, because even if nothing came of this, I’d like to meet her. I knew all of Bruno’s family. I’d met most of Dawna’s extended family and had the lowdown on all of Emma’s cousins. So why did I know next-to-nothing about John?

Because I hadn’t let him get close enough.

Because I was scared?

That bugged me. A lot.

I made it down to the car with no further delays. I would be a few minutes late, but only a few, if I hurried.

*   *   *

“Going a little fast there, weren’t you, ma’am?” I let out a sigh and kept my hands on the steering wheel as the khaki-uniformed officer approached my window.

“I thought I was going the speed limit. Isn’t it thirty-five here?” Okay, I’d been going thirty-eight. But most cops won’t bother you unless you’re six or more over the limit. La Cocina was tantalizingly close—just a block away.

“It is. But you were going nearly fifty. Could I see your license and registration, please?”

“What?!
Fifty?
No way.” I reached into my purse to retrieve my license and opened the glove box for my registration and insurance card. It wasn’t until I had both of those items in my hand and was passing them out the window that I actually looked at the cop. Gran had taught me to be respectful, keep my eyes averted, and answer questions honestly.

When I looked up into the face of the officer, even though it was shielded by his cap’s visor, I recognized him. The last time I’d seen him, he’d been lurking in an alley behind the PharMart store, hoping to either frame me for murder or simply stake me. “Officer … Danson. I’ll need your badge number, please.” My voice might have sounded cold. I know I certainly felt a flash of anger at having to run for my life as he sent bullets flying after me. Go figure.

That’s supposed to be an automatic thing. If a citizen asks, they’re supposed to provide the information. “That’s not pertinent. You were speeding. In fact, I think I’ll need to search your car. You’re acting … suspiciously.”

I hadn’t been kidding when I talked to Harris. Most of the local cops are still pissed off that I hadn’t been sentenced to life in prison for mentally manipulating a couple of them to help me a few months back. I regretted doing it, but I would have felt worse had the demon I was fighting gotten loose and destroyed the city. The judge had reluctantly sided with me, but some of the police had declared a vendetta. All I could do at this point was accept the ticket and make sure the dashboard camera in the car behind me picked up everything that happened. I raised my voice until it was a medium shout that should be able to be heard on the recording. “Officer Danson. Please give me your badge number. And the name of your supervisor. I believe you’re harassing me.”

A second cop got out of the passenger side of the patrol car, a concerned expression on his face. “Is there a problem, Bob?” Okay, Bob Danson—maybe Robert. Good to know.

I spoke again, just as loud, while keeping my hands on the wheel and staring straight ahead. I wasn’t going to make any sudden moves. “I don’t believe I was going fifty, Officers. I dispute that reading. There wouldn’t have been time to reach that speed after the red light at Fourth and Aspen. Please give me your badge number and your supervisor’s name.”

The new cop was taken aback. I could see his confusion in the rearview mirror. “Fifty? Nah, Bob. We got her at thirty-seven. What’s up?”

Danson spun to his left and hissed at his partner. “Shut up, Ryan. Just get back in the car and let me handle this.” I couldn’t believe it, but my peripheral vision told me he had his hand on the butt of his weapon. And he was looking at his
partner.

Okay, I was in serious trouble.

I lowered my voice again so that only Danson would be able to hear me, but I didn’t look at him. Face forward and hands on the wheel, I nearly whispered my threat. “Officer Danson, if your intention is to make my life a living hell until I break and do something aggressive that will justify you staking me, you’re in for a long wait. Give me the ticket. I’ll take it to court and make you justify your actions. I’ll subpoena the film from every dash cam and street cam. I’ll call your partner as a hostile witness. All by the book and allowable. Eventually, someone will find you out. You’ll slip up and forget to erase a tape or mess up the radar and then you’ll be out on your butt. I’m part siren and I inherited money. I’ll live a very long time and can afford to keep up the pressure. How far do you want to push this?”

He let out a growl that was worthy of a werewolf on the full moon. “Wait here.” He stalked away. His partner looked after him with a baffled expression on his face.

I wasn’t going to let him—or any of the other cops—get to me. If I did, I’d start to actively hunt them. I can’t help that they fear me. I can help to make sure they don’t act on that fear.

It was the other cop who returned my items as Officer Danson climbed back into the patrol car. “We’ll let you off with a verbal warning this time, Ms. Graves. Please watch your speed.” He seemed honestly befuddled by his partner’s actions, but it wasn’t up to me to be the bearer of bad news. Danson was nuts. Either this young kid would be dragged down with his partner, or he’d figure out how to avoid the nuts. I just smiled sweetly with my lips closed and reached into the sunshine to take back my items.

“Thanks. I will.”

I didn’t start the car until both officers were in their seats. I didn’t need this crap and knew it was going to get out of hand again fairly soon. But today I had other things to think about. Soon the scent of cumin and peppers and oniony meat claimed my attention and I didn’t worry about it anymore. Except that I set my car alarm and sprinkled both door handles with a special residue that would capture fingerprints.

Not that there should be any. Right?

I walked up to La Cocina y Cantina and was reminded again why only locals eat here. It’s sort of a dive. The adobe coating is falling off the walls in chunks that reveal the skeletal rebar underneath. The sign is from the sixties and the turquoise paint is so faded it’s hard to read. But the owners weren’t worried about the outside. They concentrated on the inside. I knew the kitchen had shiny new equipment and high-end refrigeration and all ingredients were Grade A, top-of-the-line. Stepping through the door, I reveled in the heavy dark wood punctuated by gleaming white tablecloths and red bowls of homemade corn chips. I headed straight for the partitioned room at the back, which holds a large, circular table where a group can sit and share family-style meals. One of the owners, Barbara, saw me. She gave a cheery wave with her free hand and then motioned for me to wait before I joined the others. I paused in my tracks while she put down the plates on the table she was serving, then trotted over and gave me a big hug. “Celia! It’s been too long. You’re too busy lately.”

“Actually,” I said, laughing, “I haven’t been in because I’ve been too
lazy.
I took a couple months off and have just been hanging out at home. But I should have come by.”

“It’s okay. We’ve been busy again since you chased off those bad vampires. How about a Sunset Smoothie on the house? As a thank-you for your hard work.”