Asia shook her head. “Don’t know. I’d guess more activity during the day, but I’m not sure if humans are allowed in there.”
“We can find out,” he said absently while he continued to study the map. “Distractions. We can keep them stirred up so they don’t recognize the real threat when it comes.”
“But nothing until after Moonsday.”
He turned his head and studied her. “Why is that?”
“Because I already put the first distraction in motion. And I figure it will happen on Moonsday.”
He finished printing the pictures, even printed out one extra of the overall map for her to keep. After putting his equipment back in its case and sliding the pictures into a manila envelope, he gave her a thorough look—and smiled. “I was told you also needed something more personal.”
“Not that,” she said. “I don’t want anyone’s scent there except the man I was with tonight.”
“Then what are you looking for?”
“Rough me up. Not enough to need a hospital or report it to the police, but enough that other women would understand me wanting to break up with this man—and not come around where he might see me. I need a reason not to be around the Courtyard on Moonsday.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You setting him up?”
“Let’s say he’s going to act as insurance for all of us.”
The messenger gave her body a coldly professional study while he pulled on a pair of thin leather gloves. “Then let’s get started.”
CHAPTER 20
“Are you sure?” Simon asked, after closing his office door and returning to the desk.
“I’m sure,” Vlad replied. “I followed them from the Green Complex. And this morning, Blair confirmed that the BOW should have been fully charged, since he connected it to the energy source yesterday afternoon, and it isn’t.”
“Then why didn’t you take care of it last night?”
“Why didn’t you take care of it this morning after Nathan told you he’d found Darrell’s scent in the back room and sorting room?” Vlad countered.
Simon glanced at the comfy Wolf bed in the corner of his office—an item several of the Wolves now had in their work spaces—and knew he and Vlad had the same reason for not killing Darrell right away.
He didn’t care what the police or the human government or the whole damn city of Lakeside thought about him tearing out the throat of a human who broke trust with the terra indigene. But there had been the possibility that Meg had asked Darrell to deliver something to her at the Green Complex, and he’d gotten scared when he saw Vlad because he’d allowed Asia Crane to come with him. And there was the slightest possibility that Meg had asked Darrell to help her with something in the back room or in the sorting room. The Business Association wasn’t as strict about keeping known humans out of those rooms since Meg started working for them, mostly because she needed human company to be happy, and the Others wanted her to be happy so she would stay.
Couldn’t eat Darrell if the man really had been doing something for Meg.
“We can’t allow a monkey to break our rules,” Vlad said.
“No, we can’t. But Darrell works for Elliot. Since the man didn’t do more than drive to the Green Complex without permission, I’ll let Elliot decide how to deal with him.” Simon thought for a moment. “After I talk to Elliot, I’ll call Chris Fallacaro and have him change the locks at the consulate and on the Liaison’s Office.”
“What about that Asia Crane?” Vlad asked.
“She was with Darrell and she never left the vehicle. I’m not sure we can call that trespassing,” Simon said. Especially since Vlad let her leave the Courtyard last night. “She’s banned from the Courtyard, starting now. And that includes the stores, even HGR and A Little Bite.” The relief that he had a reason to keep her far away from Meg was so sharp, it almost hurt.
If Meg got mad at him for banning Asia, he would accept it. He would. For a little while, anyway.
“All right,” Vlad said. “I’ll inform Grandfather of the Wolfgard’s decision. You talk to Elliot.”
When Vlad left, Simon stretched his neck and shoulders, feeling the pop of tight muscles loosening. That done, he called Elliot, then sat down and worked out the wording for the flyers Lorne would make for him as soon as the Three Ps opened.
Vlad flowed under the door of Elliot’s office, a patch of smoke moving over the carpet, keeping close to the wall. He didn’t care that Elliot saw him enter and knew he was going to listen to the Wolf deal with the human. He just didn’t want Darrell to notice he was there.
While there was no doubt that the human would be dismissed from his job at the consulate, there was no certainty he would get out of the Courtyard, despite the short distance between the consulate’s door and the delivery area’s street entrance.
No matter how fast a human could run, the Sanguinati could move faster. And per Erebus’s orders, unless Vlad was convinced that Darrell had done nothing more than act foolishly because of a woman, the man wouldn’t get past Nyx when he bolted for the presumed safety of the human-controlled land.
“Mr. Wolfgard?” Darrell said as he fiddled with the knot in his tie. “You wanted to see me?”
“Yes,” Elliot replied, his voice smoothing into a sound that gave nothing away. “Do you know why?”
“No, sir. But . . . someone emptied my desk and put some of my personal items in a box.”
“No, we put all of your personal items in the box. The rest of the items in the desk actually belong to the consulate. Now you’ll hand over the keys you were given, as well as your pass to the Market Square.”
“But . . . why?”
“You’re being dismissed for a breach of trust.”
Rapid breathing. Pulse spiking. Face turning pale. And even with all those acknowledgments, the fool still tried to deny what the Others knew.
“I didn’t,” Darrell said.
“I hope for your sake that the breach begins and ends with you taking that female to the Green Complex. I hope you understand what will happen if you become indiscreet about what you’ve seen or heard in the consulate.”
“Sir, I think I’ve done a good job here,” Darrell began.
“You did. I was pleased with your work. But you broke the trust we had given you, and now you have to go. However, before I let you leave this room, I need one answer: What were you looking for in the Liaison’s Office?”
“I wasn’t in the office,” Darrell protested. “I was in the abovestairs room I was told I could use last night. I was with my . . . friend . . . until I woke up this morning.”
“So you were never in the office?” Elliot asked, his voice still smooth.
“Sure, I was in the office. Went to pick up the consulate mail a few times.”
“Why?”
“Why?”
“Yes,” Elliot said patiently. “Why? You’ve never done that before.”
Darrell squirmed in the chair. “I wasn’t comfortable being around the other Liaisons. But Meg is a pleasant girl, and she always has the mail bundled in an orderly manner. I just thought picking it up would be a friendly gesture.”
And a way to set up Meg as the next potential friend if Asia Crane didn’t work out? Vlad wondered.
“Whose idea was it to go to the Green Complex?” Elliot asked. “Your pass doesn’t extend beyond our business district without permission, and your guest didn’t have permission to go anywhere last night except the designated room for your . . . social interaction.”
“She wanted to see it, as an adventure.”
“See what? It was late. It was dark.”
“I think she wanted to see where Simon Wolfgard lives.” Darrell hung his head and talked to his tie. “She said she wasn’t interested in him anymore, but I think she is. I think she pretended . . .”