“Earlier in the evening, did the wolves and Marcus talk about anything in particular? Besides his job?”
“Girls, sports. Asked Marcus lots of private stuff, like they were big buds. And they bragged about their partying the night before. Full moon and all.”
Well, now. She hadn’t realized that was the night Marcus disappeared. Right after she and Steffan had talked with Molyneux. Maybe she’d said something that forced the wolf to resort to kidnapping. Or it was already planned. But why? Drug dealing didn’t normally involve kidnapping, did it?
“Are you gonna find him? And Gordon?” Lorenzo’s questions brought her back to the conversation.
“I can’t promise anything. But you’ve helped a lot.”
The boys grinned and shuffled their feet again. They made Ari feel old.
The nest leader never came back. Andreas spoke privately with the young vamps before they retreated into the tunnels. Ari didn’t hear what he said, but both kids were still grinning when he finished.
On the return trip to town, Andreas and Ari didn’t talk much until they were back on the city streets, away from the caves and prying eyes. Maybe it was the euphoria of having a direction for their energies, but they seemed pleased with each other’s efforts that evening.
“Nice job with the leader. I wanted to pop him,” Ari said. “That probably wouldn’t have gone over too well.”
Andreas quirked his lips. “No, but the nestlings responded to you. Helped by a mind game or two.” He cocked his head and gave her a shrewd look.
“A little projection,” she admitted. “To establish trust. It wasn’t like I told them what to say or think. What did you tell them before we left?”
“Mostly reminded them not to talk about this with anyone except the nest leader.” He swung his head to look at her. “Where do we find the pack? Marcus and Gordon have been in their hands too long. I am anxious for their welfare.”
“It’s an old house in the human residential district. I know what you’re thinking, but we can’t go barging in there tonight. I’ve got to bring Lt. Foster in on this. If we’re going to start a bloodbath in human territory, it needs to be legally sanctioned.” She shook her head when it looked like he might protest. “We have to wait. I won’t endanger the human community without Ryan involved. And that’ll take time.”
Andreas sighed in exasperation. “I know you are right, but I still don’t like it.”
“I don’t either,” she confessed. “I’ll talk to Ryan in the morning. We’ll arrange something for tomorrow afternoon when you’re available. Agreed?”
She felt his reluctance, understood the inner struggle. He was used to being in charge and waiting for nobody.
“Tomorrow,” he finally confirmed.
Chapter Eighteen
The Riverdale Police Department annex, where Ryan and his unit were housed, was a four-story, square, red brick building, built in the early 1900s, and frequently upgraded over the years. Once the seat of all police activity, the building had been superseded twelve years ago by a modern structure in downtown Riverdale. The annex still held a full contingency of offices and officers, and handled all crime in Olde Town and the west side of Riverdale proper.
Ari bounded up the steps to the front entrance with its massive double doors that opened onto the second floor. Information and Dispatch were just inside. Elevators would take you down to the first floor temporary jail and the police carport or up to the offices and conference rooms on the top two floors. Ryan’s office was on the third floor. Ari swung into a side hall and took the stairs.
As she had suspected, Ryan and his unit were working Saturday morning. Her partner sat behind his desk in an old swivel chair. As long as Ari had known him, the chair had listed to the left, but Ryan refused to replace it, claiming it fit his butt just fine. A late-twenties officer in street uniform perched on the edge of Ryan’s desk. The two men looked up when she poked her head in the door, and the uniformed officer stood.
“Am I interrupting?”
“No, not at all.” Ryan waved her in. “Just admiring a picture of Tom’s new baby boy. I don’t think you two have met. Tom’s new to the unit, transferred from patrol.”
As soon as the happy father left, Ari sank into a chair and brought Ryan up to date on the call from Rita. She was deciding how to