Claris reached out a hand and grabbed Ari’s fingers. “No, not at all. There’s nothing wrong with feeling angry, or even hating them. It’s what you do with it. You’re one of the good guys, honey. You know—white hat, white horse.” She gave Ari a soft smile. “You’ll do the right thing.”
“Will I? I’m not sure I know what that is.”
“You will.” Claris slid off the stool when the shop bell tinkled again. “You’ll figure it out.” Claris turned her attention to the customer; Ari took the empty mugs to the kitchen.
She stopped just inside the kitchen to lean against the wall. This was the first time she and Claris had been seriously out of step. Claris didn’t get it. Ari didn’t want to be a white hat, the good guy. Or the one who did the right thing. She wanted vengeance. Her friend’s words only made her feel more alone.
Hernando chose that moment to bump against her leg. Perfect timing? Cats have a way with that. Ari picked him up, cuddling his soft fur against her cheek. He rewarded her with a rhythmic purr. She wished she could take him home, but with her hours, Hernando would lead a lonely life. At the shop he was surrounded by company. Besides, he fit the cozy atmosphere.
Before leaving the shop, Ari stuffed her pockets with ingredients from Claris’s shelves. Last night’s hours of mixing potions and spells had depleted her supplies. Whatever happened next, Ari would be ready this time.
* * *
As Ari climbed the steps of the police station annex fifteen minutes later, Ryan exited the double doors. He stopped, questioned her with his eyes, and then continued down the stairs as she turned to walk with him.
“Tell me what you know about the attack,” she said before he had a chance to ask the inevitable questions.
“You sure you want to know?”
“Of course I’m sure.” Ari sounded irritable. No surprise. “We have a case to solve.”
Ryan’s sigh conveyed his doubts, but he answered her question. “At least five assailants. CS techs found trampled footprints behind the bushes, where they must have waited. Looks like they took her by surprise, but we found two patches of lycanthrope blood. Recovered a silver stiletto.”
“Yana’s stiletto,” she said. “She would have fought back.”
“Yes,” he agreed. “Canine hairs all over the area. We’re trying to match DNA, checking against the names you picked up in Toronto. But Sheila Montgomery’s profile isn’t in the system. They compared hairs from this scene with those from Angela Raymond’s apartment. Found color matches. No proof yet, but, of course, the Canadian wolves are our primary suspects. I reissued the BOLO, upped the charges and priority.” Ryan stopped next to his police cruiser and stared across the street as if he didn’t know what to say next. “I’m headed to the eastside. Want me to drop you somewhere?”
Ari shook her head. “No, thanks. Wrong direction.” She planned to head deeper into Olde Town, waiting for the vampires to wake. She could think of only one person who might help her in a no-holds-barred hunt to eliminate the wolves.
“OK, catch you later. We’ll find them, Ari. I promise.” He shuffled his feet, suddenly uncomfortable. “It’s possible this was a reaction to your trip.”
Ari nodded dully. She’d already figured that out. “Yeah, they blame me for Molyneux’s death. I suppose they’re right. I dropped his name to Sebastian. The bastard must have thought we’d already linked them.”
“If it’s revenge they’re after, they won’t quit now. And I bet the girlfriend’s leading the charge.”
“Yeah, Sheila. But damn, she needs to come after me—not my friends.” Ari blinked back sudden tears. Not from grief, but a flash of overwhelming rage. For a moment, her body felt on fire.
“Ari, are you all right?”
“No, Ryan, I’m not,” she snapped. “I just lost one of the most important people in my life, and I’m pissed.” She took a deep breath. “Let’s not talk about me. I just want to find her killers.”
“Sorry, but I—”
“Don’t be,” she interrupted. “Just drop it.” Ari knew she shouldn’t take it out on Ryan, but being bitchy felt better than being empty. “I know you’re worried, but you have to stop. What I need is to solve this case. Have you heard from Andreas?”
“We talked once or twice.”
“And? What did he say?”
“Not much.” Ryan looked away.
Guess that meant they’d mostly talked about her. How she was coping or not. Great.