what was left of the signatures of Molly's broken, ripped wards. I could still smell the burned, scorched reek of energies torn and blasted through.
"No one should have been able to break through this." She sounded surprised. And maybe a little scared. "No one. Even an entire coven would have had trouble blasting through it."
"That was my thinking. Cream and sugar? Mug or cup?" I waved at the table, an invitation to sit.
Evangelina turned her intent stare to me. "Both, please, mug, and if you have a shot of whiskey to go in it, that would be nice."
My eyes didn't bug out, but it was a near thing. I shrugged an apology. "I have beer."
Evangelina returned the shrug, saying "never mind" with hers, and sat at the table, kicked off her sensible shoes, pulled off her suit jacket, and leaned back. I could smell her feet and the odor of dried sweat and worry. She had been on the go and under stress for too many hours. She ran her fingers through her hair, scratching her scalp and yawning. It was the nearest thing to relaxed - or maybe simply exhausted - I'd ever seen her. "I think beer might clash with the tea." When I laughed tiredly, she said, "I'll get some whiskey later. For now, I apologize for waking you. How long since you slept?"
It wasn't the sarcasm I'd expected. It almost sounded concerned, which was nearly my undoing. Again. But I wouldnot cry in front of Evangelina Everhart. I put cookies on the table, on a plate, cookies Mol had baked for her kids, white chocolate macadamia nut. They were still soft, and that fact brought tears to my eyes. It hadn't been all that long since the children were taken, but it seemed like forever. Tentatively, I said, "Two days. Give or take." Evangelina took the plate and rearranged the cookies, not as if she disapproved of my arrangement, but as if she needed something to do with her hands.
Her face got more pinched, holding in her emotions, her eyes on the cookies. "Can you tell me what is happening?"
For the second time today I recited the state of affairs of Molly, her kids, and the vamp/witch problem. When I finished, Evangelina said, "I heard that there was a vampire war threatening. Is that real or gossip?"
"Real. I think. The vamp clans have realigned loyalties. Even though Rafael of Mearkanis is the one who might challenge Leo for master of the city, I'm guessing that Clan Rousseau is the one pulling strings, fomenting a vamp war. I'm betting that the political dissatisfaction is just a cover so they can get this rogue-spell to work without getting caught and executed under the Vampira Carta." I put leaves into the strainer and the teapot into the sink, the familiar motions bringing me some much needed calm.
"Not an unlikely assumption."
"What I don't understand," I said, "is why witches are helping them."
"That's part of what I'm here to find out. I've put in a call to the coven suggested by your Leo to meet tonight. Do you want to join us?"
I looked at Evangelina in surprise. I had never expected her to include me in her witch business. "Um . . . he's notmy Leo. And I have a meeting with the local cops at five. I think they've decided to launch a special investigation."
"Too little, too late." Her voice sounded weary. She ate another cookie, but I was pretty sure she wasn't tasting it.
We sat silent until the timer went off, lost in our own thoughts. I poured tea, and we drank.
Then I made a phone call. I had something brewing in my mind - something that seemed a lot like a plan.
Chapter 19
No good deed goes unpunished
Room 666 was just as dull and boring as ever, but this time it smelled heavenly. From the bottom of the stairs I smelled fried grease and onions and seafood. Jodi had brought takeout food with her, thank God. Despite my worry over the kits, my stomach growled as I pushed open the door.
The cops were sitting around the little table, Jodi and Rick and another guy I didn't recognize, all with colas in sweating cans in front of them. When I slid into the seat next to Rick, he gave me a look. "You coulda said you were coming too."
"I coulda. More fun this way."
Jodi said, "You two flirt on your own time." Rick snorted. I popped my Coke open so