“Which is rape,” Stephanie said grimly, and scowled around at them as if they were each responsible as she added, “I know he probably made her enjoy it, and I know you guys are so used to controlling mere mortals and making them do what you want that you probably don’t think it’s rape, but it is.”
Silence filled the room briefly, and then Harper cleared his throat and placed a soothing hand on her shoulder before saying, “But that doesn’t really explain why he’d want her away from Port Henry. If we’re even right about all of this—it is all guesswork after all,” he pointed out. “And we wouldn’t have guessed any of it if he hadn’t scared her back here.”
“I guess we’ll find that out when we talk to him,” Lucian said grimly, and glanced to Basil. “Sherry will know Zander’s address.”
“Doesn’t he work at the store?” Drina pointed out. “It’s daytime. He should be there if he’s assistant manager. Especially with Sherry away.”
Lucian shook his head. “We’ve got hunters in the store and sent the workers home in case Leo and his boys returned. He should be at home, or at least not at the store.”
“Right.” Basil stood and moved silently out of the room to head up the hall to the room he shared with Sherry. All it took was a quick glance inside for his heart to drop through his body and hit the floor with a resounding thud. The room was empty and the bathroom door was open, showing that it was empty too.
Whirling, Basil hurried back the way he’d come, only to pause at the last door before the archway to the living room. The door was cracked open. He pushed on it, revealing a small closet-sized area with a big yellow steel door in the opposite wall.
An emergency exit, he realized.
Fourteen
“Here you are, lady.”
Sherry glanced around to see that they were stopped in front of her store. As it turned out, it hadn’t been far from Harper’s apartment after all. She could have walked, but she hadn’t recognized where she was when she’d left the building, so she’d flagged down the cab . . . and then spent the entire short ride trying to grasp the fact that she might be the daughter of an immortal rather than the man she’d grown up calling Dad, and if that was the case, that she was a child of rape.
“Lady?” the driver prompted.
“Oh, sorry. What do I owe you?” Sherry muttered, and reached for her purse when the driver told her how much. That was when she realized that she didn’t have her purse. She was pretty sure she didn’t have any money in her pockets either, but desperately began to check them anyway as she searched her mind for a solution to her problem. She then glanced sharply to the front passenger door when it opened and Basil asked, “How much?”
Sighing with relief, Sherry slid out of the backseat as Basil paid the driver.
“Thank you,” she murmured when he closed the door and turned to her. “I wasn’t thinking straight I guess. I forgot I left my purse behind.”
“You left me behind too,” he said quietly, taking her arms and peering solemnly into her face. “Why?”
“I . . .” Sherry shook her head helplessly. “Like I said, I wasn’t thinking. I just ran.” She grimaced and then added, “I heard what you guys said about his raping my mom. I didn’t want to face anyone . . . and then I didn’t want someone else to talk to him. I want him to tell me himself. I need him to explain, Basil.”
“I know,” he murmured, and pressed her head to his chest with one hand while with the other he rubbed her back soothingly. “I understand, but I’d like to go with you.”
Sherry didn’t respond for a moment, and then she suddenly pulled back and peered up at him with a frown. “How did you know I’d come here?”
“I didn’t. I came out of Harper’s building just as your taxi pulled away and followed.”
“In another taxi?” she asked, looking around for one.
“No. I ran,” he admitted dryly. “Fortunately, it was only five blocks and your driver managed to hit every red light.”
She stared at him wide-eyed for a moment and then shook her head. “I’m sorry. I should have—”
“It’s okay,” he said firmly, squeezing her arms.
Sherry gave up her apologies and lowered her head.
“Are you okay?” Basil asked, and she could hear the frown in his voice, though she couldn’t see it. She was staring down at the ground, and supposed that was why he was worried. She supposed she looked as lost and scared as she felt.
“Yes.” She forced her head up and managed a smile. “Of course.”
“Okay.” Looking somewhat relieved, but still a little concerned, he slid his arm around her shoulders and then turned toward the building. “So, I take it this is his—It’s your store,” he realized. “Honey, he won’t be at work. The Enforcers sent all of your employees home in case Leo and his boys return.”
“I know. I came here to get his address off my Rolodex,” she explained.
“Oh.” He glanced around warily now, and then abruptly urged her forward. “Let’s get inside, then. If Leo does return, I do not want him to find you out here.”