Magic Misled (Lizzie Grace #7) - Keri Arthur Page 0,76
nodded. “Jaz recorded it.”
His gaze returned to me, his blue eyes sparking. The man really was annoyed, but I had a suspicion it wasn’t directly aimed at my actions. “And what was it that I’m not going to approve?”
“We’ve got a small opportunity to track this thing down, but we need to do it now,” Monty said.
“Then let’s go.” He swung around and headed out the door without waiting for an answer.
“Well, that at least solves one problem.” Monty tossed Belle his keys. “I’ll collect the old girl tomorrow.”
She caught the keys with a nod. “To repeat, be bloody careful. This thing really doesn’t feel right.”
“To echo your earlier words, I’m hardly going to get dead before you can prove me wrong.” He motioned toward the door. “After you, dear cousin.”
I followed Aiden outside. The night was dark and, despite the thickness of my borrowed coat, chills ran down my spine. Whether they were the result of the icy air or the trepidation of what we were about to do—and find—I couldn’t really say.
Aiden opened the passenger door and helped me into his truck. “You look rather ridiculous in those clothes, you know.”
Though his voice was light, I could feel the tension in him. The anger and frustration bubbled deep within, but I was becoming surer that it really wasn’t aimed at me.
“We were about to head back to the party from Monty’s, but when the call came in, we had little other choice. I wasn’t about to wander about a crime scene in that dress or shoes.”
“A sensible move that shocks me given your past exploits running through forests in inappropriate clothing.” He slammed the door shut before I could reply, then ran around to the driver side.
Monty climbed into the back, then leaned forward and handed me the evidence bag. “You still feeling the pulse?”
I hesitated and gently probed the magic protecting the two scraps of blood-soaked material. “Yes, but it’s fainter. I’m not sure how long my magic will keep it viable.”
“Then we’d better get moving.” Aiden started the truck. “Where to?”
I carefully deepened my connection to the magic and probed the pulse with my “other” senses. “Right at the gate and then right again.”
“How far away is it feeling?” Monty asked.
“Not far.” I frowned down at the evidence bag, watching the faint flutter of the protecting magic reacting to the blood’s pulse. “I doubt we’ll even be heading out of Castle Rock.”
“Given what we know about this thing’s looks,” Monty said. “It really makes no sense for it to be holed up within town limits. Too many people to see her.”
“Sometimes the best place to hide is the most obvious place,” Aiden said. “Those in rural areas are generally more likely to notice unusual activity than those in main hubs.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call Castle Rock a main hub.” Monty’s voice was dry. “And it’s not like the gossip brigade ever miss a trick.”
“But the gossip brigade are not nighttime warriors.”
“Thank God for that,” I muttered. “Otherwise we’d never be able to do anything interesting.”
Monty laughed. “Luckily, I don’t hold their interest.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t bet on that,” Aiden said, voice dry. “Especially at the moment.”
“Why on earth would the gossip brigade—” Monty stopped and laughed. “It’s not so much me, is it?”
I directed Aiden left onto Barker Street and then added, “They’re currently running a betting pool on engagement dates.”
He laughed again. “Our first official date was tonight, and our second is on Friday. That’s hardly a basis to be betting on a relationship, let alone anything more serious.”
“That’s never stopped them before,” Aiden said. “They were doing the same when—”
He cut the rest off with a grimace, but it didn’t take a genius to guess what he’d been about to say.
“When you were with Mia.” I gave him a lopsided smile. “She was part of your past and may well be your future, but avoiding any discussion about her isn’t going to help anyone.”
He glanced at me; his expression gave little away, but his eyes were fierce. “I just thought you might have heard enough of that name for one night.”
I hesitated and then said, “Have you had words with your mother?”
“Not as yet. But I will, trust me, especially after learning she skipped out of my rite of passage to go harass you.” He paused, his grip tightening briefly on the steering wheel. “What did she say?”
“You don’t know?”
It came out surprised, and he frowned. “I never got the chance to ask her.”