for himself. But you work hard and go after what you want in life. He can relate better to you than he can to the others.”
Devon blinked, having never looked at things from that angle before. “Well, if he feels pride in me, he has a real funny way of showing it. I really don’t see Reena wanting Finn dead. We shouldn’t point the finger her way just because she doesn’t like me.”
“I agree,” said Jolene. “She isn’t the only one who dislikes you. Don’t forget you had that falling out with Kaye a few years back.”
“Falling out?” echoed Tanner.
Devon sighed. “Like I told you, Kaye’s always been pretty much indifferent to me. But shortly after Harper mated with Knox, Kaye turned up at Urban Ink and asked to take me out to lunch. She said it was time we ‘bonded.’ About an hour into our lunch, she asked me to use my close connection to Harper to get her boyfriend a job interview with Knox; said it was time I did something to help ‘the family.’ I was so pissed. She was pissed that I was pissed. Things got heated. A lot of ugly shit was said—apparently I’m a loser and a slut.”
A growl rumbled out of Tanner before he could stop it.
“I pointed out that everything she owns was either bought by Finn or paid for using the credit card that he gave her, whereas I’ve never accepted a handout from him and have worked for everything I have. She yelled at me, accusing me of thinking I was better than her. I said I knew I was better than her, because I’d never use people the way she did.”
Devon shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t think she has the smarts to come up with such a complicated plot. She’d come up with something much simpler. As for Spencer? I wouldn’t count him as a suspect—he and I don’t clash or anything.”
“But let’s not forget that he’ll get a bigger piece of the inheritance pie if you’re not in the picture, kitten—many people have killed over greed. Demons mostly kill over power. He’ll take over the lair when Finn dies. Anyone can see just how much Spencer’s looking forward to ruling.”
Jolene folded her arms across her chest. “In other words, they’re all viable suspects. I’ll have my sentinels track down Flanagan. We should find out if there’s a connection between him and Sheridan. It’s possible that both were randomly chosen as conduits, but I’d like to be sure there’s no link at all between them.”
“We should also see if we can link either of them to Leticia or one of your half-siblings, kitten. Do you know if any of them have the ability to speak through another?”
Devon shook her head. “Finn would know, wouldn’t he? Jolene told him that Sheridan was used as a conduit. He didn’t mention that Leticia or any of his children had that ability.”
“Maybe because he knew, given the strained relationship they have with you, that we’d consider them suspects,” mused Jolene. “Or perhaps they have the aid of someone who does have that ability.” She shrugged. “I don’t think there’s any sense in telling Finn of our suspicions. He wouldn’t believe us. And I’d rather not give the others a heads-up that we’ve put some pieces of the puzzle together.”
Devon gave a slow nod. “Let them think we’re still chasing shadows. We’ll find out which one of them is behind this, and they won’t even see us coming.”
*
It didn’t surprise Tanner that his hellcat didn’t speak much throughout the journey back to his complex. She seemed in a daze as she allowed him to lead her into the elevator and up to his floor. She also didn’t comment on him taking her to his apartment rather than her own.
Inside the living room, he pulled her close. His chest tightened as he stared down at her. She looked all hollowed out, like she hadn’t eaten or slept in a while. No surprise. She’d had a shit evening. Had been forced to go for a hike down memory lane—a lane that was rocky, treacherous territory. And then she’d had to face the very real likelihood that one of her half-siblings could be the person who’d tried to have her kidnapped.
His demon let out a disgruntled growl, not liking that she wasn’t her usual fiery self. Rather than trying to shake her out of her funk, since Tanner figured she was entitled to indulge in one for a