and then instructed my face to look grateful. "Oh, good. You found them already then? Cause on Insta, all my friends are saying the parties tonight are cancelled. But if they’re gonna be gone …" I pulled out my burner phone and dragged open the video app. I swept my hair to the side like I was about to selfie it up. “I can’t wait to tell them. They’ll be so happy—”
“Whoa. Wait a second. I didn’t say you should party.” I lowered my phone casually, but flicked my gaze to the screen, ensuring I had the video focused on Muller. Then I crossed my fingers.
“But you just said they’ll be gone by tonight. I don’t understand.” I gave him the head tilted, mouth open, confused look that stupid Terra Lysour’s BFF, Lane, had always gotten whenever Terra used a word with three syllables.
Muller’s gaze immediately softened and his hand came up for a split second, like he wanted to pat my shoulder. Why were so many guys like that? Who liked stupid people? Ugh.
“So, the vampires are still hiding out somewhere?” I pressed.
“Look—”
“Do you know, like, where? If you don’t know where, how are you going to catch them? How are people going to stay safe? How’d they even break out?” I let the pitch of my voice rise and my breathing get panicked.
“They didn’t. Look—”
“They didn’t break out? What? Did someone let them out—”
The way he shut down his face gave me everything I needed for the video. We didn’t have footage of the vamps pouring out of the Pinnacle. But there was no denying that the first outbreak had occurred on its lawn. And now, there was no way people would miss his expression, that closed look public figures got when they were deciding how to skirt the truth. The internet was going to love this. So would Malcolm. I tried not to smirk as I kept up my frantic charade, all while swiping ‘end’ on the recording.
“Maybe we need to leave town.” I leaned over and looked at Potts. “Maybe they should evacuate the city!” I started pacing.
“Calm down. Okay.” This time Muller’s hands did come up, in frustration. “You’re freaking out when you don’t need to.”
“Don’t need to! All kinds of people are dead! And you haven’t caught—”
His hand touched my shoulder. Bingo.
“Don’t give me some cheesy line about being okay!” I yanked his hand from me and shoved it away, my eyes darting around. But I didn’t see a streak of color or feel a gust of wind.
Crap.
I turned to Potts. “I wanted to talk to you about my family today, but I guess that won’t be happening.”
The red-headed doctor raised the eyebrow above her scarred eye. “Don’t worry. Detective Muller is leaving my property.”
I glanced over at her desk. “Did you move your sign in book?”
Potts growled at Muller. “Stealing shit doesn’t make it admissible evidence.”
“Don’t need evidence. Just need a lead,” he bantered back.
She moved forward to swipe at him, but the man literally disappeared from sight.
My stomach dropped out. “What the fuck was that?” I asked.
Potts shook her head. “That asshole stole my sign in book! That’s fucking confidential information! I don’t give a shit if he’s a top Pinnacle investigator—”
“No. How’d he leave?” I insisted.
Potts furrowed her brow at me. “Girl, haven’t you ever seen a Tock before?”
Her words made my throat close up. Motherfucker! A Tock was hunting me?
I wouldn’t even be able to see him coming.
18
“What’s that look?” Potts, ever perceptive, sashayed forward and pointed a finger and then swiveled it around my face. “That look is concerned. Why the hell do you need to be concerned about that Muller fuck?”
I swiped my tongue over my teeth and let Mom willingly come to mind. It didn’t take but a second before tears brimmed up.
Potts shook her head. “Don’t give me that bullshit. You think I haven’t seen fake crying?”
“My mom’s dead.”
Potts stopped. She pressed her lips together, which made the scar near her eye stretch tight. She jerked her head toward the leather visitor’s seat near her desk. “Go sit.” She stomped over toward the door of her office and peered out. “What happened to that guy of yours?”
I shrugged, because I really wasn’t sure. It was unlike Zavier to just disappear. “He didn’t want to come in.”
Potts nodded and shut the door. “He’s got a record, doesn’t he? Damn, Hayley, don’t make me do the responsible thing and say you shouldn’t date—”
“Don’t say it then. That’s not