Page 26 of Blood and Bone
“Okay, I know you’re probably very tired, but I’d appreciate it if you could leave right away. Townsend is insistent to hear what’s been happening on our end, and I’m afraid if I don’t have you stop and speak to him in person, he’s going to do something stupid.”
“Of course, Chief,” Eoghan replied.
“And Riversong, ma’am?” Ari asked.
“Oh, shit,” she cursed making them look at each other and grin. “Sorry, I completely forgot to tell you. The Portland I.S.R. is handling her but I have to call you back on the regular phone and repeat all that information. I’m not used to this. I really wish I knew who’s spying on me. It would sure make it faster to find evidence. Anyway, answer when I call back on thecompany phone and give my thanks to the chief and his deputy for all their help out there.”
“They’re very thankful for our help, ma’am,” Ari said.
“Yes, but without their restraint when shifted, you might be dead. That makes me more grateful than I can express. Give my regards to King John and tell him we’re working to address the issue. As soon as we know anything, he’ll be the first to know. And, for what it’s worth, you’re both doing a great job. I’m glad this partnership is meshing.”
Ari looked over at Eoghan and smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”
“I’ll call you back and repeat all this on the other line just in case someone is listening,” she said. “Drive safely on the way back.”
She hung up, and Eoghan said, “I guess we’d better go tell Two Trees and Uwaite that we’re going to have to take a raincheck on Tahoe’s best barbeque.”
“Bummer, I was really looking forward to that.”
Chapter Seven
The drive to Gilroy took almost five hours and night had already fallen when they arrived at the coordinates the chief sent. Getting out of the Charger, Ari could smell the pungent odor of garlic in the air. The farming community of Gilroy was famous for their garlic crop. They parked at a small, dark farmhouse which looked barely larger than a two-car garage.
There didn’t seem to be anyone in residence at the moment, but he knew if King John was expecting them, he’d wait for them to emerge from the car. It honestly gave him the chills to know that they might be walking into a trap of some sort. Even though they’d pulled their dart guns and less lethal vampire rounds out of the trunk when they’d stopped for gas fifty miles back, it still made Ari uneasy to know vampires moved faster than human eyes could track. If John Townsend meant them any harm or if other vampires had joined him, they might be in trouble. Eoghan had assured him that a big part of the job was sometimes having to trust creatures they didn’t always want to.
“Where do you think he is?” Ari asked, angry at the nervousness he heard in his voice.
Eoghan glanced over at him from the driver’s seat and shook his head. “I guess we’re about to find out.”
“You’re not worried?”
Eoghan nodded. “I’d be stupid not to be nervous, wouldn’t I?”
“Do you think this is a good idea? What if he thinks we’re not doing anything for his people and decides to kill us out of spite?”
“First of all, you listened when the chief and I had him in the interview room and you talked to the man yourself. Did you think he sounded like the kind of person who’d kill people who let him go after promising to do everything we can to help his people?”
“No, but we haven’t done anything for them.”
“Then he’s no worse off than he was before we caught him. I know he’ll understand that we have to be cautious. He knows the I.S.R. has someone at the Agency who’s working with Tillis Bradshaw.” He glanced around and reached for the door handle. “Come on. Let’s go, Ari.”
Ari sighed and got out of the car, holding the loaded dart gun in his hand. He glanced around the dark yard of the small house noting that it was located in a desolate area completely surrounded by fields with rows of green stalked garlic bulbs on all four sides. The only way in and out to the farm was the single lane dirt road they’d driven in on and it freaked him out. He shut the door and the sound echoed off the hills in the distance as Eoghan did the same, making him feel even more jumpy.
Ari darted a glance around, turning in a circle as he tried to catch a glimpse of any movement at all. A second later, something big flew by him so fast, it would have been imperceptible if it weren’t for the breeze left in its wake. Before he even had a chance to grab a flashlight off his belt or turn his head to look, he felt cold breath on the other side of his body. He slowly turned to face his worst nightmare, spotting King John Townsend’s grinning mouth hovering inches from him. Several rows of razor-sharp teeth gleamed.
“Jesus Hairy Christ!” Ari shrieked, jumping backward and slamming into their vehicle as he fumbled with his gun, trying to raise it and barely getting it level with his hip before a big, strong hand caught his wrist.
“Stop, Marshal Brown,” Townsend said. “If I wanted to hurt you, I could have done it before now. I mean no harm. I promise.”
“Then stop that fast shit and put your goddamned fangs away,” Ari said shakily.
Townsend chuckled low in his chest and let go of his wrist as he retracted the rows of dagger-like teeth. “Sorry. I just love doing that.”
“Do you love seeing a man piss himself?” Ari asked, frowning as he reholstered the dart gun in its specially made holster.
“I am sorry. Truly.”
“Fucking asshole.” Ari blew out a long breath of relief as the king chuckled again.