Page 54 of Fire Dancer

She nodded slowly. “Not my thing, but some people like to carry around a little of their true love’s blood.”

I grimaced. “Seriously?”

She crossed her arms again, but not in defiance. More like hugging herself. “Yep. Totally gross, if you ask me.”

“And these are what Stacy was picking up?” I asked. “Every time?”

“Yes. Fifty. Every week, more or less.”

My mind spun. Fifty vials meant twenty-five couples. What use did Jananovich have for that?

“Half a shot glass…” Pippa murmured. “Vampires…”

I cocked my head, letting her think.

“Vampire couples?” she mused.

I couldn’t make sense of it either, but I was definitely on red alert.

“When was the last time you saw Stacy?” I asked.

Pippa’s lips wobbled. “Yesterday. No, wait. The day before.”

“Did she say anything about picking up this order?”

“Indirectly. She’s always been the one who picks up the order. Always.”

“Did she say anything else?”

“Nothing specific. But she did look nervous.”

She stared at me, then rummaged in her bag for her phone. I watched as she pressed a few buttons, waited, then spoke into voice mail.

“Hi, Stacy. It’s Pippa. I was just—”

I made a cutting motion in the air, prepared to grab the phone out of her hand.

Pippa stared, then caught on. Stacy might not be the only person who heard those messages.

Pippa gulped and considered her words before finishing. “I’m just calling to say I hope you’re happy with the latest order. Please let me know when you have a chance, okay? Thank you.” Then she paused again, stuck. “I’ll… I’ll see you soon, I hope.”

She hung up, staring at me with wide, pleading eyes. Then she turned briskly to the workshop, as if she didn’t want an answer to her unspoken question.

“I’m sure everything is fine…”

I wasn’t so sure. I hoped she’d see Stacy soon too. But my gut feared the worst.

“Damn,” Pippa cursed, catching a glimpse of the clock. “I have to get going.”

Right, the catering job. I watched her race around, closing the shop down, but my mind was elsewhere. Pippa’s too, no doubt.

Twenty minutes later, Pippa hustled me out the back door and locked it behind us.

“See you soon?” she said when I’d walked her to her car.

I frowned at the echo of her message to Stacy. I took her hands and squeezed.

“Be careful. I mean it,” I said before she could protest. “The moment anything feels off, call me.” I shook her hands a little. “Promise, okay?”