“My mom cast protection spells on the condo when Rosalina bought it, and the complex has its own security, so you don’t need to worry about it.” I sat in front of my sandwich and started peeling off the plastic wrap, but my stomach flipped in weird ways, chasing the hunger away.
Jake sat across from me, resting his interlaced fingers in front of him. He had a new tattoo around his left biceps, an arrow that wrapped around, its tip and fletching almost meeting in the front. His other biceps sported a bursting sun, its rays spilling around his shoulder. I knew it well, had traced it with my finger many times as I drifted to sleep by his side.
He was very familiar with my first tattoo as well, a small nautical compass under my right breast. I’d gotten two new ones since he’d been gone, though. The word “tracking” with a lifeline at both ends, and the newest: an ornate heart with a crescent moon in the middle and an arrow going across both. The first was on my left forearm and the other under my collar bone.
“Protection charms are good,” he said, “but you can never be too careful. Bernadetta has all manner of witches and mages at her disposal. Some of the best, and after what happened at your office... well, I’ve been worried ever since.”
I opened the bag of chips and dumped them on the plate. I picked one and popped it in my mouth. It was salty and greasy and made me want another one. Those tricky bastards had it right, you couldn’t eat only one. I ate five more, trying to understand what the hell Jake was saying.
“You’re making no sense,” I said.
He frowned, his thick, dark eyebrows drawing together. I remembered one day I had offered to pluck a few of the stray hairs to make their shape perfect. He batted my hand away and told me they already were. He was right about that.
“I’m making no sense?” he echoed. “How is that?”
“Over a year ago you didn’t give a shit. Why should you care now?” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I clamped my lips together. I had promised myself to leave well enough alone, but damn it if I didn’t have a bone to pick with this man.
As always, he clammed up and looked as if he were biting his tongue not to give me a piece of his mind. I needed to stop harping on this. Jake hadn’t loved me—at least not the way he’d led me to believe. Or maybe I’ve been the fool who’d blown things out of proportion and scared him away.
He took a deep breath and met my gaze. “Whatever you may think of me, Toni, get this in your head. I do care. I’m not a cold-hearted bastard. I don’t want anything to happen to you or your friend.”
“I see.” I took a huge bite out of my sandwich. A piece of lettuce slid out from between the bread slices and flopped onto my face. Chin accessory. Great look! I picked it off, put it on the plate, and struggled to chew the doughy mess I’d stuffed inside my mouth. I sneaked in a bit of milk to help me along.
Jake raised an eyebrow, stole one of my potato chips, and ate it.
I swallowed audibly and had to drink more milk to clear the lump in my throat. I was so sick of dancing around this issue. If I could learn anything from this, it should be to speak honestly and without shame because trying to guess what the hell was on in this man’s mind was harder than learning sign language.
“Tell me something, Jake, and please be honest.”
“I’m always honest.” He spread both hands out and puffed his chest as if saying “look at all my honesty.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, afraid he was mocking me. “Are you ever going to tell me why you left?”
He released a heavy sigh and stood, the chair scraping against the floor behind him. “No,” he said plainly, then turned and walked back to the sofa.
I was on my feet, my impulses getting the best of me again. “You’re an asshole.”
He kept walking as if I hadn’t spoken, but I needed a reaction from him. Something. Anything. So I said the first thing that came to mind.
“I lied to you, Jake. There are so many things I never told you because I never trusted you all the way.”
He stopped, his silhouette freezing in the middle of the dark living room.
Satisfaction washed over me. Yeah, that’s right. I hope that hurts. I hope it makes you doubt everything we ever shared.
Without turning to look at me, he said, “I deserve all the resentment you feel toward me.”
I thought he would say more, but he just lay down on the sofa, becoming nothing but a big shadowy lump as he curled up to sleep.
Cursing under my breath, I took my food and went back to my room.
“Bastard!”
Tomorrow, he could go find someone else to “protect.” Rosalina and I didn’t need him. Now that I had tried and failed to find Stephen, those stupid kidnappers didn’t have to worry about me spoiling their fun anymore, and everything could go back to normal.
Chapter 25
When Rosalina and I woke up the next morning, Jake was gone. He had jotted a note and left it on the kitchen table.
Thank you, both.
A phone number followed.
“Very eloquent,” I said.
Rosalina looked sheepish. “Um, he insisted on staying the night.”
“I know. I got up to get something to eat and saw him. Thanks for the sandwich, by the way. It hit the spot.” I rubbed my stomach. “Also it means breakfast’s on me.”
While I cooked omelets and squeezed fresh orange juice, I told her about my conversation with Jake.
“Wuh, that’s intense,” she said, buttering a piece of toast. “Do you really think he’ll leave you alone now?”
“He’d better.”
“Well, one way or another, we need to get back to business, Triple T.”
“Triple T?”
“Yeah, Toni the Tiger or Toni the Tracker, either one works.”
I chuckled and drank some juice as Rosalina started ticking a list on her fingers.
“You need to find Celina’s mate ‘cause he won’t find himself. I need to get in touch with the insurance company to see what our claim status is on our laptops and damage. You need to take another trip to Pharowyn for potion ingredients. Also, I need to get a few potential customers back on the schedule. Do you think it’s safe going back to the office?”
“Since I’m a complete failure and can’t find Stephen, yes, I think so.”
“You’re not a failure. Maybe when it comes to men, but not tracking.”
“Gee, thanks for your support.”
“You’re welcome. What you do is not easy, nor is the price you pay for using your skill.”
I put my fork down and chewed slowly, thoughtfully.
Rosalina frowned at me. “What’s going through your mind?”
“I don’t know... just thinking about how weird it was... all the things I picked up during the trance. It was as if the people holding Stephen were expecting someone like me. I mean, every tracker’s different. Some are guided to the place, others come up with town names or street names, others use maps to figure out a general area. I’m sure there’s a thousand ways, some that wouldn’t make sense to anyone but the trackers themselves. Few know how my skill works, but whoever’s keeping Stephen, they’re covering all their bases. I saw nothing but darkness, Rosalina. There even was a smell that overpowered everything.”
“What about your hearing?”
I shook my head. “Just the constant hum of an engine. Like he was in a car or something.”
Rosalina’s perfect eyebrows rose. “That actually makes sense.”
“What do you mean?”
“The kidnappers know that Erickson’s gonna try to use trackers to find his son, so what if they’re not keeping him in one place? What if they drive him to different locations?”
I nodded, my thoughts quickly catching up with hers. “Better yet, what if they’re keeping him on the move all the time?”
“Yes, yes, YES! We’re geniuses!” Rosalina exclaimed.
“Not really. Should have figured it out right away. Duh!”
Rosali
na waved a hand in my direction. “Whatever.”
I fiddled with my hair, readjusting my ponytail. “We’re never gonna find him like that.”
“I don’t guess it’s any of our business anymore. Just tell Jake and Ulfen about it, and let’s get back to business.”
“You’re right.”
I tried to call Jake at the number he’d left on his note, but the call immediately went to voicemail. I left a message: “Jake, call me back when you get a chance.”
After that, I found Ulfen Erickson’s business card and dialed him. He answered on the first ring.
I cleared my throat. “Mr. Erickson, it’s Toni Sunder.”
There was a lot of noise on the other side, people arguing.
“Everybody shut the fuck up!” Ulfen yelled. As if he were God, and he’d just said “let there be silence,” there was. “I’m sorry, Ms. Sunder. Please, tell me, did you find Stephen?”
Ulfen’s voice was high-pitched and urgent. I could tell he was trying to rein in his stress, but it bled through the speaker all the same. Wherever he was, he seemed to be dealing with a lot, and maybe he was hoping my call would temper the chaos. Too bad I didn’t have good news.
“No, I didn’t.”
“Fuck!” he shouted in a booming voice that seemed to explode out of my telephone.
I shuddered on my end of the line. His anger was almost palpable as if he were standing next to me.
“Everything all right?” Rosalina mouthed.
I grimaced and gave a shrug.
“I’m sorry,” Ulfen apologized again. “It’s just... you were my last hope.”
I could understand his desperation. Stephen only had two more days to live.
“I’m not sure if this will help,” I said, “but I don’t think they’re keeping Stephen in one place. I think... they might be keeping him mobile, like in a vehicle of some kind.”
There was silence for a moment. “That... that kind of makes sense. That would explain why the two trackers I hired couldn’t pinpoint a location. Any idea what kind of vehicle?”
“I’m sorry, no.” Stephen was on his own, and I felt responsible. I had failed him.
“Anything else you can tell me that could help me find my son? Anything at all.”
“I’m afraid not. That’s all I’ve got. I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”
“Thank you for trying.”
I never thought I would feel sorry for Ulfen Erickson, but there it was. No one deserved what he was going through—not even a major asshole like him.
WHILE I GOT READY TO go back to the office, a dark cloud seemed to hang over me. I kept seeing Stephen, his handsome face and open smile, his self-assured demeanor and straight-forward way, his severed finger. He didn’t deserve this. I should have tried harder. What if I’d missed something?
When we got on our way, I felt glad to have work that would keep my mind from whirring like a clock on steroids. I drove my Camaro, and we made it to the office in fifteen minutes. We approached cautiously, peeking through the glass window. Everything appeared to be just as we’d left it the last time we’d been here.
“What do you think? Will you feel safe by yourself?” I asked Rosalina.
“Yeah.” She nodded, glancing around, hands on her hips. “It’s daytime. There are people around.”
She gestured down the sidewalk at a couple walking arm in arm. A chocolate lab bounded in front of them, stretching its leash. It was a beautiful spring day, and there would be lots of people out and about, getting coffee, ice cream, and pizza.
“Okay, I’ll head out to the Basilica to scout for Celina’s mate. I feel pretty confident I’ll find him.”
“That’s the attitude.”
I walked back to the car. The beautiful day had put a much-needed spring in my step. The air was crisp, the sun was shining, and I had someone to make happy today. Celina wouldn’t have to worry about that buttwipe who broke her heart anymore. Once I found Mr. Morelli, and he melted into a puddle at her feet, her checkbook would cha-ching Rosalina and me straight into tracking stardom—not to mention I would have enough money for my condo’s down payment.
The day called for driving with the top down. It felt amazing and reminded me of how much I missed driving, especially this car. My hair flew about, and the sun sparkled on the hood and bounced off my sunglasses. I even splurged on a Venti caramel frappuccino at a drive-through, and by the time I parked and walked toward the Basilica, I felt almost back to normal. And the best part... I was doing great keeping both Jake and Stephen out of my mind, and ignoring the heavy weight of guilt on my back.
Slurping my drink, I walked down Lindell Blvd, assessing the area. Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis lay to my right. The church was a beautiful structure of symmetrical design with a cupola in the middle and towers on either side. Two sets of wide steps led up to its elaborate stone, three-arch entrance.
The boulevard was pretty, with an ample, tree-lined sidewalk. Several tall apartment buildings, a high school, and a few office buildings surrounded the church. Celina’s mate could be in any of those places. He might live in one of the units. He might be a teacher at the high school. Or maybe he was a lawyer or accountant at one of the office buildings. The possibilities were endless.
I enjoyed this part of tracking. It was easy, and I got to use all my senses. It could be time-consuming, but it relaxed me. Plus I liked people watching. If it ever became an Olympic sport, I would win a gold medal... or two.
Spotting a cement bench, I sat and prepared for my stakeout. I had snacks in my shoulder pack, a book in case I got bored, a few games on my phone, and a pad to jot down notes if needed.
I’d been sitting there ten minutes when the church bells started to toll. I counted and inhaled deeply, taking in all the scents that surrounded me. Mostly it was flowers, mulch, and pine straw. The area had fantastic curb appeal.
The sidewalks were fairly busy for the time of day. People walked up and down, going in and out of different buildings. Every time someone walked in front of me, my nose twitched as I took in their scent. A few of them gave me distrustful glances, probably thinking I had an overactive nose syndrome or something, but I was used to it.
In high school, a guy I refused to kiss because he always had cantaloupe breath—I hate melons in general—nicknamed me Slutty Bunny. He told everyone I was a lousy kisser, who wouldn’t stop twitching her nose while ramming my tongue down his throat. Gratefully, the nickname didn’t stick for more than a few weeks.
Five guys in suits, two of them quite good-looking, passed by, carrying briefcases and walking at a clipped pace. None of them had the scent I’d locked on during the trance. A group of kids in plaid uniforms sauntered down the sidewalk. I caught the scent of an array of perfumes from the girls, and weed and BO from the boys. Seriously, if they could afford a fancy high school, they could afford deodorant. Ew.
A strange, but pleasant scent hit me next. My eyes snapped toward its source. A Fae male dressed in supple leather pants, boots, and no shirt strolled by with the grace of a dancer. I blinked up at his matching yellow hair and eyes. His features were delicate and extremely beautiful. His ears were pointed, sticking through strands of straight hair. A rare sight to say the least. Fae preferred to stick to Elf-hame and were rarely seen in our neck of the woods. Maybe he needed an accountant to keep track of his gold. I snickered.
An hour later, I’d started to get restless, thinking about Rosalina, alone at the office, Stephen, Jake, and Tom, who was still at the hospital.
With a sigh, I dialed the agency. Rosalina answered right away and reassured me everything was okay. After that, I called the hospital to ask about Tom’s condition, but they wouldn’t give me any information because of stupid privacy regulations. I would have to go and find out personally.
I cursed under my breath, trying to refocus on my job. Normally, I could sit watching people for hours, but my mind kept wandering off. To help me pay better attention, I started playing a
game I enjoyed: guessing strangers’ names, what they did, and where they worked.
For instance, the guy a few yards down the sidewalk... the one sweeping the church steps with his back to me. He wore all black—slacks and shirt—and had a cloud of dust around him that made my nose triple twitch. I pinched it to avoid sneezing and kept watching him. I got the feeling, judging by his clothes, that sweeping wasn’t his job, and maybe he had taken to the task as an excuse to be outside on this beautiful day. Unless I was way off, and he was some sort of emo janitor who went by the name of Thorn and wore heavy eyeliner.
The guy stamped his broom against the ground, set it aside, and walked away from the little pile of debris he’d gathered. Placing his hands on his hips, he faced the church and glanced up at its emerald-green cupola. He wore a proud smile on his face. He was about thirty-five, handsome, tall, and clean-shaven with perfectly trimmed hair. And he was wearing a clerical collar.
Ah, so not an emo janitor, but a priest who was very proud of his place of worship.
As the cloud of dust around him dissipated, and the wind blew in my direction from the church, the scent I’d been searching for suddenly hit me.
Shit!
No, it couldn’t be. Why did my luck have to suck balls?! Celina’s mate was a priest. Now what?
Chapter 26
Not good. Not good at all. I picked up the phone and dialed Rosalina.
“He’s a priest,” I said, a bit hysterically. What were the odds?
“Huh? Who’s a priest?”
“Celina’s mate.”
Rosalina gasped. “Shit!”
“Exactly.”
“Um, what do we do?” she asked.
“I don’t know. That’s why I’m calling. I can’t pull a man away from his calling to serve the Lord. I just can’t. It’s all kinds of screwed up.”
“But... they’re mates. Once he meets her, he’ll be too busy slobbering all over his hot lady to remember his calling. Right?”
I stood and started pacing in front of the bench. “Maybe.”
The Tracker's Mate: Sunderverse (Mate Tracker Book 1) Page 13