by Tricia Owens
“How did you get in here?” asked the man in the doorway. His suit was rumpled, the shirt beneath it wrinkled. A thousand stresses seemed to congregate around his eyes.
“It doesn’t matter how I got here,” Sheridan told him with a smile. “I’d like to speak with you about Mrs. St. Marx.”
The man blanched and Sheridan thought he might run. Instead, he carefully pulled the door shut behind him, enclosing them in the room with Arrow’s sleeping grandmother.
“Please don’t hurt anyone,” he said softly, his voice ragged around the edges.
Sheridan studied him closely and frowned. “Has something happened?”
He barked out a strained laugh. “You could say that. One of—one of your friends was here. She electrocuted my nurse.”
Sheridan fisted her hand, out of view of the man. “I’m very sorry to hear that. Is your nurse—?”
“I was able to revive her.” His relief nearly overwhelmed him, even in the telling. “But she was dead. For several seconds…she was dead.” The grief cleared from his eyes and he stood straighter. “That’s not happening again.”
She appreciated his courage after an obviously horrific encounter with Calia. Sheridan had little doubt that the Electro-Magnetist had been the one to pay Dandelion a visit.
“You have nothing to fear from me. My name is Sheridan. You’re Director Endicott, is that right?”
He nodded warily, still pinched with fear and a desperate bravery.
“Director, I’m a friend of Arrow’s. I’ve come to check on the well-being of her grandmother. I have to ask—did the woman who was here…did she do anything to Mrs. St. Marx?”
It was her turn to feel relief as the director shook his head. “She only wanted to know why Elise was here and what her connection was to Arrow. I told her the bare minimum that I could get away with.”
“Did you tell this woman who Elise really is?”
“I’m afraid so, yes. I was forced to reveal her identity as a former freedom fighter.”
Sheridan kept her reaction to that bit of news to herself, but she wasn’t pleased. Calia having that knowledge could only spell trouble in the future. But the cat was out of the bag, so the best Sheridan could do was damage control.
“It’s alright, Director. You did what you had to. I understand completely. I would like to make a request of my own, however.”
“Why should I trust you?”
Sheridan spread her hands. “At the moment, I can give you no other assurances except that I could have hurt Mrs. St. Marx had I truly wanted to. I’ve been in this room for nearly four minutes. Ever since your nurse’s last check-in with Mrs. St. Marx. I’ve had the time, but not the inclination, to hurt her.”
He nodded slowly. “What do you want?”
“Has Mrs. St. Marx shown any recent lucidity? Has she spoken of regaining her memories?”
His smile was wry and pained. “She’s been projecting, yes, because of infrequent dosing of her suppressant. Arrow has promised me she’ll have the money for that soon.”
“She will. That won’t be a problem. However, I need to request that when you do begin administering the suppressant again that you not use the full amount.”
She expected the director to balk, but something changed subtly in his demeanor.
“Are you like Arrow?”
The enigmatic question could have meant anything, but Sheridan thought she understood.
“I’m fighting alongside her, yes.”
Endicott’s shoulders eased slightly. “Why do you want Elise to remember? Isn’t that dangerous?”
“It will be for some.” Sheridan smiled pleasantly. “Not for those fighting for the truth.”
He stared at her for a long moment, undoubtedly weighing the danger to him, to his staff, and to his patients. At last, he said, “Alright. I want the truth to come out. I’ll see that it’s done.”
“Thank you, I—”
“In return, I want you to make sure that other woman doesn’t come back.” Fury hardened Endicott’s soft face.
Sheridan considered what Tower had directed her to do in this situation and how she could choose to interpret it. Ensure that the grandmother is safe and that we can learn from her, was all that Tower had told her. Sheridan could work with that. After all, Endicott hadn’t asked for a promise.
“Yes, Director Endicott. I’ll do everything in my power to keep her away from here.” She smiled again. “It will be my pleasure.”
She left the bed. He backed away from the door, still not fully trusting her. Sheridan didn’t take offense as she reached for the door herself, but then paused with it open to hand him her business card.
“The Sinistera Hotel?” he asked as he looked at the card. “But, isn’t that…for criminals?”
“You’ll find that the hotel staff is very accommodating. We go above and beyond to ensure that the needs of the public are met.”
“What needs?”
“Have a nice day, Director.”
“But I don’t understand!”
And you won’t, Sheridan thought as she walked down the hallway, away from him. Not until we win this new war.
Read Vertigo Vampire, book 2 of The Specials.
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Acknowledgments
Many thanks to Samantha Ashpaugh, Suzanne Morrell, Laurena Dudding, and Dana Kincaid for betareading on short notice. Biggest thanks of all, of course, go to the lil’ Mama.
About the Author
Tricia Owens has worked as a casino dealer in Las Vegas and as an editor on a cruise ship that sails around the world. Having visited more than 80 countries, she’s content (for the moment) to relax in Sin City.
Table of Contents
Demon Leap
Tricia Owens
Glossary of Terms
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Epilogue