by Liz de Jager
‘I considered it. I asked a friend of mine from my army days to look into it . . . but, well, I think the Garretts are uniquely placed to take the Glow case for us.’
‘Why?’ I sigh. ‘No, I mean, really, explain it to me. Why was it given to them to look into?’
‘Werewolves can’t get drunk easily and they can’t get high, their metabolism is too fast and they have natural immunity to a variety of poisons that can be fatal to both humans and Fae. That was one of the reasons I approached the pack. The other reason is that Aiden already has ties to one of the largest crime families operating in the UK today.’
I frown. ‘You mean Leo?’
There’s another pause on the transatlantic line and for a second I worry that we’ve been cut off, but then he speaks again. ‘Yes, Leo – whose dad is not the quiet businessman who owns a few nightclubs around town like he’d have you believe.’
I exhale raggedly before grudgingly admitting, ‘Okay, well. That makes sense, I suppose. But Aiden’s still being an idiot and trying to manage me.’
There’s a smothered snort. ‘Kit, you came into the family as this perfect package of independence and strong will. I know you’re not impressed with me or with Aiden but I’ve asked the young wolf to keep an eye on you because I don’t trust the Spook. You, I trust completely.’
‘I’m not sure that Aiden got that message.’
He belly laughs his Uncle Andrew laugh of amusement and it makes me smile, even if anger is still plucking at me like an insistent plucking thing. ‘Aiden likes hearing subtext.’
‘Can you tell him to back off? He’s gone all protective wolf on me and I really don’t like it. If we fall out it’s going to be ugly and it won’t sit well with the Garretts. I don’t want to be the cause if the two families get fighting. I’m doing fine working with Dante.’
‘Let me see what I can do. You must know that Aiden cares about you, deeply. That boy doesn’t give his loyalty easily.’ He sighs and I hear the puff of an exhale. ‘He’s made you part of his pack, Kit, so bear that in mind.’
‘But I’m not part of his pack, Uncle Andrew. I’m his friend – there’s a huge difference. Vast!’ I’m relieved he can’t see me gesturing wildly as I stand on the corner but then there are CCTV cameras everywhere and maybe he can see me after all.
‘Why is it so difficult for you to accept that people care about you, Kit?’
The question takes me off-guard and I stare at a mum attempting to wedge her squirming toddler into a buggy as I try to come up with an answer.
‘I’d rather just . . . you know, not get involved with people too much, Uncle Andrew. It doesn’t work out well for me or them.’
‘Oh, Kit, you can’t cut yourself off from friends and family. It’s no way to live your life.’
I sigh and look over my shoulder. Dante’s making his way towards me, his hands stuffed into his jacket pockets and he’s carrying my scarf. He looks cold and miserable and I almost feel sorry for him. But not quite.
‘I have to go now, Uncle Andrew. Please talk to Aiden and tell him to give me some space. I’m trying to work a case. I’ll respect the fact that he’ll be working with Shaun to solve the Glow crimes.’
I hang up and walk towards Dante, blocking his path. Instead of handing me my scarf he drapes it around my neck. His smile is a little rueful and apologetic.
‘I screwed up, didn’t I?’ His voice is as miserable as he looks.
‘You did. Why didn’t you just come and collect me like you said you would?’
He sighs and hunches his shoulders. ‘I don’t know, I thought it would be a good idea to treat you to a homemade breakfast for a change.’
‘You knew my family would freak out.’ Subtext: you knew I’d freak out.
‘I didn’t even think about that. I’m sorry.’
Briefly he looks really young and genuinely sorry, but I resolve not to go all mushy because he’s giving me piteously cute puppy eyes. I square my shoulders and start back along the street.
‘I need my bag. We’ve got a lot of work to catch up on.’
‘Aiden—’ He stops when I hold my hand up to stop him from talking.
‘No. Nothing about Aiden. If you guys want to hang out, that’s fine by me, but just don’t include me in your burgeoning bromance. I’m not interested.’
Dante blinks at me and I wonder why he would look that alarmed by what I’d just said, but then he shakes his head.
‘I was going to say that Aiden said to tell you he’s sorry. His dad called just after you left. Apparently he needs him to run errands. Don’t any of you go to school, at all?’
I scowl up at him. ‘This again? Why are you so obsessed about school? Do you think me knowing how to put together a business plan will help me fight monsters? The stuff I’m training in with my tutor is what’s going to keep me alive.’
‘Have you ever been to normal school? Like an average kid?’
‘I’ve been to schools, but not like an average kid. I travelled around Europe with my nan and we stayed all over. We spent a summer in China and wintered in Japan.’
Dante whistles softly and shakes his head. ‘That explains a lot.’
I stop walking and narrow my eyes at him. ‘What. Does. That. Even. Mean.’
‘Just that you’re obviously not the girl your family thinks you are. That I thought you were.’ He takes a deep breath. ‘I look at you, Kit, and I see an attractive girl getting into fights with drug dealers and who beats up monsters. I’m in awe. Your family sees you as the girl they took in when your nan died. Even though Kyle is younger than you, you are the baby, the one to watch at all times because you’re the newcomer. They will always worry about you.’ He watches me carefully to see how I’m reacting. ‘They forget who your grandmother was. That she raised a girl who is very pragmatic, a bit volatile, a bit impatient, a young woman who knows her mind and who is quite capable of taking care of herself.’
Well now, what do you say to that? I turn around and start walking again. Dante falls in beside me.
‘I’m being a diva, aren’t I?’
‘Just a tiny bit, but I can understand why. All the attention they focus on you would drive me crazy. Especially Aiden. He’s very intense.’
I wonder at the catch in his voice but he shivers unexpectedly and pulls his collar up as we stride along.
‘Aiden’s complicated. Yes, he is intense and he forgets that not everyone feels things as keenly as he does. It took me a while to get used to it, but sometimes, like today, he’s just a real idiot. Apparently it’s a wolf thing. Once he focuses on something he just doesn’t let up.’
‘And you’re sure he’s not in love with you?’
I laugh and shake my head as I open our gate. ‘No. Definitely not. I’m not Aiden’s type. You are, though.’ It’s a throwaway comment that makes Dante squeak in protest whilst I reach for my keys. Before I can unlock the front door, though, Kyle pulls it open and I stumble into him. His hair’s mussed and he looks paler than when I left half an hour ago.
‘It’s on the news. A little girl’s been taken from the estate in Brixton. It happened last night.’ He hands me printouts of the online newspaper reports and I follow him back into the house.
I skim-read the articles and pass them on to Dante.
‘Why haven’t Diane or Chem called us?’ Dante edges past me to sit on one of the couches in the living room so he can read the articles. He looks through them quickly and drops them on the coffee table. ‘This is unbelievable. I can’t believe it’s happened again.’
I pull my phone out and find Diane’s number. ‘I’m phoning Diane, I’ve got to see what’s going on.’
The phone rings once before Diane answers. ‘I just found out myself,’ she says without even bothering to say hello. ‘I’m on my way to school. Chem’s over there trying to find out more.’
‘Why didn’t he call me?’
‘His mum confiscated his phone when he stayed out late the other night.’
>
I sigh, thankful that the only person whining about my nocturnal behaviour is my cousin.
‘We’re on our way. Does it look bad?’
‘Yeah, there are cops everywhere and I’m going to be late for school because they’re questioning everyone.’
I wish her luck and hang up. Kyle reappears next to me and hands me my messenger bag and the small compact camera.
‘Get photos this time,’ he tells me. ‘Of everything. The whole flat if you can, including the little girl’s bedroom.’
I nod and drop the camera into my bag. ‘Anything else?’
‘Be careful. And talk to Aiden.’
I roll my eyes and give him a quick hug before dragging Dante out the door to his car.
Chapter Thirty
During the rush-hour drive to Brixton, I update Dante on my research at Aunt Letty’s and promise to show him my notes. The villains of our piece don’t seem clear at all, not until we can get a decent lead, and I feel panic thrumming through me at the thought of another little child taken from the estate.
We park a couple of blocks away and watch the army of police and onlookers mill about.
‘How do we get in?’ I ask Dante.
‘I’m a Spook, remember? My ID should get us in.’
‘Wow. Not just a snappy dresser then?’
‘Funny. For a youngling. Get out of my car before I lock you in.’
Outside, the air is blade sharp and clear and my breath plumes. I tie my scarf tighter and dip my fingers into my jacket pockets.
‘Are you carrying weapons?’ he asks me, as we make our way across the badly kept lawn to where a young police officer is keeping the nosy public at bay.
‘Of course.’
I think he sighs but we’re in front of the cop by then; he’s spotted us picking our way between the crowd of onlookers and Dante can’t ask me what I’m carrying.
‘Can I help you folks?’ He’s got his name sewn on his breast pocket. PC Osborne looks maybe a week older than Dante but there’s an authority his uniform lends him that Dante’s casual attire doesn’t quite pull off.
‘I’m with the SDI,’ Dante says and shows him the ID from his wallet. ‘Dante Alexander. My partner, Kit Blackhart. Can you tell us what happened here?’
Osborne looks from Dante to me, then back to Dante, clearly not sure how to handle this. I can see him mentally going through the alphabet of organizations that work with the police in his head. Eventually, after a few seconds, he realizes who Dante represents and he draws himself up to his full height.
‘You guys hunt ghosts, right?’ he says and instead of any kind of derision there is definite interest in his voice. ‘Do you think there’s some kind of woo-woo going on here?’
I bite my lips so as not to laugh but it’s difficult because he asks the question without guile, complete with big eyes. I like the guy – I can’t help myself.
‘What’s going on here then, constable?’ a female voice asks and we all turn to watch a woman walk towards us. She’s dressed in a pair of khaki jeans, hiking boots and a warm-looking peajacket. She looks the business and I can’t help but admire her outfit. My kind of lady, dressing sensibly. The boots look as if they can kick up a storm.
‘Detective, these two are from the Gho—, I mean, from the SDI. Dante Alexander and Kit Blackhart.’
The detective narrows her dark gaze at us, taking in Dante before swinging back to me. ‘Blackhart? Do you know someone called Jamie Blackhart?’
Alarm rushes through me but I nod my head. ‘He’s my uncle,’ I reply, putting on my most winning smile. ‘He’s not in trouble, is he?’
‘No. But when you speak to him again, tell him to collect the motorcycle jacket that he left at my office, along with some of his files.’ She holds out an elegant hand with long tapering fingers and neatly trimmed nails. ‘I’m Detective Shen.’ She shakes both our hands. ‘Now, what are a Blackhart and an agent from the SDI doing at what appears to be an utterly normal crime scene?’
‘We are investigating other children who’ve disappeared from this estate,’ Dante says, edging us away from PC Osborne and his eager expression. ‘We heard another little girl’s been taken and so we came straight over.’
‘When you say “investigating”, are you implying that there’s something supernatural going on here?’
‘We think so,’ I reply, watching the constable ushering other interested people back. ‘We need to get inside the flat, to look around. I think we know what to look for.’
Detective Shen’s dark eyes rest on my face for a few seconds. ‘I’m not sure how I feel about this,’ she says. ‘You’re too young to be part of any kind of investigation. And you?’ She nods at Dante. ‘What’s going on at the SDI that they’re sending out people who look like they’ve just finished college? Don’t you have a senior agent?’
Dante shifts uncomfortably under the barrage of questions. ‘I can give you my senior officer’s details, detective. I’m sure he’ll be able to explain his reasoning to you as to why I’m out here “by myself”.’
I’m surprised by his tone but keep my expression neutral and interested. My mind is racing. If Detective Shen knows Jamie (and she clearly does), it makes me wonder how many cops know about the Blackharts and what we do. They obviously know about the Spook Squad and even have their own nickname for them – the Ghost-something. The thought makes me feel a bit relieved but I’m not sure what to make of Shen. Is she a believer? Does she know monsters are real and that some might be only occasionally human?
‘I think that might be a good idea.’ Her smile is cutting as she turns to look over her shoulder. ‘We can’t have just anyone running around our crime scene.’
Dante takes his business card out and writes his senior officer’s information on the back. Shen takes it from him and immediately dials the number, walking away from us so that she can speak privately.
‘I like her,’ I tell Dante. ‘She’s badass.’
‘She certainly has a presence.’ He hunches his shoulders, the same way he did earlier this morning, and I realize he’s not wearing a warm coat, just his leather jacket and a T-shirt underneath. There’s not much to the leather jacket, no matter how well it’s cut to fit his lean frame.
‘You should invest in a coat,’ I tell him, sounding like a mum. ‘It’s this new thing that keeps you from shivering to death.’
‘I’m not shivering. I’m shaking with anticipation.’ He grins. ‘Besides, real men don’t wear coats. Just look at Aiden.’
I sigh. ‘Aiden is dumb. He’s also a werewolf and he’s never ever cold.’
‘So I’ve spoken to your Captain Francis and he’s said to let you in and make sure you get what you need.’ Shen doesn’t look too happy as she walks back towards us. ‘He said he’d clear it with my CO, so, congratulations little Spook: you get to play with the big boys now.’
I feel an unexpected flare of anger from Dante at her words and take a surprised sidestep away from the almost visible electricity that’s just come from him. He seems oblivious to it and watches Shen carefully, his expression the unfriendliest I’ve ever seen it.
‘Thank you.’ His smile is as cutting as her tone and as falsely grateful. ‘For your professionalism, Detective Shen.’
She lets the sarcasm flow over her and jerks her chin at us, a silent invitation to follow. She brushes past Osborne, who looks like a kicked puppy in her wake. I offer him a shrug in apology and hurry to keep up with both Shen and Dante, wondering what exactly it is that I’m missing here and why Dante’s acting like a brat. If it’s because she referred to him in the diminutive and called him young, he has to know that he does the same thing to me, mentioning it practically every time we meet up. Fair is fair.
She leads us into the second building and up four flights of a graffitied stairs. There are police everywhere, stationed up the stairwell, blocking exits. Shen pushes open the door to the fourth floor and holds up a calming hand as an officer rounds on us, getting ready
to ask us our business.
‘They’re with me,’ she says and the young woman steps aside to let us pass.
The layout here is different to the block we visited where Adam and Scott lived. The external walkway is long and narrow, with the flats on one side and a lowish wall looking out over the estate on the other. This is topped with high railings to prevent people from falling down or being pushed off. There are too many people standing around, watching the uniformed officers, who in turn are watching the forensic investigation unit check the flat over.
‘This looks like they’re taking it seriously,’ I mutter to Dante. ‘There already seems to be more action here than at any of the other disappearances.’
He nods. ‘I wonder why?’
Shen halts at the open doorway to the flat and passes back cloth booties, gloves and facemasks for us to put on. ‘Don’t touch anything, don’t step on anything,’ she says, watching us over her mask. ‘If I find out you’ve somehow interfered with what we’re doing here, I will make sure you’re never allowed on any crime scene in the future. Clear?’
‘Crystal.’
I have trouble with my booties as my shoes are too bulky. Dante sighs dramatically and goes down on one knee to help me before I fall over on my face. I steady myself by gripping his shoulder and when I look up I see Chem. He’s standing with a group of teenagers in the doorway of the adjoining flat.
He widens his eyes at me and I shrug. The group that’s with him is of a mixture of ages and most look ready to head off to school. I think I recognize some from the other night. Yes, the boy with the yellow eyes is there and he leans in to say something to Chem. Chem taps his watch, flashing me ten fingers, then pointing downstairs.
If my deductions are correct, he wants us to meet him downstairs at ten. I nod and turn back as Dante straightens.
‘There, you’re sorted.’
‘Thanks. Next time I’ll wear boots with less tread on them.’
I turn to follow Shen into the flat and walk straight into a wall. I bounce back, letting out a yelp of shock and stumble into Dante, who manages to not trample me.