Cross Keys

by Ally Shields

  Her shoulders slumped, and she sighed. No, she could not. All he had to do was deny it. It would be her word against his, and she would look like a fool or worse for making an unsupported accusation. King Seliwyn hated the feud between his two major houses. Would he see her claim as just another example of that animosity?

  She picked up the pen again, tapping it against the desk. Finally she began to write, addressing the memo to Captain Brunic, instead of the king. Just the facts. If Brunic felt Seliwyn should know, he was free to share it. She finished the note and sent it off.

  Kam checked the clock on her office wall. She’d been keeping an eye on the time since her father’s early morning missive had caused a slight change in her plans for the day. She’d intended to make inquiries about Seth Lormarc and his company, but now it seemed she’d be gathering first hand information. Her father’s message had asked her to attend an arbitration meeting to settle a dispute between the Ryndel and Lormarc guild masters. It was scheduled at the Lormarc office building for eleven o’clock that morning.

  She looked down and smoothed a crease in her outfit. She’d dressed for the occasion in a professional black skirt topped by a crisp white shirt and a dark red blazer. The matching red heels added a little fashion to the business attire. There was more than one way to prepare for a potential confrontation.

  She wondered if Seth Lormarc would be around. He didn’t seem the business type. More likely she’d see his cousin Rhyden, if any of their upper level family appeared at something as ordinary as an arbitration.

  At 10:40 she locked her office and walked the four blocks to the Lormarc Building, not an easy thing to do in spike heels on New Orleans’ uneven sidewalks. She looked up at the six story high rise with huge glass windows. It was impressive. Once inside, Kam gave her name to a first floor receptionist, who directed her to a private elevator. Lormarc Enterprises was on the top two floors. Naturally.

  The elevator door slid silently open, and she stepped out. The first person she saw was Seth Lormarc. Penetrating eyes, windswept black hair, sensual, even in a stylish business suit. Today, he looked like a man that would never consider wearing jeans and sweats or running around the city’s courtyards and back streets. How deceiving looks could be.

  “Why Ms. Ryndel, I didn’t realize you would be coming today. Are you representing your father at the arbitration?”

  Suave, soft spoken, oozing confidence. He made her blood tingle. She had to remind herself he was a liar…and a Lormarc. She gave an abrupt nod.

  “If you’ll come this way, I’ll show you to the conference room. I think you’re the last to arrive.”

  She was five minutes early, but his tone seemed to imply she had kept everyone waiting. Was he being deliberately irritating? “Thank you.” She spoke stiffly, raising her chin, but refusing to acknowledge the dig. “I have a busy day, so I hope this doesn’t take long.”

  “Not too long, I hope.” The swift glance he gave held a hint of amusement. “I believe the facts will clear up any misunderstanding.” He waved his hand toward the hallway, indicating she should proceed him.

  “After you,” she insisted.

  He turned away but not before she saw the grin this time. What was he finding so humorous? She frowned at his back. The elegant offices, his business-like manner, it was all rather daunting. The moment the thought popped into her head, Kam squared her shoulders. It would be a cold day in Hades before a Lormarc could intimidate a Ryndel. She followed him, her red heels clicking sharply on the tile floor.

  The next hour was tremendously boring from a business standpoint, and uncomfortable for her on a personal level. The guild masters argued back and forth before the arbitrator. The dispute had been brought by Lormarc, claiming the Ryndel Guild had unfairly solicited a silver buyer. Although Lormarc had the primary control of the government’s silver exports, other guilds were allowed to find their own private buyers, and Ryndel had been dealing with the Amsterdam company for forty years. The Lormarc claims seemed frivolous to her, and she lost interest after the first few minutes of arguments.

  The uncomfortable part came from sitting across the conference table from Seth Lormarc, who alternately ignored her or studied her with those keen eyes. She’d tried to pay no attention, but it was hard when there was little else to do, and he made his moments of scrutiny so obvious. For the last thirty minutes she’d wanted nothing more than to get out of there.

  Shifting her shoulders for the umpteenth time, she finally interrupted what had deteriorated to repetitive accusations by both sides. “I think this has gone on long enough. Lormarc clearly has no evidence of any illegal business practice by our guild.”

  The arbitrator’s face flushed with agitation. “Ms. Ryndel, I realize you are new to these proceedings, but you are not allowed to comment until we have reached our conclusion. Please be patient.”

  “I have been patient. It’s time someone made a decision.”

  “If I make an early ruling, you might not like it.” As if his scowl hadn’t made his meaning clear, the arbitrator added, “Your interference does not reflect well on Ryndel’s intentions in this matter.”

  Taken aback by his attitude, Kam hesitated. She didn’t want to do anything to harm her father’s business, but this haggling had gotten pointless. No wonder she hated business matters.

  An unexpected voice spoke in her support. “I agree with Ms. Ryndel. Now that I’ve heard the entire history, I believe the buyer is a genuine client of her guild.” Seth’s eyes met hers. “I am withdrawing our complaint.”

  Kam choked off a nervous laugh, turning it into a cough. She kept her expression bland and resisted an irrational urge to argue with him. Why did he constantly throw her off her stride? Who knew he could show enough common sense to agree with her?

  The arbitrator glared at them both but dismissed the case. Kam gathered her documents and walked out the door. She had almost reached the elevator when a familiar voice spoke from right behind her.

  “You’re welcome.”

  She turned and narrowed her eyes at him. “You expect me to thank you for withdrawing a complaint that should never have been filed? You have a strange way of doing business, Mr. Lormarc.”

  “Seth. You called me Seth last night.”

  She turned her back on him as the elevator dinged. She got on, but he stepped in beside her, and they stood side by side, facing the door as it closed.

  “On the surface it seemed a questionable transaction.” He didn’t look at her.

  “That is your justification for this…this huge waste of time?” She too spoke to the door.

  “I’m not sure my time was wasted. You’re here, talking to me.” He reached over and turned a key, stopping the elevator, and dropped the key in his pocket.

  “What are you doing?” Kam took a step back, narrowing her eyes.

  He turned to look at her. “It occurred to me that we really didn’t settle anything last night. I still want to know about the elf in the courtyard and the men who shot him.”

  Kam glared at him and bit off her words. “You’re the one with all the answers. I can’t imagine what you think I could tell you—even if I wanted to—which I don’t. Now start this elevator. I want to leave.”

  He ignored her demand. “Let’s start with an easier question. Why were you there?”

  She drew in a deep breath. “I was shopping.”

  “In an empty courtyard?” His voice was dry.

  “I was taking a short cut to the next street.”

  “Naturally. And you were running because you thought you’d miss a sale?” His words dripped with sarcasm.

  “I was in a hurry.”

  Only part of Kam’s attention was on their conversation. She’d been assessing the elevator. There was probably an access panel in the ceiling. Would it give if she made the jump? She’d hate to knock herself out in front of this self-righteous jerk. The damn skirt was a problem, but that couldn’t be helped. It wouldn’t be the most ladylike exit.


  Without warning, she sprang upwards, knocked the access panel out, and wound her arms around a cable. Seth reacted quickly by grabbing her ankle, but she struck his arm with the pointed toe of her other shoe and his hand slipped downward. She yanked her foot free, climbing into the elevator shaft above.

  Kam glanced down and smiled sweetly. “Nice talking with you.”

  Seth Lormarc stood with his mouth open, looking up at her, and holding a red high heel in his hands.

  She finally laughed, bubbling with elation. The man was probably furious with her, and she’d never get her expensive shoe back. At the moment, she didn’t care. A small price to pay for the look on his face.

  * * *

  Seth wasn’t angry. Well, not much. Impatient, yes, definitely frustrated, but he began to grin as she climbed out of sight. He had definitely enjoyed the view of her exposed thighs. Not to mention he was developing a reluctant admiration for this resourceful woman. Too bad she was on the opposing side of…whatever was happening. He stuck the toe of her high heel in his jacket pocket and produced the elevator key that would take him back to the sixth floor. He had no intention of chasing her up an elevator shaft. At least, not today. Not in one of his favorite suits.

  Back on the executive floor, he covered the distance to his office in long strides, so intent on his thoughts that he barely noticed a clerk waving at him or the arbitrator scowling on his way out. Seth was already looking forward to his next meeting with her, to returning the shoe. Considering those tempting lips, he might even claim some kind of finder’s fee. Still… His hand touched his jacket pocket. This slipper wasn’t going to lead to a fairytale ending. Kameo Ryndel was involved in some kind of criminal activity, and he was going to catch and expose her.

  * * *

  Kam slammed her apartment door. Her amusement over the confrontation had turned to annoyance and grown to angry indignation. She’d had to shimmy up the cables, get down to the street unseen, and walk home in her bare feet and in a state of disarray that had attracted a lot of curious glances. Her nice clothes were ruined, covered with grease and grime. She considered the possibility of sending him a bill. Between the clothes and the shoes, he owed her big time.

  How could he pull a stunt like that? Attempting to bully her in an elevator? Was it because she was a Ryndel? She clenched her fists, giving her anger full reign. He was insufferable!

  Kam stripped off her clothes and tossed them in a pile to go to the cleaners. She put on jeans and a sweater, grabbed her guard bag with her black outfit and the rest of her weapons. Seth Lormarc’s activities had just become a priority. If that meant following him around the city or breaking into his home or office, so be it.

  Dropping off her bag at her office–she wouldn’t need the black outfit and crossbow until dark–she stopped long enough to follow through on her earlier idea and penned a bill to Seth Lormarc. $10,000 should make her point. Scratching it out, she changed it to $15,000 and made a notation that the additional amount was for “pain and suffering.” At that point, Kam’s sense of humor began to return, and by the time the courier service arrived to pick up the packet, she chuckled when she handed it over. She pictured Seth’s potential reaction: anger, shock, disbelief.

  Once the courier left, she put the incident out of mind and walked quickly toward her family’s Cityside guild. The smells of gumbo and fried catfish drifted from an open cafe door, reminding her she’d missed lunch, but the arbitration had raised a big question that needed answering first. How did the Lormarcs know so much about her father’s business dealings and his clients? A little corporate espionage? Still up to their sneaky, underhanded ways.

  Maybe the guild master would have some ideas, and she’d take the opportunity to look around the Ryndel business while she was there. Hadn’t she already decided it was something she needed to know? It really didn’t matter whether she maintained her independence or accepted her place as wife to the future guild owner. The guild would be part of her future either way.

  The two-story building was one of three warehouses on this section of the wharf and was surrounded by hundreds of container stacks, many of which were four and five containers high and just as wide. At midday, the area brimmed with activity. Except for its smaller scale and the necessity of hiding the portals from casual observers, the Ryndel Guild in New Orleans was identical to the guild house on the elven side. The big loading docks were in frequent use on both ends of the first floor room: incoming on one, outgoing on the other. The back of the first floor was storage and assembly. The second story was a wide balcony on all four sides with the middle open to the floor below. Unenclosed stairs on the east and west provided easy access. The balcony area was filled with small offices and storage rooms.

  Kam hurried up the west stairs and passed two uniformed New Orleans police officers coming out of the guild master’s office. She nodded at them, stepped inside the room, and closed the door.

  “Trouble?” She looked at the middle-aged Ryndel employee. “Why were the police here?”

  “Nothing to do with us. But this is the second time they’ve been here this week asking about homeless people.” Thom Barrott pinched his lips together. “They dropped hints about a potential serial killer on the riverwalk. Something about more disappearances than usual.”

  “Preying on the defenseless?” She shook her head. “Who would pick on such sad people? But if there’s a killer out there, even more reason for our people to stay inside the guild.”

  “Yep, we got the word. But I didn’t exactly understand why.” Barrott gave her a shrewd look. “Odd happenings all of a sudden. Illegal portal use, police visits, accusations by Lormarc, now your visit. Is there something I should know?”

  “None of those sound odd to me.”

  “Not alone maybe, but together…” He shrugged. “When was the last time you were here?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Anyway, you’ll tell me if I need to do something?”

  “You can count on it. Which brings me to why I’m here. You’ve been around the business long enough to know if something has changed.” She went on to talk about the Lormarcs’ testimony that morning. “They didn’t prove much except they know more about our business than they should.”

  Barrott’s round, ruddy face wrinkled in thought. “You’re thinking we have a bad apple? I’ve known most of these people since they were babes, Kam. We don’t let workers come Cityside unless they’ve proved trustworthy.”

  “How about outsiders? Anyone hanging around? Elves or humans?”

  “People wander by. Most of them look like workers, but the wharf area attracts tourists. I suppose someone could sneak in if they really wanted to, and the homeless come over the wall sometimes to shelter down here. Buyers are in and out. It’s not totally restricted, if you have a pass or the right paperwork.”

  “No, I suppose not, but keep your eyes open. Watch for anyone paying too much attention, but keep it subtle. We don’t want to scare off legitimate buyers.” She smiled and lifted her chin toward the stack of cargo receipts awaiting his approval. “It looks like you’ve got a lot of work to do, but do you mind if I hang around for a while? I’d like to get a feel for the operation. Father keeps insisting that I take an interest in the business. Maybe this would be a good time.”

  “Excellent!” Thom rubbed his hands together. “You’re welcome anytime. I should finish these shipments, but I can have someone take you around.”

  “I’d like that. Just until I learn the layout. Then I’ll poke around on my own.”

  He set her up with an assistant, who introduced her around and explained the basic procedures. They spent almost an hour watching the process of bringing Elvenrude’s woolens, silver jewelry, and precious metals through the portal to the distribution rooms and preparing them for transport to other destinations, then followed a load of tropical fruits from South America until they were cleaned and placed in the portal to her homeland. Kam snatched a banana from a crate that had broken open and
munched on it as they finished the tour.

  Once the assistant went back to work, Kam walked around the exterior of the Guild building. She wasn’t familiar with all the electronics available to spy on or listen to competitors, but she knew there were other electronics that could reveal their presence. While anyone entering the building would be detected by the magical fields that surrounded the portals, she wondered if the building’s exterior was vulnerable to eavesdropping equipment. Or at risk of vandalism or arson. Perhaps they should hire a surveillance expert. She would mention it to her father.

  As she came around the back corner of the building, she noticed a flash, as if sun glinted off a mirror. A male figure stood half a block away, facing her, holding an object to his eyes. Binoculars? She blinked, and the figure was gone.

  Lormarc again! It had to be him. Well, not the man himself—this man was obviously shorter, bulkier, and definitely human, but maybe someone working for him. Was she still being followed? Or were they watching the Guild, listening in?

  She stopped inside the Guild to warn Barrott of what she’d seen and to suggest they consider exterior monitors or other added protection. To her surprise, he agreed.

  “I’ve tried to talk with your father about that, but he doesn’t spend enough time over here to understand we need it. But if I have your support, I’ll try again.”

  “You’ve got it. Maybe he’ll listen to the two of us.”

  On her way back into the downtown area, she passed the monitored iron gates out of the wharf and detoured past the Lormarc Guild three blocks over. From the outside it looked similar to the operation she’d just left. The open loading dock gave her a quick view of the interior. She didn’t really know what she was looking for but didn’t see anything unusual.

  She noted the small camera trained on her from the corner of the building. So their competitors had already installed man-made devices. Of course the Lormarcs didn’t have the walls, fences, and guard stations that protected the wharf, but she knew better than anyone how easy it would be to go over those—even for a human. She’d send her recommendation to Father tonight and mention the camera. The Lormarcs’ precautions might nudge him into action.