Eye of the Beholder

by Dana Marie Bell

  “Y’know,” she panted beneath him, her South Philly accent thickened and slurred, “donuts are my usual breakfast, but I could learn to live with this.”

  He threw his head back and laughed.

  “Okay, people. Gary, you and Paul are serving the warrant on Val Grimm. Danny and I are taking on Yardley-Rudiger. Any questions?” Toni looked at the men heading into the condominium complex just outside Rittenhouse Square. To a man they looked grimly determined.

  She still couldn’t believe she was serving a warrant on so little evidence. She’d never had to deal with something like this before, but the judge had signed off on it, the captain had organized it, so here she was. She just hoped they weren’t making a huge mistake.

  Danny seemed oddly excited, but some guys got like that. The thrill of the takedown was the best high ever. Hell, she’d probably be feeling something similar herself if her instincts weren’t screaming at her that she was doing the wrong thing, that they had the wrong men.

  The fact that the blood and fiber work still hadn’t come by the time they left the precinct this afternoon was going to cause problems. Their defense attorney was going to be able to get them off on that alone. But trying to point that out privately to the captain and the DA had been an exercise in futility.

  Feh. She hated when a case went south because some gung-ho asshole bureaucrat was screaming for closure and forced the hands of the cops. It was frustrating as hell.

  Here’s hoping Danny’s proof is waiting once we get these guys in lock-up. Because if anything went wrong she had the feeling it wouldn’t be Danny’s ass on the line.

  Jamie pulled her shirt down over her sore breasts, actually grateful Travis was working on the computer. The man had an unhealthy fascination with her nipples that had left them a little bit sore, too tender to wear a bra. She was going to have to have a little talk with him about that. Later. As it was, the cotton of her T-shirt was rubbing against them, making them perk up.

  Hmm. Maybe I’d better put a bra on. If Travis saw nipple boners he’d be on her in a flash, her pants would be down around her ankles and her body would be singing the Hallelujah Chorus before she could blink. Did anyone pack my padded bras?

  She was digging through her underwear when the doorbell rang. Crap. Her relatives did not get to see her all perky. She thrust her arms through the bra, closing it quickly. She tugged on her T-shirt and darted for the door.

  “…under arrest for the murder of Oliver Grimm.”

  Jamie’s jaw dropped open. Travis was being handcuffed by some woman wearing a badge at her hip, the one going around his right wrist tight enough to keep him from wiggling his arm free. Behind her was another man, a dark smirk on his face that made her want to hit him. Something about that man, the way he stood maybe, seemed awfully familiar.

  Travis stood docilely while the woman finished snapping the handcuffs closed. He looked at Jamie, and that was when she saw how truly angry he was. “Go to Logan’s.”

  She nodded. He didn’t have to say a word. If anyone could get him out of this it would be the Trickster.

  “Ms. Grimm?”

  She turned to the woman, stepping further out into the light. “Yes.”

  The woman’s brows rose, surprise and suspicion all over her features. “You look remarkably well for someone who was tortured a month ago.”

  Jamie raised her chin and glared. “I heal quickly.”

  “Apparently.” The woman pulled Travis toward the door, ignoring Jamie’s hiss of protest.

  “Listen to me! Travis didn’t do it.”

  The policewoman turned. “Have that much faith in him, do you?”

  Jamie nodded. “I do.”

  The woman returned Jamie’s narrow eyed stare, her expression searching.

  “Mancinelli, we have to get him down to the squad car. The others are arresting Mr. Grimm right now.” A gloating expression quickly passed over the male detective’s face, taking his handsome features and making them ugly.

  Where have I seen that look before?

  “Uncle Val?” Better and better. Fuck. “Why would you arrest my uncle?”

  “For the same reason I’m arresting lover-boy. Murder.”

  “They didn’t murder Oliver Grimm.”

  “Then who did?” All of a sudden the detective was in her face, practically nose to nose. “If you know something about this and are hiding it I will have your ass in jail so fast your dust won’t have time to settle.”

  “Leave her alone.”

  Jamie could hear that odd echo in Travis’s voice and knew she had to distract the detectives. “What’s going to happen to Travis?”

  “Mr. Rudiger will be taken downtown, processed, read his rights and interrogated.”

  “When will bail be set?”

  The detective smiled grimly. “That depends on the judge.” Detective Mancinelli backed away. “Remember what I said. Accessory to murder, Ms. Grimm.”

  “Have you looked at my fucking hospital records, Detective Mancinelli? I couldn’t have swatted a fly, let alone killed a man.”

  “I know how to do my job.” The cop was glaring at her again, but there was something about the look on her face, like she was waiting for something to happen but wasn’t quite sure what that something would be.

  Bring it, bitch. “Could have fooled me.”

  The male detective started toward her, a second set of cuffs in his hand.

  “Solberg, play with the girl later. We have to get the perps downtown.”

  With one final glare the detective joined his partner by the door. “I hope you can sleep at night, Ms. Grimm.”

  “I won’t. Not until Travis is brought home to me.”

  With one final, inscrutable look the female detective was gone, Travis right beside her.

  “Good night, Jamie.” The male detective left with a soft smile, closing the door quietly behind them.

  Jamie felt all of the blood rush out of her head, her heart pounding in terror. She grabbed her shoes and her keys and ran for Jordan’s condo. She pounded on the door, screaming to wake the dead.

  “What?” The door was pulled open by an angry looking Logan. Actual flames danced around his hands, his eyes burning, literally burning, down at her.

  “They’ve arrested Travis and Uncle Val.”

  Logan blinked, his flames dousing. “What?”

  “The. Police. Arrested. TRAVIS!”

  Logan’s eyes crossed as she shrieked. “Down, Pita.” He pulled her into the condo. “Dampen the light, will you?”

  “What?” She turned toward the light switches.

  “Not them. You.”

  That was when she realized she was glowing. She drew in a deep, terrified breath. “JORDAN!”

  Jordan and Kir came running out of the den, both of them looking frantic. “What?” Jordan stared at Jamie, her mouth dropping open. “Holy fuck.”

  “Apparently.” Jamie held out her still glowing hands. “What’s happening?”

  Kir and Logan exchanged one of their enigmatic looks. She really wanted to slap them upside the head until they told her what they were thinking. “Boys.”

  “Tyr is Lios Alfar, remember?”

  “And?”

  Logan drew closer to his two lovers. “We think maybe you need to learn to control your temper.”

  “What do you mean? Travis doesn’t glow only when he’s pissed.”

  “Think about it, Jamie. The first time he glowed in front of you was because he knew you were hurt.” Logan grinned. “Trust me when I say I know when Travis glows. I’ve seen him pissed off at me plenty of times.”

  “I am not pissed.”

  Jordan coughed and turned away.

  “Okay, maybe a little.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “Mostly I’m scared.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I think one of the detectives who arrested him was Grimm.”

  Travis sat in the chair, waiting for the cops to join him. He’d been fingerprinted, h
is picture taken, his clothes removed and processed, and his body cavities searched.

  Yeah, that had been enjoyable. Not. Now he got to sit here in a lovely orange jumper and stare at the cheap acoustic tile ceiling while someone watched him through video cameras to see if he was acting guilty.

  The door opened and the female detective walked in holding a file folder. Her expression was cold and closed as she took a seat behind the utilitarian desk. She opened the file, stared at something, and leaned back in her chair.

  “So.”

  Travis remained quiet.

  “Interesting test results.”

  He stared at Detective Mancinelli, keeping his expression blank. He was curious himself what the tests would show, but refused to give her that satisfaction. Some day he might be forced to work with her so antagonizing her wasn’t a good idea.

  He was glad Jamie hadn’t managed to piss off the detective. It was nice to know his woman would stand up for him, but if she got her pretty ass arrested he was going to be annoyed.

  “The lab tells me that your DNA isn’t human.”

  Uh-oh.

  “In fact, they tell me that they haven’t seen anything like it. Ever.” Her gaze bore into him, trying to see through him. “Why is that?”

  “Your lab fucked up?”

  She took a deep breath. “Three times?”

  He frowned.

  “It seems Mr. Grimm also was not human.”

  He snorted. “I could have told you Val wasn’t human. Hell, I’m not sure he hits ape some days.”

  “Not Val Grimm. I mean, him too, but also Oliver Grimm.” She leaned across the desk, her eyes diamond bright. “Explain to me how I have three non-humans, one dead, two living, in this file folder.”

  “You’re really good at Origami.”

  Her hand slammed down on the table. “Mr. Rudiger.”

  “Yardley-Rudiger.”

  She sighed. “You’re going to be a hard-ass about this, aren’t you?”

  “It’s hardly my fault if your lab screwed up.”

  “Then you don’t have a problem giving us a blood sample?”

  As long as Jamie has gotten to Logan, no. “Not a—”

  There was a knock on the door just as Detective Mancinelli stood. She opened the door, frowning at the man on the other side.

  Shock raced through Travis’s system. What the hell?

  “Detective, I believe you’re questioning my client.”

  What was Nik doing here?

  “Who the hell are you?”

  Nik held out his hand, those strange silver eyes of his flashing. “Niklas DeWitt, Mr. Yardley-Rudiger’s attorney.”

  Travis stood. “Glad Jamie got a hold of you.”

  Nik’s lips quirked. “She’s quite…vocal.”

  Travis bit his lip. “Having a fit, is she?”

  “You could say that.” Nik’s expression turned dreamy, but Travis knew he was anything but. “I bet right now she’s giving Logan and Kir a hard time.”

  “That’s my Jamie.”

  “Ugh. Can we end the love fest?” The detective looked disgruntled. “You promised a blood sample before your lawyer showed.”

  “He’s not giving it. You already have a sample. Use that.”

  She growled at Nik, earning a glare from the other man. “The samples showed Mr. Rudiger isn’t human.”

  “It’s not Mr. Yardley-Rudiger’s problem if your lab is full of incompetents.” He took Travis’s arm and guided him from the room. “Bail has been posted.”

  “I can get a court order… Hey!” Nik led him from the room into the hallway, the detective following them. “How can bail be posted? It hasn’t been set yet.”

  He smiled and handed her some papers. “I think you’ll find that Judge Crosby disagrees with you.”

  He could actually hear Mancinelli’s teeth grinding together.

  “I’ll also be representing Mr. Grimm.” Nik handed her another set of papers. “Please see to it that he’s brought to me.” Nik turned his back on the detective with a sniff. “We’ll have you out of here momentarily.”

  She handed Val’s bail papers to a hovering officer and waved him down the hall. “We have reason to believe your client killed a man.”

  Nik turned back and just stared down at Mancinelli, those cold eyes of his sending chills down Travis’s spine.

  “Nice to know a real shark is representing him.”

  Nik glared. Mancinelli smirked. Travis was impressed. It took a lot to get a rise out of Nik these days, but somehow the good detective seemed to do it without even trying.

  “I didn’t kill Oliver Grimm. How many times do I have to say it? I didn’t kill him.”

  “Then how do you explain your hair and carpet fibers at a scene where someone had obviously cleaned up a large amount of the man’s blood?”

  “First off, how do you know it was his blood? You had his DNA on file?” Nik folded his arms across his chest.

  “Mrs. Grimm was able to supply us with a sample. It matched that recovered from the floor of that fucking fun house.”

  Nik nodded. “I’ve seen the timeline you have for the murder. How do you account for the fact that Val Grimm was seen at the hospital, admitting Ms. Grimm, who’d been tortured right around the supposed time of death?”

  Mancinelli blinked. “We believe the time of death was some time before Ms. Grimm was admitted.”

  “How do you account for the technician’s report that Val Grimm was at the hospital at the exact time Mr. Grimm was allegedly killed?”

  “My partner and I believe he was incorrect. We’re in the process of verifying that now. Besides, his partner, Mr. Rudiger, was not at the hospital making sure his sweet fiancée was all right, was he?”

  “Ah. Tell me, did you find Ms. Grimm’s blood there?”

  “Yes.”

  “did you ever speak to Ms. Grimm about her ordeal?” His statement made it clear he already knew the answer.

  “I’ve read the report.”

  “Do you know what Mr. Oliver Grimm is accused of?”

  “I’m well aware of it. Are you saying your defense will be that Oliver Grimm staged his own death?”

  “Not at all.”

  “Because no one could lose that amount of blood and live.”

  “Of course not.”

  “Evidence was found at the scene that points directly at Mr. Rudiger and Mr. Grimm.”

  “But Mr. Grimm worked there as head of security, so how can you prove that his fibers weren’t there long before the crime was committed? There was a long-standing association between Guardian Investigations and Grimm and Sons. Three of Oliver Grimm’s grandchildren work for Mr. Yardley-Rudiger.”

  “It also means that, as head of security, Val Grimm was probably well aware of the fun house. With their hair and fiber all over the place? Mr. Rudiger must have known too.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “Frankly, if someone had done that to my niece I might have done far worse than stab him multiple times. I know why he felt he had to do it. But I believe he needs to stand up and take responsibility for murdering his own father.”

  “Oh, believe me. The man who murdered Oliver Grimm will pay.”

  Her expression blanked. “Do tell.”

  Nik merely smiled and leaned down. He whispered something in Mancinelli’s ear that had her eyes going wide.

  “You’re freakin’ kidding me, right?”

  Nik shook his head.

  “You better not be pulling my leg.”

  Nik looked at something over her shoulder as he replied, “Trust me, it will be worth it.”

  Travis saw the male detective, Solberg, leading Val toward their group. He looked terribly angry. “How could they have made bail this quickly? They haven’t even been in the fucking jail yet.”

  Mancinelli waved at Nik. “Ask him.”

  Solberg paled when he saw Nik, then turned back to Mancinelli. “All the paperwork is in order?”

  “Yup.” Unspoken was unf
ortunately. They could all hear it in her voice.

  Nik took hold of Travis’s arm. “Are you two ready to leave?”

  “More than,” Val growled.

  Mancinelli put a hand on Travis’s arm as he tried to move past her. “You’re still under arrest.” She let go. “And I’m watching.”

  They followed Nik out of the police building, but Travis knew it wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

  Grimm watched as Heimdall took Tyr and Vali out of the police station. He could barely contain his fury at the sight.

  Beside him, Mancinelli shivered. “Is something wrong with the air conditioner?”

  How could it have gone so wrong? Who could have expected Nik to show up and take custody of Tyr and Vali? “I have to go.”

  Mancinelli turned back to him. “We have to figure out how they managed to get Judge Crosby to post bail. There wasn’t a hearing or anything.”

  He barely heard her. He was practically trembling with rage. Frost began to coat everything around him. “I have to go, Mancinelli.”

  She gasped, and he wondered what had made her do that. Not that it mattered anymore. He’d soon be back, erasing this incident in the minds of all those who’d witnessed it.

  Since he couldn’t erase his partner’s mind, he’d erase her life.

  Grimm strode out of the building, his mind whirling. As he climbed into Solberg’s car, he knew what he had to do.

  There was only one way to get Tyr and Vali out in the open now. And he would take great delight in implementing it.

  Chapter Ten

  “He will kill them. Don’t you get that?” Jamie paced back and forth, trying to get through to her brothers-in-law. “We have to save them!”

  “I agree with Jamie. We need to move.” Jeff had his arms crossed, watching her pace back and forth. “Let me go get my stack of dynamite and we’ll be all set.”

  Jamie flipped him the bird.

  “C’mon, it’ll be fun. Just like a Bugs Bunny cartoon.”