Murder Kicks the Bucket

by Diane Darcy

  No response from either.

  Her life was getting so weird lately.

  William stood on the balcony of the penthouse suite overlooking Las Vegas, with its neon glowing lights, well aware he was gazing in the direction of Lena’s home.

  He weaved a quarter in and out of his fingers, back and forth, an old trick, one that helped him relax.

  He couldn’t sleep.

  He leaned against the balcony railing, glancing down to the gardens where the shooting had taken place earlier in the day, and let out a deep breath.

  They’d had a heck of a courtship so far.

  Murders, kidnappings, more murders. He wasn’t used to worrying about anyone to the extent he was worried about Lena.

  Sure, running the casino wasn’t exactly a picnic, and so he wouldn’t call it easy, but it was familiar. Enjoyable even.

  He didn’t worry about his men, capable warriors all. Able to handle anything thrown their way.

  Werewolves were rough and tumble, playful creatures for the most part. Gaming was in their blood.

  Running the casino had turned out to be natural for him and his men. It gave them a chance to be alert, suspicious, aggressive at times, and, most importantly of all, it gave them a chance to chase.

  The very life force within them loved the chase. Reveled in it even. It was what gave them joy in a world where finding one’s mate usually seemed like an impossibility.

  But now he had Lena.

  Why, after seven hundred years, the universe had decided to gift him with such a treasure was beyond his comprehension.

  But, guard her he would.

  Until his dying breath, if need be.

  His phone rang, and he quickly dug it out of his pocket, hoping to see that it was Lena, that she’d been thinking of him as he’d been thinking of her.

  One glance told him it was Quinn, and after a brief stab of disappointment he answered the phone. “What have ye got?”

  “The alarm on the Corvette went off again.”

  Savage satisfaction filled him. “I’ll be right down,” he said and hung up the phone, shoved it in his pocket, and grabbed his suit coat before heading for the door.

  He considered taking the elevator, but instead threw open the door to the stairs, jumping down to the next landing one at a time, needing the exercise to throw off some of his excess energy. When he reached the ground floor, he was breathing a little harder, his heart was pumping, and exhilaration was racing through him.

  Whoever was doing this, whatever their plans, schemes, or goals, this stopped now.

  The threats to his lady stopped now.

  He threw open the downstairs door and headed through the lobby, barely noticing the tourists that he weaved through in his hurry to get to the car.

  Once inside the lobby he noted Quinn and Caleb in the distance, watching for him.

  He quickly joined them. “What have ye got?”

  “Felix was having the car moved.”

  William scowled. “What do ye mean?”

  Quinn handed him some paperwork, and William quickly looked it over. It was a release form for the Corvette, giving it to Heath.

  “What?”

  Caleb nodded to the two men seated in chairs next to the slot machines. Skinwalkers, the brothers did odd jobs in the casino, and if he wasn’t mistaken, were the exact men who placed the Corvette there six months before.

  “What’s going on?”

  The one man, looking cowed, shook his head. “Felix gave us the order to move the car, so we were doing it.”

  “Where’s Felix now?”

  “In his office,” Caleb replied. “I’ve sent Alistair to get him.”

  William glanced up to see Alistair marching Felix toward them. Felix was angry enough that he had cracks in his skin, and was sputtering, as Alistair, hand on his shoulder, marched across the casino.

  The two men stopped in front of William, and as Felix sputtered with indignation, William shook the papers under his nose. “What is this?”

  Felix squinted at the paperwork, and then glanced at the car over William’s shoulder, and then back to William. He scowled. “I would have thought it was self-explanatory. I released the car into Heath Zamora’s care.”

  “Why would ye do such a thing?”

  “Paperwork was delivered to my office. It was on my desk and everything was in perfect order. Proof that Heath Zamora is Emilio Vargas’s heir.”

  “Is that so?”

  “It is. I have the original document in a file in my office.”

  “Paperwork or nae, didn’t it occur tae ye that Mr. Zamora’s proof might be fraudulent?”

  “No, why would it?”

  “Mayhap because Emilio died in your office, of poison, and Heath was sitting next tae him at the time?”

  “I don’t run investigations, it’s not my place. I needed to get the paperwork done and I did. In the thirty years that I’ve worked here I’ve always completed my work in a timely manner.”

  “Still, didnae ye think it might be yer place tae inform me that ye were releasing a car that is front and center in a murder investigation without my say so? Without me letting ye ken that the investigation was closed?”

  Felix seemed to shrink in on himself. “I suppose that would have been logical.”

  “Ye’re suspended, pending investigation. I doonae want ye tae go back tae yer office.”

  Felix, looking truly shocked, gaped up at him. “Suspended? I’ve been working here for thirty years!”

  “Then I’d expect ye tae know yer job.”

  He jerked his head at Alistair. “Take him back and get the paperwork, and then get someone tae change the locks on his office door.”

  “That’s not fair!” Felix was so angry his eyes were glowing.

  William’s eyes narrowed.

  Felix was a stickler. He always had been, didn’t like getting in trouble, more because it would inconvenience him, than anything else.

  This just didn’t seem like him.

  They were dealing with someone who liked to use love potions, invisibility spells, and who knew what else.

  William turned to Caleb. “Get me Heath.”

  Without a word, Caleb melted away into the crowd.

  “And Felix, ye can stay if ye like. Face the man who tried to trick ye. But for now, the suspension stands.”

  Felix, tight-lipped and angry, gave a short nod.

  “Wait here.” William indicated a nearby chair before following Alistair. “Let’s see if we can find out who went intae Felix’s office.”

  William let Heath wait a while before joining him in interrogation.

  The man looked sullen and irritated and stood the moment William opened the door.

  “Sit down!”

  Heath hesitated, and then sank onto the chair. “What’s this about?”

  William waited until Felix was seated, then shut the door and threw down a file folder, opened it up, and turned it around so Heath could read it.

  “What’s this?” the other man asked.

  “This is where ye forged paperwork sayin’ ye are Emilio’s heir so ye could claim the Corvette as yer own and drive it out of the casino.”

  Heath read through the paperwork and then glanced up at William, already shaking his head. “No, I didn’t do this. I’ve never seen this before.”

  William walked to the corner and leaned down to grab a water bottle from a case sitting there. He set it in front of Heath, gave Felix another, and opened one for himself before taking a seat. While the other two men cautiously opened their bottles, William took a long drink before fishing out his phone.

  He opened a video and turned it around so Heath could watch. It showed a man going into Felix’s office, “That’s ye in the video.”

  Felix slammed his bottle down and practically snarled, “No one goes in my office but me!”

  Heath was shaking his head. “That is not me! I have no idea what you’re talking about, I didn’t do any of this. In fa
ct, when your man came and got me, I was sound asleep. I certainly wasn’t trying to collect the car and drive away with it. Why would I?”

  “Why would ye be asleep at night?”

  “Because I’m trapped here! With nowhere to go until this is settled! Do you think I want to go out and party on the town with my friend dead?” Heath slammed his hands down on the table top and all three water bottles shook. “Look, I didn’t do this. I don’t know who that is in the video, but it’s not me.”

  William didn’t let Heath see his behavior was giving him doubts. “I say it is ye.”

  “What I want to know is what you’re going to do about it?” Felix’s face crinkled in anger, the shapeshifter’s eyes glowing yellow before dimming again. “If someone could go in my office, what’s to stop them from helping themselves to the petty cash? I’m not taking the blame for any losses.” He glared at William, then at Heath. “We need better security if riff-raff like this can get inside whenever he feels like it!”

  Heath sank back in his chair and crossed his arms. “Think what you like, that isn’t me, so you can’t prove it is.”

  William wasn’t happy with the quality of the video. Felix didn’t have a camera in his office, for legal reasons, and William had to admit, the man in the photo was wearing a long coat, and a hat, and it was impossible to tell who it was.

  “I noticed ye havenae called Dorinda yet. Is there a reason for that?”

  “Probably the same reason you haven’t called her. She’ll just muck this up and cause problems.”

  “And what, ye want the car for yerself?”

  “I do. Legally, though, I’m not trying to steal the thing.” Heath shot him a beseeching look. “Emilio was so excited to win it. Maybe you can’t understand, but it’s not a money thing. It just would mean a lot to me to have it. If you’d even let us just drive it once in his honor, it would be enough.”

  “So, ye try tae steal it?”

  “No, I told you, I did not! I’m hanging around here hoping to get things straightened out so that you’ll give it to me.”

  “I have a witness that says ye bought love potion spells at Natural Magic. Do ye deny it?”

  Felix scoffed loudly as guilt flitted across Heath’s face, before he gave a quick shrug.

  “No. I was out shopping, and I inquired about a love spell, but I was told they don’t work in the long term. I purchased two packets, anyway. I still have them, if you want to see.”

  The man was a smooth liar. William would love nothing more than to kick him out of the hotel, but, unfortunately, still needed to keep an eye on him. He might, after all, be arresting the man for murder very soon. “O’ course, I will want tae see.” Much good it would do them as they’d already been used. Which Heath had no doubt already anticipated. He’d probably replaced the packets with powder sugar or some such thing.

  “I don’t really see how any of this is your business, anyway.”

  Wrong thing to say. William slammed his hand down on the table. “It certainly is, when ye’re siccing other men on my soulmate in order tae distract me from the investigation.”

  His mouth parted and he looked visibly surprised. “I did no such thing! I didn’t use the love potions! And they weren’t for your girl, anyway!”

  William’s eyes narrowed. “Who were they for then? Yer girl?”

  Heath looked flustered and he glanced down. “That’s none of your business.”

  “Ye’re staying at the Hemlock, everything ye do is my business.”

  Heath clammed up at that point, and though William tried to goad him several more times, he had nothing more to say.

  He thought about locking him up, but wanted this whole business over with, so instead he said, “I’m removing the Corvette and locking it in the garage. I’ve had it with whatever is going on here, and will have a new car out tomorrow.”

  “You can’t do that!”

  Well, at least it got a reaction out of the man. “I can, and I will.”

  Heath glowered for a moment, and then his expression went blank and he shrugged. “I hope it’s still there when I can prove Emilio would have wanted Bianca to have it.”

  “If that’s the case we’ll make sure she’s compensated.”

  “With Emilio’s car?”

  “As I said, we will make sure that she’s compensated.” William opened the door, and gestured Heath out.

  The man sat there for a long moment, and then finally rose, graceful as ever, and headed to the exit. He seemed to want to say something, then changed his mind and left.

  Felix stopped just outside the door. “You need to figure this out, and fast.”

  “Just ye let me worry about it. In the meantime, take some time off.”

  He left without another word, his long stride quickly moving him out of sight.

  When Caleb appeared at his side, William nodded after the man. “Make sure Heath finds out where we’re keepin’ the car.”

  Caleb flashed a grin at him. “Will do, Boss. And one more thing. The wolfsbane? We found the seller, but the buyer turned out to be a dead end.”

  William blew out a breath in frustration, and nodded. “Deal with the car.”

  After Caleb left, William glanced at the time and decided to oversee the project himself.

  The sooner they found out who’d murdered Emilio and Dimitri, the sooner he could stop worrying that this might affect Lena.

  Chapter 13

  They got the car situated in the downstairs garage, and William took the time once more to search it thoroughly. He found himself yawning.

  Quinn found some ramps and they hiked the car up and searched the undercarriage but found nothing.

  They rolled it back onto the pavement, parked it, and William opened the trunk and searched through the coins. He sat in the front seat and looked for hidden compartments. He did the same in the backseat.

  Nothing was out of line or suspicious.

  Quinn followed his lead, re-checking everything himself. “Sorry, Boss. Nothing.”

  They had a car someone was trying to steal.

  They had love potions being used indiscriminately.

  Two murders.

  What did it all add up to?

  If he knew, he wouldn’t be asking the questions.

  By the time he made it back to his penthouse suite, dawn was breaking and the sky was lightening. William yawned again, feeling unreasonably tired. Yes, it was five in the morning, but he often went days without sleep.

  It was probably too early to go see Lena, but he texted her good morning just in case.

  Ten minutes later when she still hadn’t responded, he decided to catch up on some sleep. He double checked that his phone was on, as were his notifications, before he set his phone on the nightstand, kicked off his shoes and lay down on the bed.

  The last thing he wanted to do was miss a call from Lena.

  “So, basically, I’m going to live happily ever after?”

  Lena smiled at the acid in her client’s tone. The woman had come into the shop because she was tired of her boyfriend wandering around the pawn shop three doors down, and decided getting her cards read would be a more enjoyable way to pass the time.

  Her boyfriend, now having joined them, snorted and sat down to watch the show. “Stick with me, babe, and all your wildest dreams will come true.”

  “Really? A Napoleon Dynamite quote?” The two exchanged a look of amusement that let Lena know all was right with the relationship, and so she said, “Yes, I see here that your relationship is a strong one.”

  She was glad to be back to her normal life, with normal people, if only for a moment. She tapped the star card and shrugged. “Inspiration, clarity, and vision. It looks like shedding some troubles from your past has given you the skills to move on to a brighter future. Good for you.”

  The woman’s heavily made up eye shifted back to Lena and she shot her a measuring look. “You can see that in the cards, can you?”

  “They never lie
,” Lena was matter-of-fact.

  The girl chuckled, and bent over to gather her purse. “All right, I’ll buy that. And just so things stay the way they’re supposed to, let’s say you sell me one of those bracelets over there.” She gestured with her chin. “The ones that offer serenity and protection.”

  Lena grinned. “Glad to.”

  She rose and moved around the counter, and in the end, sold the couple an assortment of jewelry, lucky coins, and massage oils.

  She picked up the phone to see William still hadn’t called or texted. She felt a bit glum, a little stung, and then had to laugh at herself. The man had definitely spoiled her with attention. So much so she felt the lack when he didn’t. The poor guy was allowed to have a life.

  She thanked her customer and handed her the bag. The woman turned to her boyfriend. “Now I know you’re not just pretending to love me. I have a psychic's say so.”

  “Dang!” The boyfriend chuckled. “I might as well stop playing hard to get.”

  They were moving toward the doorway as they continued to banter. “That was playing hard to get?” Lena was still smiling as they left the shop. But their words jogged a memory of Heath reaching for Bianca, only to have her step away from him.

  It was probably nothing, but he’d seemed really upset about it. He was probably just worried for her; after all, her brother had been murdered, and then their good friend. They were in the same vampire nest. And she was a girl, he was a guy, but still. What had that been about?

  Her mother finished up with another client, and came over to chat. “Good job on the sales. We’re going to have to order some more oils.”

  “And I’m going to need to dry more herbs.”

  “So…” Her mother shot her a sly look. “How goes it with William?”

  “Going good.” She checked her phone again, but nothing.

  She was just texting William when the bell above the door rang once more. She glanced up to see Thorne standing in the doorway, his gaze locked upon her, his expression a bit crazed.

  Oh, no!

  She forgot all about the text, and simply called William’s phone.