Col thought that was an excellent idea, and heedful of advice from Miller, remembered to hand the hostess a folded twenty dollar bill.
And then he raced off in a manner that would have done Merek proud, the car going as fast as he knew allowable within city limits. To the beginning of The Main Street, where his beloved might possibly be found.
He was eager with anticipation, which rapidly turned into apprehension, as the building which housed the retail establishment had many vehicles belonging to the city’s law enforcement in front of it, their flashing lights reflecting off the glass of the storefront windows.
The pit in his stomach became as a millstone, as something he recognized and dreaded came into view. It was simply a phrase emblazoned on the side of one of the larger vehicles. Five words that read: GARDENDALE OFFICE OF THE CORONER .
Someone had died, and he prayed to She Who Grants Abundance, to hear him now, and provide that it not be the one he had just found. The one who brought him everything he knew not that he had been seeking.
He pulled to the side, leaping out of the car as soon as he could, and rushed towards the entrance. A uniformed law enforcement officer sought to halt his progress, but he would not be deterred until he saw for himself that she was alive and well. Another appeared in front of the door with his arms stretched out wide. Only Simon was able to stop him from running over the officer, charging in like one who had lost his reason.
And it was in that moment where he regained his composure that he was able to look around, and find her. His Lily. Alive. Sitting only a few feet away, but, thank Goddess, very much alive. She was encased in some type of metallic sheet, but she also looked to be free of injury. Simon shook his head when Col made as if to join her. Perhaps whatever she was enshrouded in needed space to work, as no other person was near her, so he would keep his distance.
She was looking at him beseechingly, but then something else registered for him. Simon was talking to him, but it was not his words, nor anything Col could hear.
It was what he scented.
The scent of the man who had abducted him. The room fairly reeked of it. He strained again, his eyes automatically searching out the cause of that scent. But to little avail. The body on the floor had its own scent, and was not the source. He would ask the identity of the body afterwards, and why his Lily was still here, but for now it was critical to let Simon know.
“He was here,” Col growled at Simon. “Not much time has passed since.”
The cop nearest them perked up, and Simon drew Col away.
“Who?” Simon asked.
Col lowered his voice. “The one we have been seeking.”
Simon’s eyes widened. “Katie mentioned there was another man here who fought with the person lying on the floor. But there’s no physical trace of him so far. The store owner is coming in, and will corroborate what Katie’s said.”
“Katie Cooper is not a liar,” Col growled again. She had comported herself with honor throughout their time together, and he would not hear any aspersions cast upon her character.
“Nobody is saying she is, Col.” Simon turned towards the scene in front of them. The female detective was now going through the backpack that had been found on the dead person with gloved hands.
And the leader pulled out something soft and brown that Col recognized. From the first night they had lain together.
“Mr. Calabash!” his Lily cried out, and made as if to move out of her seat.
“Remain seated.” The unformed leader’s voice rang with authority, as she gave Katie a sharp look. She turned the toy animal in her hands, and held a section closer to her face. She jerked her head at one of her subordinates, who instantly rushed to her side with a blade.
Col could hear Katie’s gasp, as the leader turned the blade onto the toy, ripping through what looked to be stitching.
And a mass of shiny small packages cascaded out, as Katie inhaled sharply.
The leader caught one before it fell to the ground with the others, and held it a few inches from her face, examining it carefully.
“This is premium gradeRage,” she announced.
“Drugs?” Simon’s shocked voice burst out as he turned to Katie. “Is this why you needed a cash advance on your salary?”
Her face drained completely of color as Simon’s body quivered with fury. Col’s jaw dropped.
Drugs.
Hidden in a toy.
Found out in a room saturated with the scent of the one that had tried to sacrifice him on a stone alter, and posed a threat to hisBredhren.
What else had she been hiding? And what did it matter. What had been uncovered was damning enough.
