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“Words,” Ethan said. “Only an exchange of words.”
For the first time, Jeff spoke, and his tone wasn’t any more pleasant than my grandfather’s. “Nothing physical?”
“No,” Ethan said ruefully. “I didn’t get that far. The cops showed up first.”
“He told them we were stalking and threatening him,” I explained.
Jeff and my grandfather exchanged a glance.
“Reed’s already called the CPD once,” my grandfather said. “That adds credence to his contention this is a pattern of bad behavior.” He looked at Ethan. “Did you come here specifically to piss him off? Specifically to get arrested? Because if that was your plan, I’d say you accomplished it.”
“We had our reasons,” Ethan said.
My grandfather lifted his eyebrows, waiting for an explanation.
“He sent her a note,” Ethan finally said. “A threatening note.”
“A direct threat?”
“Implicit.”
My grandfather didn’t roll his eyes, but that looked like a close call. “Goading you to act, just as you’ve done?”
“I did what I thought was best.”
My grandfather sighed, patted Ethan’s arm. “I don’t doubt that, son, but there are times to fight, and times to wait. This was one of the latter.”
There was something odd about my grandfather, a man in his seventies, referring to a four-hundred-year-old vampire as “son.” But the dynamic worked.
“You know this is part of a bigger plan,” Ethan insisted.
“I know what kind of man Reed is, and I’m not alone. There are others on the force—Detective Jacobs, for one—who agree with us, who understand. But, by God, you’re playing right into his hands. You’re proving the point he’s apparently decided to make—that he’s a businessman who’s doing right by this city, and you’re unstable monsters with a personal vendetta. You’re too smart for antics like this, and I’d say the same thing about your trip to Hellriver last night.”
“We wanted to get out before the CPD arrived,” Ethan said.
My grandfather looked dubious. “While I’m sure that was part of the motivation, I doubt that was all of it.”
Ethan had to know my grandfather was goading him to answer, but he obliged. “I was hoping Cyrius Lore would get away, tell Reed.”
“You thought you’d provoke him to act.”
“I want him to come at me.” Ethan pushed his hands through his hair. “I want him to come at me like a man with some courage.”
“And there’s the fault in your logic,” my grandfather said. “A man like Reed doesn’t have courage, not in the way you mean. He has soldiers. He has men who fight his battles for him.”
Ethan took a slow, heavy breath. “It was my call, not hers, and I take responsibility for it.”
My grandfather nodded, acknowledging the admission, then looked at me. “You’re unusually quiet.”
Because I was seething with anger. But there was nothing to gain in airing that anger in front of Jeff and my grandfather.
I settled on “It’s been a long night.”
My grandfather watched me for a moment before nodding. He could probably read my face, understood Ethan and I would have words later.
“Did you find anything in Hellriver?” Ethan asked, bringing my grandfather’s attention back to him.
“No. They’d cleared out the entire building other than a few pieces of furniture. If there was anything that tied the building to Reed, it was gone by the time we got there.”
