Page 21 of Be Still My Unbeating Heart

“Not as far as I know,” Emilio said.

“When she finished her shift yesterday, did you see her with anybody outside the café?” De Luca asked.

A shake of the head as Emilio wiped his face. “No. I was on poop-scoop duty. Sorry, it’s just all so sudden. I can’t believe she’s gone.”

Bastian felt for him. “It must be a terrible shock,” he said. “Just one more question, though, if you don’t mind.” He ignored De Luca’s flared nostrils as he held up the baggy containing the infinity pin. “Have you ever seen this before?”

The change in Emilio was instant. His eyes widened, his grief apparently forgotten as he gave Bastian a look that shimmered with curiosity.

“Are you in love?” the waiter asked.

The question caught Bastian off guard. “In love, love?”

The waiter blinked, appearing embarrassed. He shook his head again, hair flopping.

“Never mind. My mistake. Forget I said anything. Sorry, I need to get back to work. I’m sorry I couldn’t help. Luna was so…she was just…”

The waiter was already making his way across the café, heading for the door marked TOILETTE. The door slammed shut behind him.

“He knows something,” Bastian said, hurrying after the waiter. “He ran because he saw the pin.”

He tried the toilet door, but it was locked. He shot De Luca a wary glance, unsure how the inspector would react to him using his vampire abilities, then realizing they had bigger fish to fry. He shoved the door, hard, and it buckled, swinging open just in time for Bastian to see a hatch in the floor close.

Emilio had gone underground.

Literally.

9

It didn’t take much to open the hatch and follow.

Bastian sprang down a set of stone stairs, head spinning with questions. Why had Emilio run? Did he know something? Was it out of guilt?

The stairs ended, and Bastian found the skinny blond waiter in the middle of a furnished basement. He was backing away, hands raised, face pale with fear.

“Please, don’t hurt me,” Emilio said.

“Why did you—” Bastian began, but he fell silent as he became aware of the red light filling the space.

The basement was teeming with hearts. They were chalked all over the walls, bright red, cascading over the brickwork. They hung from the ceiling on thread, dozens of spinning paper cutouts, like this was a Valentine’s Day party. Except it was summer, and the incongruity of the display felt oddly sinister.

Bastian took in the heart-shaped sofa, the tasseled red lamps, and the many candles sitting in elaborate, sculpted holders. Hisbewilderment only grew when he spotted a pin board covered in pictures of famous vampires—Vlad, Carmilla, Tom Cruise—all embellished with love hearts. And there, a glowing neon sign on the wall. Bright red tubing looped into the unmistakable shape of an infinity symbol.

“Are you”—Bastian almost couldn’t contain his shock—“Are you an ally, dear?”

An ally could have killed Luna.

Emilio looked sideways, then up at the ceiling, as if searching for an escape. Bastian was pretty sure the only way out of the basement was back up the stairs, and Emilio would have to go through Bastian and De Luca to do that.

The inspector was just behind Bastian, catching his breath after the short chase down the stairs.

“Bastian?” Whitby’s voice trembled from the steps. “Are you dead?”

“For years now, darling.”

“Did that cat just speak?” Emilio asked, shifting nervously on his feet.

“Ignore her,” Bastian told him. “And answer the question. Are you an ally, dear?”