AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Anadey was waiting for me when I got to her apartment. I could see why she was planning to move into Marta's house--the place was tiny and she and Peyton had to feel cramped.
She led me into the living room, which was smaller than my bedroom at the Veil House, and motioned for me to sit down. The cops were already there, and they looked bored. One of them gave me a nod and continued with what he'd apparently been saying when I'd interrupted. "Like I said, she probably forgot the appointment and stopped off at a store. Maybe she saw a pair of shoes that caught her eye or something."
I bristled. "Listen, Peyton was coming to the gym to spar with me, not talk nail polish or the latest fashions. I've tried calling her several times and there's no answer. Can you at least have your cruisers out on the street look around for any sign of an accident? What if she's hurt? In case you haven't noticed, it's damned cold and snowing hard. She might have had an accident."
I didn't for the moment believe it, but just in case--and to get them off their butts--I decided to push that possibility.
"We've put out a call to all our men. We've checked the gas station and everywhere else Peyton might have stopped at. Ms. Moon Runner gave us her daughter's license plate number and car description. But ladies, that's all I can do for now. I'm sorry."
He stood and, together with his partner, sauntered out of the apartment. Anadey watched them go, then slammed the door, furious. "That is the attitude all the cops have had since . . . since all this started happening. I'm surprised Geoffrey's putting up with it. The vamps run the town, you know--they always have. Now it seems there's a new queen calling the shots and that can't be going over well." She leaned against the counter, her lips pressed tightly together.
I joined her, awkwardly patting her back. "Maybe we're wrong. Maybe she did stop somewhere."
You know that's not true, Ulean whispered.
I know, but what else can I say? The woman has to hold on to some hope and that's the only thing I can think of. It won't last long, granted, but it will get her through the next hour or so.
"Was she supposed to stop for anything before she drove to the gym? If so, we can follow her progress."
Anadey's head snapped up. "Yes, actually, she was. She mentioned she needed to stop for gas before she met you, which is why she left early. She drives a Kia--a small red compact. We always go to the station on Twelfth Avenue--they have the lowest prices and we have an account there."
"I'm on it," I said. "You have a picture of Peyton I can take with me? I think you should stay here in case she calls and needs help."
"Here, take this one." Anadey pulled open a small ornate silver frame and withdrew the picture, handing it to me. "Thank you, Cicely. Thank you for looking for my baby. I know she's a grown woman but . . ."
"But she's your child." I paused. "And Heather's my aunt. We can't just act as if nothing happened and go on as usual. Listen, while I'm out looking for her, can you do me a favor and write up a good, strong protection spell? We have to ward the house. I'll tell you why later."
Anadey nodded. "Of course. Go now, please. Find my daughter for me."
I leapt into Favonis and gunned the motor. Time to make tracks.
I stopped at the gas station on Twelfth and filled up Favonis. As I headed inside to pay for my purchases, I pulled out Peyton's picture. Nobody else besides the clerk was in the store and so I tossed a ten on the counter for my gas, then held out the photo.
"Can you tell me if Peyton Moon Runner was in this morning to fill up her car? I need to get in touch with her and she said she'd be coming here. Wanted to see if she showed yet."
The guy pushed the picture back to me. "I know Peyton. And yeah, she dropped by to fill up her tank. She in trouble?"
"I hope not," I muttered. Then louder, said, "Not from me. I'm just trying to track her down. Listen, did the cops come by to check whether she'd been in?"
He blinked. "Cops? No. I've been here all morning and you're the second customer I've had since she was in. Why do you ask?"
"No reason . . . apparently," I said, adding a candy bar to my purchase, then headed back to the car. So the cops hadn't even bothered to see if she'd been at the station. Which she had. Which meant that she'd vanished after she'd gassed up.
I stood beside Favonis, closing my eyes as I tried to listen to the wind for any whispers that might give me a clue. Any clue.
First layer down . . . human contact . . . emotionally charged discussions . . .
She said that she was at her girlfriend's house, but I found out later she was fucking my best friend . . .
Mother has cancer. Are you going to come visit or not?
What the hell are you talking about? I didn't scrape your car--you've got the wrong guy, you idiot.
And then, I lowered myself a little further, tuning into the astral, the world of the unseen, the world of the elements themselves.
Winter comes hard this year.
There's been a migration of Fae away from the area since the Shadow Hunters have come out to play. They hunt by day and night. Dangerous.
