Page 7 of Prey It By Ear

“Ohhhh. Well, that I can probably help you with.” Chip grins and leans on the bar, pointing to a couple at a back table surreptitiously. “I’m pretty sure they’re having an affair. And the guy in the opposite corner has been on his computer cursing about what I think are stocks. He’s losing his shirt, I think.”

“Hmmm. Interesting, but not as exciting as I’d hoped.” I chuckle, my eyes roving the room again before coming back to him. “Maybe something a little juicier?”

Chip thinks about it for a moment and then snaps his fingers. “I got it! There’s a bigwig staying in the middle level who has a group of guards taking up all the surrounding rooms. My boss was irritated about it because they’ve been given permission to go to the VIP facilities even though their tickets aren’t VIP. Something about needing to occupy the entire space so they couldn’t ride in the fancy car.”

That gets my attention, and I grin at him, pretending to be conspiratorial. “Ahhh. Someone hiding in plain sight, eh?”

“Not that I can tell, man. Boring-looking corporate guy, but he’s traveling with a bunch of bodyguards like a rock star. Super weird shit, and it has everyone on edge. I still haven’t figured out who the hell it is.”

But I know who it is now, and I also know that all of those rooms are viable targets—thank you, gullible human.

“Eh, who knows all those stuffed shirts, anyway?” I reply as I toss back my drink. “I have to attend all those boring parties with them, and trust me, they all look the same. You wouldn’t know one from the other in a venue filled with those people.”

“Right? I even tried using the internet, but nada. It’s ridiculous.” Chip sighs, shaking his head. “And he doesn’t come down here, so the big tips go to the jerks who run VIP. I can’t understand why I never get to work up there, but whatever. Like I said, just a summer job, you know?”

I can certainly imagine why he’s not allowed past the middle cars, and I doubt telling him would help. The class of clientele these servers are assisting would be furious at his indiscreet chatter, and he’d end up getting fired faster than a speeding bullet train—which this is not. Setting my glass down, I motion for him to give me the last charge to sign, and he looks a little sad.

“Time to go back to Fantasy Land, huh?”

My smile this time is tight as I take the receipt and sign, making certain to leave the hapless guy a decent tip for his unknowing help. “No, I must get back to my cabin for a long, frustrating conference call with the board of directors. I’d rather stay and chat, but duty calls. Perhaps I will see you later, non?”

“Absolutely, Mr. Duchamps! I’d love that. Come back any time before we get to our destination.”

I will not be doing that, but at least the kid won’t decide to rat me out the second I leave because he thinks I’m famous. Waving as I stand, I head out of the dining room toward the rooms I want to snoop through.

Time to find the dirt on the Erickson executive so I can return to my mates victorious.

* Shit.

Partners in Crime

Delores

“Do you think they’re okay?” I ask as I sip my Dr. Pupper and pretend I’m not worried.

Felix gives me a knowing look. “Princess, they’re fine. Yes, we all need to be cautious, and I worry as well, but if I did not believe they would be okay, I would have insisted on them taking Sparky and my hyper twin along.”

I grin a little as both Aubrey and Fitz bristle a bit. “Yeah, I know. Being trapped in this small space without escape routes that involve leaping from a fast-moving vehicle is making me edgier than it did on the way. It’s because of the new information and our possible shadows, but it’s hard to rein in the anxiety.”

“Snacksize, you simply need to focus on other things.” The dragon hands me part of a newspaper and looks over his glasses at me sternly. “Search these pages for anything that feels off. It doesn’t matter what it is; trust your instincts if they tell you we should all see it.”

I nod, taking the papers from him gratefully. “Thanks, big guy. Something to occupy my brain is probably just what I need.”

“I, however, am going to make use of the fantastically speedy signal we have outside of that compound,” Fitz says as he leans back in his chair and pulls out his phone. “I can’t do as much as I would be able to at home, but I can check in with my systems and see if anything juicy came through my spiderwebs.”

His older brother huffs, but I know he’s pleased with that. Felix is adjusting back to his ‘pre-vacation’ stuffiness; I can tell. When we’re not hidden in a magical gargoyle village, it’s harder for him to ignore the dangers that could come from every direction. I don’t blame him, but I also want to help him figure out how to be just a wee bit more vacation tiger when we’re alone with our family and not abroad.

Smiling to myself as I look through the first page of the paper Aubrey handed me, I concentrate on the ads. He gave the personals and the want ads, which is a bit strange, but I suppose it’s a great place for spy-type stuff because movies love to use them for codes. I don’t know how many people really read printed media anymore—which is sort of sad—but I’d bet this section isn’t as popular as online stuff for true listings.

“What’s so funny?” Felix asks as I snicker to myself.

My eyes flick up to meet his, and I shrug. “I thought that I really doubted that many people who aren’t doing something sketchy actually read these things in print now. It sort of defeats the purpose of subterfuge if only spies and baddies are placing them, right?”

Fitz snickers too, bumping me with his shoulder. “Not-so-secret-squirrel, huh?”

I laugh and show him one personal that reads like gibberish. “I really doubt this is someone looking for a love connection, don’t you?”

His brows furrow as he tries to decipher it. “Shit, Baby Girl. I can sort of untwist it, but even I’m not good enough to totally figure it out. It’s either actual code or some sort of made-up language two serial killers are using to brag about their kills.”