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"Sal's already on that. There's nothing yet, but it's going to take awhile. You got anything else?"
I glanced at my watch. It was only four, and it wouldn't take me that long to get back to Fitzroy for my meeting with the street kids. But I was betting Joe would probably already be there, and if not, I'd wait. It was better than going back to the office and doing paperwork.
"I've got a meeting with a kid who knew the latest zombie victim at five."
"What about her parents?"
"She'd been living on the streets for years. I doubt the parents would be able to tell us anything useful about her." And I really didn't want to confront that sort of grief without the hope of getting something useful.
Jack grunted. "Once you finish there, concentrate on your report. I want it on my desk by the morning, Riley."
His tone added the "or else."
"You'll let me know if Cole's report comes in?"
"Yep."
"Thanks, boss."
I hung up and drove to Fitzroy. I got there with tons of time, and walked up to the Macca's on the corner to grab a burger and a shake, downing them both before heading back.
A shiny silver BMW had been parked in front of the building in my absence, and the car looked very conspicuous against the grime and age of the surrounding buildings. Obviously whoever owned the thing had no great love for it, because parking it in an area littered with street kids was nothing short of an invitation for robbery.
I lightly touched the hood as I walked by. Still warm, so it hadn't been parked here long. Inside, there was nothing more than a few folders to be seen. Maybe it belonged to the owner of these old buildings. Maybe the red tape surrounding the building plans had finally been removed, and the street kids were about to find themselves on the street again.
I walked through the old factory doors and drew in a breath as I headed for the stairs. Though I didn't expect it, there was one major difference in the aromas teasing the air.
The kids were no longer alone.
Kye was here.
Chapter Four
I walked up the stairs and through the wasteland of half-walls. The kids were holed up in the far corner again, and Kye was with them. Though his arms were crossed and his stance casual, there was an underlying tension in his shoulders that suggested he was ready to move at the slightest provocation.
"What the hell are you doing here, Kye? You were warned off the case."
"So you know this guy?" the kid with the bright blue eyes asked.
"He's not a guardian, if that's what you're asking."
"Never said I was." Kye's voice was deceptively mild. This man was a fight waiting to happen, and everyone in the room was aware of that fact.
"Then I don't have to talk to him?" the kid continued.
"No, you don't." I glanced at Kye. "Do I have to arrest your ass?"
He gave me a smile. My hormones did a happy little dance, but then they were easily amused.
"You can try."
I met and held his gaze. Something sparked deep in his amber eyes, something beyond the desire raised by the approaching night and the nearness of the full moon. Something that was ancient and basic, and honed deep into our wolf souls.
The need to fight. To prove worth.
I was challenging him, and the alpha within him wasn't liking it.
But I'd done a whole lot more than simply stare when he'd been protecting Patrin, so his reaction here was a little surprising.
