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My eyebrows rose. “Meaning you have working knowledge of magic?”
“Those of us who have been around a very long time do tend to become proficient in all manner of things.”
Not just magic, then. And it did make me wonder what else Hunter had become proficient in. Beside killing and being a coldhearted bitch, that was.
He chuckled softly. “It is a wonder you’re still alive if you’re having those sorts of thoughts around Hunter. She can be somewhat highly strung when it comes to those who disrespect her.”
“Yeah, noticed that,” I muttered, then got back to the business at hand. “So there’s nothing else you can tell me?”
“I’m afraid not.”
Meaning I was at another dead end. Hunter was not going to be pleased. I hesitated, then said, “I don’t suppose you could pull a picture of Ms. Summer from your security cameras?”
“If you give us a couple of minutes, Jonathan will have a printout waiting for you at the bar.”
“Thanks.” I rose. “You’ve been most helpful.”
“But not as helpful as I could be,” he said, expression back to being amused. He opened a drawer and drew out another business card. It was a simple card—black background and white writing—and said Harold Stanford, manager, Hallowed Ground, with a cell phone number underneath. “Just in case you change your mind.”
I accepted it somewhat reluctantly. “I won’t, you know.”
He shrugged. “It never hurts to have an escape option, Ms. Jones. That is all I am offering.”
“Thanks for your time.” I tucked the card in the side pocket of my handbag and headed out. Once I’d collected the printout of our suspect, I walked back outside.
“Well, that was fun,” I said, making a beeline for the 7-Eleven several doors down from the club. I needed a Coke and chocolate fix to calm my still-quivering nerves.
Azriel fell in step beside me. “Interesting is more the term I would use.”
I glanced at him sharply. “You believed his bullshit?”
“I believe he intends to oust Hunter from the council. I also believe he desires your help to do it.”
A chime rang cheerfully as I entered the 7-Eleven. “That doesn’t mean I should trust him.”
“I never said you should. But it is certainly worthwhile keeping his offer in the back of your mind. Especially since I will not be around once the keys are found.”
Him not being around was something I did not want to think about. “I can hardly keep it in the front of my mind, given Hunter’s predisposition for picking up all the wrong types of thoughts.”
“She will be well aware that you have talked to Stanford.”
“Yeah, but I’m not going to rub her nose in it.” I plucked a can of Coke from the refrigerator, but there wasn’t a whole lot of choice when it came to smaller chocolate bars. After a couple of seconds’ deliberation, I grabbed a Mars bar, then paid for them both at the self-service scanners. “And I’m certainly not going to mention the fact that he made me a counteroffer.”
“If they are longtime foes, then she will guess what he will or will not have done.”
“You know, I really don’t want to be talking about Hunter right now.”
“Then what do you wish to talk about?” He opened the door and ushered me outside, one hand pressed lightly against my spine.
“Nothing. How about we just walk down to the gardens so I can eat my chocolate and enjoy the quiet?”
“You? Requesting silence? A rare moment indeed.”
I snorted and nudged him with an elbow. “No smart remarks from the peanut gallery, thanks.”
“And what, precisely, is a peanut gallery?”
I rolled my eyes. “Just escort me down to the park before I die of caffeine withdrawal.”>His snort was disparaging. “What, to find your mother’s murderer? Do you honestly think she has any intention of allowing that? Or that she even cares, now that she has what she wants? You, in her pocket?”
