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‘I’ve learnt all sorts of things about Mark since our last catch-up. He was quite the snake in the grass. He forced Noah to take Boost, then blackmailed him with the drug use and made him attend the black tourneys. He made Noah stroll around naked, be dinner for a vampyr and piss on the elder tree, amongst other things.’
‘Humiliating him.’
‘Yeah. Mark was a real shit. It also turns out David was dating Seren, and Mark stole her from him.’
‘David doesn’t seem the type to tie someone to a chair and bleed them slowly to death.’
‘There’s a type for that?’
‘Yeah – the Marks of the world.’
‘Hmm. David thought Lord Samuel had a hold over Mark because that was the only explanation as to why Mark hadn’t challenged him yet. I searched the office but didn’t find anything helpful.’
‘It’s not the only explanation.’ Manners frowned.
‘What other explanation have you got?’
‘I’d say Mark wasn’t calling the shots. Someone was making him bide his time.’
‘His former alpha?’ I suggested. ‘Jimmy Rain?’
‘Maybe he was former in name only. There was always a real beef between Samuel and Rain, though I don’t know what it was. I was surprised when I learnt that the council had sent Lord Samuel to investigate Rain, albeit secretly – their enmity was well known. Very well known, if even the brethren were aware of it. No one would trust Samuel’s report as being unbiased. It seems odd. Let me think about it.’
I sighed. ‘The more we investigate Mark, the more the suspect list increases. Isn’t it supposed to decrease?’
‘Do you have an actual list?’
‘Of course I do. I have a spreadsheet.’
Manners flashed me a roguish grin. ‘Another spreadsheet?’
‘What?’
‘You sure love spreadsheets.’
‘Who doesn’t?’ I asked rhetorically. Surely everyone loved a spreadsheet. That’s how you stay organised. ‘I feel about spreadsheets how you feel about guns.’
‘Like they’re an essential part of my being?’
‘Exactly.’
‘Let’s talk it through. Who’s on your list?’
‘Shadowy black-tourney guys are number one, but Noah’s mum and dad are now up there. My mum said she’d kill to protect me from an abusive blackmailer.’
‘Sure – but why the attack on Archie?’
I brightened. ‘That’s right. That doesn’t make sense, does it?’
‘We should still investigate the parents. Archie is a druggie, so maybe the murderer blamed him for bringing drugs into the mansion in the first place. There’s something there, but it’s thin. Who else?’
‘Mark stole David’s girl, sohe’sgot to be in the mix, though I don’t really see it.’
‘No. And again, why attack Archie?’
‘To move up the ranks? To prove himself? Because it turns out he liked violence?’ I spit-balled.
‘Maybe,’ Manners conceded. ‘Who else?’
