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“Rosen. Miriam Rosen, Mr. Donnelly. I’m a new transplant to St. Louis, so no surprise we’ve not met.”
My brother’s expression sharpened. “Miriam Rosen. Are you by chance Samuel Rosen’s daughter?”
Nowthatname I recognized. I barely managed to hold back a sharply drawn breath.
Her lips curved in a smile that didn’t really seem amused. More like wary. Which, given what I now suspected based on Shea’s recognition of her name, made perfect sense...
“Yes. I do have the dubious distinction of being Sam Rosen’s magical null of a daughter.”
“Interesting,” Shea tilted his head, eyes glinting with emotions far more intense than mere interest.”
Rosen pursed her lips. “What exactly is so interesting about my identity? I would think this Pack has far bigger things to worry about in light of tonight’s acts of...terrorism.”
Since I’d promised to follow Shea’s lead—only fair since Ihadvolunteered him to be our talking head—I bit back curiosity in favor of paying careful attention to both detectives.
Leaving Shea to dig for more information. “Considering that tonight’s despicable double assassination and acts of aggression against this sovereign Pack were carried out in large part by a group of extremely coordinated Spellbinders, we find itexceptionallyinteresting to learn that one of the investigating officers is the daughter of Boston’s most infamous Spellbinder. Not to mention vocal critic of both the Circle and Shifter Packs in general.”
Rosen’s lips bared in another humorless smile, one that would have done a Shadow Wolf proud. “It’s really not, Mr. Donnelly. I can assure you that the man who sired me rarely even claims me as his own. In fact, I have it on very good authority he cut meoutof his will when I failed to show any signs of a magical affinity.”
Shea and I shared a wordless glance. Only I knew him well enough to catch his barely visible nod. My cue to take the lead. Or, more accurately, pour on the charm I was so known for.
I donned a sympathetic smile and deliberately drew her attention. “I can relate in one way, Detective Rosen. Our own grandfather cut our branch of the family out of his will entirely when we chose to align ourselves with our father’s kin here in St. Louis rather than our mother’s Pack in San Francisco.”
Rosen’s expression smoothed somewhat. Her partner appeared content to remain silent for the moment. “Yes, I heard that at the time. Gods save us from the rich control freaks and power-hungry women who truly run this nation.”
I couldn’t help wincing at her second dig, obviously aimed at Ava’s grandmother. I may have made plenty of those myself, but never in so public a place—or in such mixed company. Meaningnotin the presence of humans.
Cunningham cleared his throat in a clear hint. Leading Rosen to assume a more businesslike expression. “When can we get inside to start our investigation, Mr. Donnelly?”
Shea’s lips quirked. “I wasn’t aware that the St. Louis authorities were actually inanyrush to shore up the Pack’s handling of tonight’s events.”
Rosen frowned. “What’sthatsupposed to mean?”
Sanai spoke up for the first time. “Our records will clearly show that emergency calls were placed to authorities at least 30 minutes before the first emergency personnel arrived.”
The two detectives shared a troubled look. Not as if they didn’t believe the claim. More as if they’d simply been unaware.
Cunningham was the one to break the silence this time. “All I can say is that’s certainlynotdepartment policy.” He gestured to the members of the paranormal SWAT team waiting on the other side of the fountain. “I’m afraid we’d have to review our own records to be able to confirm or deny that, but as far aswe’reaware, the SWAT team was mobilized within five minutes of those first calls. And it should have taken no longer than a few minutes for the first members to arrive.”
Thinking about how poor Ava had been forced to bond my brothers and me so unexpectedly—and how the four ofushad been left to regain control of this Pack without any help from the mortal government—had me baring my teeth. “Sounds like we can have ashow me yours and I’ll show you minesession to compare telephone records later, Detective. For now, why the hellshouldwe invite the St. Louis authorities to assist in our own investigation?”
Oops. I kinda threw diplomacy out the window there. I just kept picturing that devastated look on Ava’s face after being forced to watch her sister be murdered by trusted allies.Formerlytrusted allies.
It made trusting these outside authorities even harder than usual.
Rosen stepped extremely close to Shea and me, leaving Cunningham to suddenly start whistling loudly. As if he were trying to make it harder for anyone (well, anyonehuman) outside our group to overhear.
His partner angled her body so only we two could see her lips moving as she softly murmured, “Someone high-ranking among my father’s Spellbinders called me personally tonight. Kept me busy talking through the first half-hour of tonight’s attack. I now believe my father ordered that to keep me safe, despite the fact hedefinitelycut me out of his will.”
Shea and I glanced at each other and then merely looked back at her. Waiting for the bombshell it felt like might come next.
“Only thendid that person pass along the tip that this was no mere outside job carried out by rogue Spellbinders, a few coerced Packmates, and enemy Shadow Wolves hoping to start a new War of Succession. The person who ultimately ordered this was someone so high up the food chain that me merely repeating these words could get usallkilled.”
My mouth went dry as I realized this couldonlybe going one place. A dark, dangerous place where only a damned fool would choose to go.
Rosen glanced around warily before cupping her hands around her lips to make it even more likely only Shea and I would then see the next two words she mouthed.
“Muriel Sheridan.”
