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“How did you—"
“Yesterday from 1:15 to 3:40 in the afternoon Ben Goh was spotted periodically circling Furry Faces Animal Shelter. He waited for you to exit the building; at which time he called you from a new burner phone. You then met him at the Chipped Mug where you had a twelve-minute conversation and left the premises separately.”
“Shit—” Charles breathed.
Elias watched her, moving a set of keys around in his pocket. “I’m assuming he called you again today, and you finally decided to tell me about it?”
She dropped her eyes, knowing she messed up. “He texted me about an hour ago. I called you right after.”
Elias nodded. “Does anyone in this room know what the text says?”
Charles raised his hand, cringing. “I accidentally read it over her shoulder,” he admitted.
Elias looked around at everyone. “Would you all mind giving Bianca and me a moment?” he asked politely.
“Fuck, yeah, I mind,” Cassiel replied. “This is just getting good.”
“Cass,” Bianca said, glaring at him.
“Don’t tell him anything, Bianca,” Cassiel said, suddenly dead serious. He glared at Elias. “I think we have the right to know whether or not our sister is in danger. Or you can talk to Bianca with our lawyer present.”
Elias took a moment to consider. Realizing that he could either have this conversation with Bianca now in front of all of them, or potentially not at all if lawyers got involved, he continued.
“I don’t think she’s in danger. Yet. Ben Goh is not suspected of any violent activity, but we aren’t certain about all of his contacts. Some of them have violent histories.” He looked pointedly at Bianca. “That’s why I need to know what he said. Did he threaten you?”
Bianca’s mouth was suddenly very dry. “He told me the Lykan wasn’t his, that Eden had mistaken who she’d borrowed it from.” She grimaced at how ridiculous that sounded, even now. “He never out and out threatened me, but he said before I remembered too much I should talk to Eden’s father. Then he left the café. This is the text he just sent me.”
She showed it to Elias.
“Let me see that,” Cassiel said. He read it and looked up at Bianca. “Did you talk to Rick Ronson?”
“No, she hasn’t,” Elias answered for her.
Bianca stared at him, shocked he could know such a thing. “Are you following me?” she asked.
Elias raised an eyebrow. “I’m following acase. For some reason, I can’t figure out why you keep turning up right in the middle of it.” He looked at her, shaking his head in disbelief. “It’s like every time I tell my superiors that you have no part in this, there you are again.” He threw up his hands, his voice catching with frustration. “I’m running out of choices here. What do I have to do to keep you out of this?”
Bianca threw up her hands, mirroring him. “I’m not doing it on purpose, I swear!”
“Do you know I actually had to explain to a roomful of agents thatJeff From Campwas an actual human being named Jeff that you went to summer camp with, and not code for some illegal activity?”
“That’s who I got Ben’s number from,” Bianca added.
“Iknow,” Elias said in a way that made Bianca think he said that phrase a lot. “But there are people on my team who don’t believe you’re not involved, and they want to bring you in for an interrogation. Do you have any idea what that experience would be like for you, and what a nightmare that would be for your family?”
“It’s not going to happen,” Rafe said when he saw Bianca’s fearful expression.
Elias turned to him, so angry his face was flushed. “You have no idea what I’ve had to do to makesureit doesn’t happen,” he said. He turned back to Bianca. “Stay away from Ben Goh.”
Bianca nodded. “I will.”
“Don’t talk to any old friends who turn up on your doorstep, and donotgo out forcoffeewith people who are being investigated by the FBI.”
Put like that it did seem like a no-brainer. “I won’t,” she said, still nodding. “Wait, what if Ben finds Eden?”
Elias passed a hand across his face and then looked at her, furious. “For the last time. Eden is not missing.”
It finally dawned on Bianca. “You know where she is, don’t you?”
