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I stand up and grab my coat.
Maybe I’ll drop by the Club and see what I can find out.
~
I don’t find out anything, though.
The bartenders and waitresses I’ve spoken to didn’t notice anything unusual about the night Lawson died, nor can they tell me anything about Lawson that I don’t already know. I’d like to ask some of the members, but I’d only arouse suspicion, and Elias and Thomas wouldn’t like that.
So I just sit at the bar, observe and think.
Who among these men killed Daniel Lawson and why?
“So serious.” A voice breaks into my thoughts.
I turn my head and see Owen Reed occupying the empty stool beside me. I suppress a frown. First at the meeting, now here at the bar. Must he always end up sitting next to me?
I contemplate what I know of him as he orders his drink.
The man has no honor. He’s after a seat on the Council. He drinks. Could he have killed Daniel Lawson?
Well, he didn’t seem surprised or sorry to hear that Lawson was dead back at that meeting. In fact, didn’t he say something about someone killing off Council members?
“I didn’t kill him,” Owen says suddenly as he picks up the toothpick with olives from his martini.
My fingers grow still around my glass of whisky. “What did you say?”
He eats the first olive. “You were just thinking I killed Daniel Lawson, weren’t you?”
My eyes grow wide. He knows Lawson was killed?
Owen laughs. “That face. So you can be surprised, too, huh?”
I frown.
His expression turns serious as he drops the second olive into his drink. “Did you really think you were the only one who knew about Lawson? I’m disappointed, Scotsfeld.”
I don’t answer. I just gulp down the rest of my drink. I guess I should have known Elias and Thomas would tell the other candidates. Let me guess. They told the others they were being “seriously considered”, too.
That devious duo.
I set down my empty glass and gesture the bartender to pour me another. “And you think I’d believe you if you said you were innocent? I’m disappointed, Reed.”
Owen chuckles. “Well, you have no choice, do you? Isn’t the culprit a woman?”
He knows that, too? He’s wrong about it, though.
I lift my glass and swirl the freshly poured liquid and the leftover ice cubes around. “Well, isn’t that convenient for you?”
I wait for him to come up with another insult in response. Instead, he laughs.
“You really are amusing, aren’t you, Scotsfeld?”
“I do try not to bore,” I say dryly.
Owen leans towards me. “And do you really think I killed Lawson?”
I don’t answer.
He takes a sip of his martini. “And what would I gain from that, huh?”
“A seat on the Council,” I answer.
He looks at me. “So would you.”
“Maybe, but Daniel was a friend of mine.”
Owen’s eyes narrow. “Are you suggesting that Daniel wasn’t a friend of mine, or that I’m not above killing my friends?”
I say nothing.
He shakes his head. “Either way, you wound me, Scotsfeld.”
I take a gulp of my whisky.
“Fine. Think what you will of me. But believe me, I didn’t kill him.”
I look at him. “Like I said, why would I believe you?”
Owen shrugs. “Because I told you the truth last time?”
As much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. He warned me about Goldberg and his warning turned out to be true. In fact, if it hadn’t been for what he told me, Leah might have been abducted. Even so…
“What? Do you want me to thank you?”
“No need,” Owen says.
Which means he’s probably going to ask me for a favor one day.
“I’m curious to know how your prize is doing, though. Is she well?”
I nod. “She’s fine.”
“I bet she’s already chosen a gown for the ball next week.”
Ball? Then I remember the invitation I got last month, as well as the reminder I got a few days ago.
The Hellenic Ball, Ambrosia’s annual summer’s end event. That one night of the year when the members gather with their prizes. That’s already next week? I’ve been so busy lately that it slipped my mind.
“I so look forward to seeing her,” Owen adds.
I frown. I’m well aware that some of the protectors swap prizes during the ball, and that others “lend” their prizes to other men for a fee. It’s the one night of the year that a man can sleep with another man’s prize, after all.
I’m definitely going to guard Leah closely.
“Lay a finger on her and you’ll face the consequences,” I threaten Owen.
He laughs. “I had a feeling you would say that. Don’t worry.” He raises a hand. “I won’t touch her. But she is coming, though, right? You know she’s required to.”
“I know the rules, Reed.”
“Yet you don’t seem to be looking forward to it. What? Don’t you want to show her off?”
I do, but…
“Don’t tell me the two of you are fighting like a couple.”
