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His offer caught me off guard. “I’d love to, but I can’t.”
“Oh, do you not drink? Sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed. I’m sure they serve nonalcoholic beverages. Maybe a Diet Coke?” He squeezed his eyes shut. “I should not have assumed diet, should I? That’s probably insulting.”
“Don’t overthink it. The truth is I love a good beer. I can’t have a drink because…” How could I explain to the human rookie that I was waiting for a call about drinking an elixir that would grant me the power of a god, and beer might interfere with one of the many potions I’d have in my system?
“Oh, I bet you drove to the hiking trail. Got it. No worries. Another time.”
“I’ll have beer in the fridge when you stop by the Castle. How about that?”
He offered a lopsided grin. “Beer in a castle? Sounds like my kind of plan.” He pulled out his phone and showed me the screen. “Here’s my number.”
I typed it into my phone. “I’ll text you.”
“Cool. This has been great. Very fortuitous. I should hike in my spare time more often.”
I pondered him for a moment. “Hey, Leo. Do me a favor and stick to this side of the creek, okay?”
He barked a short laugh. “Oh, you’re serious?”
I debated how to proceed. I didn’t want to scare him, but I also didn’t want him to wander into a demon realm unawares. “Things sometimes happen here that go unexplained, like Area 51 but without the UFOs.”
His face grew somber. “I get it. You’re worried about me because of what happened to Officer Lindley. That’s really kind of you. You don’t need to worry, though. Chief Garcia told me the woods around here have a reputation. That’s one of the reasons I decided to hike today. I figured the better I get to know the lay of the land, the safer I’ll feel.”
Officer Leo was too sweet for words. I actually felt a stab of sympathy for him. If he ever encountered a monster in the woods, he didn’t stand a chance. He was more curious than wary, a negative trait when it came to supernatural survival.
“It was great meeting you, Lorelei. I’m glad we bumped into each other.”
“Good luck finding your way to Monk’s. Next time, I recommend breadcrumbs in your pockets.”
“I’d be better off with a spool of thread. Too many woodland critters for breadcrumbs.”
I nodded my approval. There was hope for Officer Leo yet.
CHAPTER11
Following Kane’s advice, I arranged to meet Naomi Smith at the Devil’s Playground so that I had an extra set of eyes and ears nearby. And fists, if need be. I still felt uneasy about the meeting. My fervent hope was that Naomi would simply give up and return to headquarters, but in the end, I agreed with Kane. The longer I stalled, the longer she stayed. It was time to rip off the Band-Aid. I was confident Bruce hadn’t mentioned me in his final report to headquarters. It was likely only Solomon’s passing reference to me that led Naomi to my doorstep.
Kane positioned himself within earshot behind the bar. I requested that Josie stay out of sight. Then again, knowing Josie, she’d hand Naomi her ass if the situation demanded it. Might be worth the spectacle.
Naomi arrived on time, as I suspected she would, wearing a charcoal suit with spiked red heels. I waved to her from the table, not that it was hard to see me given the club was devoid of patrons at this hour.
Naomi sat in the chair across from me. “This place is quite an unexpected find,” she said, admiring the sophisticated decor. “I’m sorry I didn’t discover it sooner.”
“It’s a supernatural hotspot. I thought you’d appreciate the atmosphere.”
Her gaze flicked to Kane behind the bar. “I’m already a huge fan.” She opened the drinks menu. “I’m not much of a drinker, but I adore some of these cocktail names. Red Hot Martini. Monster Mule. Bloody Mary.”
“Bloody Mary isn’t…” I waved a hand. “Never mind.”
Her gaze snagged on the piano in the corner. “Will there be live music?”
“Not at this hour. The place fills up by midnight, so I thought it would be better to meet here on the early side. Less noise.”
“Smart. I’m not above mixing business with pleasure. Makes life more tolerable.” She closed the menu. “I’ll have a Hell on Wheels.”
“Gin or vodka?”
“Do I look like a sorority girl to you?”
