I made it to the bar in no time. As I parked, I noticed Murphy looking over from where he was walking into the bar. “Fuck that’s a nice bike,” I heard him say to his friend. When I got off my bike and took off my helmet Murphy and his friend walked over, “Audrey?”
“Hey John,” I said with a smile.
“This is such a nice bike. You must get paid a lot as an editor.”
“I do okay. Who’s your friend?” I asked, setting my helmet on my bike.
“Ethan Walker. It’s nice to meet you, Audrey, was it?” Murphy’s friend put his hand out and I grasped it in mine.
“Yes. Audrey Jennings. It’s nice to meet you too,” I dropped his hand, taking in a small breath I found Walker was human. As we walked into the bar Murphy stayed near me as Walker walked ahead of us. When we got inside, Walker led us to a table where Kemp and two girls were sitting.
Kemp zeroed in on me as soon as he saw us approach the table. “And who is this lovely creature?”
I stuck out my hand, “Audrey Jennings,” he took my hand and, just like Murphy, brought it to his lips before releasing it. “And you are?”
“Malcolm Kemp. Nice to meet you,” he said.
“Likewise,” I said with a smile.
The girls introduced themselves as Tessa and Lila. The conversation picked up after the server left with our orders. “So Audrey, what do you do?” Tessa asked.
“I’m an editor with Phenom Press,” I responded. I took a breath checking the girls. I noticed Lila did the same thing and froze, looking at me. I raised an eyebrow when I smelled the scent of oak and dog. She barely nodded her recognition before returning her full attention to the conversation going on around us.
We were all chatting for a while when I excused myself to go to the restroom, “I’ll go with you Audrey,” Lila said.
Once we were away from the others I turned to her, “What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing, your majesty,” she responded with a smile.
“These men are responsible for an attempt on my mate and your prince’s lives,” I said quietly to her.
“Jo and Charlie asked me to look into them, considering they’ve lost a couple of pack members to these men,” she responded.
I wrote down my hotel information and handed it to her, “Come by later tonight and we can combine our information and see what lines up and if either of us has information the other might not have.”
She nodded and we both headed back to the table. I pulled out my phone as we walked up, acting as if I was responding to a text message but I activated the cloning device. I finished cloning Walker, Kemp, Murphy, and Tessa’s phones and put my phone away, smiling at the group. “Sorry. The publishing world never sleeps.”
“You don’t have to go, do you?” Murphy asked.
“No. Thankfully most of my work can be completed remotely if I’m away from the office,” I settled back into my seat between Walker and Murphy.
Murphy slung an arm around my shoulders. Niamh growled and began pacing in my head. I soothed her by reminding her we were doing this to keep Fox safe, but she just grumbled and kept pacing. The conversation started up again, Murphy, Kemp, and Tessa started talking about veiled subjects, while Walker pestered me about the publishing business. Slowly I was able to plant several of the bugs I brought with me before the night ended. When it did, I was followed out to my bike by Murphy, “What are you doing tomorrow evening?”
“Nothing. Why?” I responded.
“I was hoping we could go out together tomorrow night.”
“Just the two of us?” He nodded, “I would really like that.”
He beamed at me, “How’s seven at Giovanni’s?”
“That’s perfect. I’ll meet you there,” I said with a smile, hoping he didn’t push on picking me up at home.
I took my bike back to the hotel, and it wasn’t long before Lila knocked on my door. Once we settled in, me on the bed and her on the couch, we started putting together our information. “How the hell did you manage to clone their phones?”
I shrugged, “I did it when I was on my phone, walking back up to the table.”
“Fucking hell,” I opened my laptop and pulled up the audio feeds from the bugs I planted, “What the shit?! You got bugs too? Goddess, I knew you were good, but it’s startling to actually see you in action.”
I smiled, “And you haven’t even seen me fight. This stuff is easy,” just as I was about to finish my sentence there was a knock at the door.
We both scented the air, “It’s Walker,” Niamh said in my head.
“Were you followed?” I all but accused Lila of leading him here.
“No. Hasina would’ve warned me. I promise I didn’t lead him here.”
I gave her a nod, letting her know I believed her. Walker knocked again, so I threw open the door. “What, no housekeeping ruse?” I asked sardonically.
He glared at me before shoving me aside and walking into the room. “Wait. You’re both in on this?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. In on what exactly?” I feigned ignorance.
“You’re both gathering intelligence on Kemp, Murphy, and Tessa.”
“So Tessa is in on it,” I said.
“As far as I can tell, yes. Who are you working for?” Walker asked.
“I’ve been hired by some of the family members of those killed by their plans,” Lila answered.
“And you?”
“You first,” I said with narrowed eyes.
He rolled his eyes and sighed, “I work in the DOD and have been assigned to investigate their illegal activity.”
He gestured to me, “It’s personal.”
Lila barked out a laugh, but Walker just looked more irritated. “That’s it? That’s all you’re going to give me? Seriously.”
I shrugged, “Yeah? I don’t know you. I don’t trust you, and I’m not giving you any more than that until I know I can.”
He pulled a flash drive out of his pocket, “This is everything I’ve gathered on them.”
I quickly closed out of the feeds from the bugs I planted and grabbed the flash drive. I plugged it in and looked through the information. I snorted when I reached the end of it, “This is it?”
“I’ve spent a few weeks getting that. That’s good intel,” he said completely offended, causing me to laugh.
“No, no. It’s cute. This is all I would have too if I was forced to follow the letter of the law. I mean if I had to guess.”
“What do you mean, ‘if you were forced to follow the letter of the law?’ You shouldn’t be breaking the law for information.”
I shrugged, “I work for an organization that works outside of the law, and I find I’m able to get more done when I don’t have to follow the laws to a tee.”
“That’s one way to put it,” Lila said with a chuckle.
“You two know each other? What organization?” Walker asked with narrowed eyes.
“We just met today, but my organization and reputation is notorious in certain circles.” I smirked, “As for the organization, I still don’t trust you, so that’s all you get for now.”
After a minute, I pulled the drive out and wiped it clean before handing it back. “What did you put on it?”
I shrugged, “Just a few things I’ve found.”
“I can’t use these things. You obtained them illegally.”
“The things I gave you are bread crumbs to the right things. Not actual evidence for you to use against them.” I shoved off the wall I was leaning on and opened the door, “Now if we’re done for the night. I’ve got shit to do.”
Walker gave me a look of skepticism, “What are you going to do?”
“None of your business.”
“At least give me your number so I can call you to check in,” he said with his hands on his hips.
“I’ll find you. Don’t worry about me,” I said, causing him to roll his eyes.
He finally relented and started to leave, “Don’t do anything stupid.”
“That’s the second time today someone has said that to me,” I looked over at Lila, “What about me makes people think I’m going to do something stupid?”
“Probably the way you seem to go in with a half baked idea rather than something fully thought through,” she said with a smirk.
“You people are ridiculous,” I responded, “Okay everyone out I have other things to do, that don’t include running a social club.”
They finally left, giving me a chance to change into my black mission clothes and head for Kemp’s home address. I thanked the goddess I could go days without sleep as I spent the night on a fire escape across from Kemp’s apartment, taking several photos of him.
Author: Kailan Counahan 