“Are we using the same security system or the same firm?”
“Nope. It’s not system failure. Their guild master and I double checked.”
“Stray dogs? Wild animals?” She ran through possible explanations that sprang to mind. “What about kids throwing rocks?”
He shook his head. “Security firm says no. I checked with the wharf authorities, and they hadn’t seen any kids hanging around. It’s puzzling. Anything big enough to trigger the alarm should show up on the cameras.”
“And yet it didn’t.” She’d check the equipment and camera angles again. “And no one tried to get in. Not the windows or the doors,” she mused.
“That’s right.” The guild master shrugged. “I don’t know whether to be worried or not.”
“It’s certainly unusual. I’d be extra cautious for a while.” She pushed back her chair and stood. “I’m going to look around outside. Maybe I’ll see something.” Her phone chirped. She glanced at the screen and frowned. Seth. After last night, she was surprised to hear from him this early. “Excuse me, Thom.” She turned away. “Morning, Seth. Are you at work already?”
“I am. We have a problem.” His voice was tight. “One of the portal guards was attacked as he was going off duty this morning.”
* * *
Located three blocks from the wharfs, the Lormarc Guild’s warehouse was almost identical to Ryndel’s—a two-story, large open room on the first floor, second-floor balcony with offices. The guild master pointed at a side door, and Kam found Seth and two King’s Guards near a large trash bin at the back corner of the building. A narrow, one-way street ran past; in any other city it would be called an alley. A white bandage covered the left temple of the younger guard, but otherwise he looked OK.
Relieved, she flexed her tense neck muscles and scanned the area. “Is this where it happened?”
The men turned at the sound of her voice.
Seth nodded and gave her a brief, assessing look. His tone was matter-of-fact. “Rimee was just about to walk us through it.”
“Morning, Lieutenant,” the injured guard said, addressing her by her official title.
Kam acknowledged the men with a lift of her chin but avoided the question in Seth’s eyes. She couldn’t deal with personal feelings right now. This was work. She focused on Rimee. Six months ago she’d been placed in command of the fifteen portal guards who alternated shifts at the two guilds. All of them were elven men, and they’d maintained a friendly but respectful distance. “Are you OK?”
“Oh, sure. It’s just a bump.” Thornton Rimee gave her a wry look. “I can’t believe they caught me by surprise. Matt and I were coming off shift at six this morning. I stepped outside—”
“And I should have been right behind him,” the other guard interrupted. “Except I stopped to talk with one of the guys.”
“We can’t be everywhere,” Kam said, acknowledging his guilty feelings.
“Anyway, I walked over this way.” Rimee moved toward the trash bin. “I heard a noise like scuffling feet…and turned to look. Something smashed against my head and grabbed me by the arms. The next I remember, I was on the ground, and Matt was yelling my name.”
Kam turned to Matteau Hayne, a slightly older man with short, cropped hair. “What did you see?”
“Not much. I was in the doorway when Thorn yelled. I saw him dragged toward the bin, and I shouted…something like ‘hey,’ I think. He suddenly collapsed to the ground.”
“Dragged by whom?” Seth demanded.
“Um…” Hayne looked uncertain. “I don’t know. I guess they were behind the trash container.”
“You must have seen something,” Kam insisted. “An arm, a leg, clothes…”
“That’s just it. I didn’t.” Hayne’s forehead creased into puzzled lines. “It’s like they were invisible.”
Kam’s head came up, and she exchanged a look with Seth. Could it be an Elite elf with ancient magic? Someone with an amulet like the one concealed under her blouse?
“Invisible? Are you nuts, Matt?” Rimee produced a faint grin. “You think some of New Orleans’ ghosts are acting up? They felt pretty solid to me. Especially whatever hit my head.”
“I guess I just wasn’t quick enough to see them,” Hayne admitted, shaking his head.
And maybe she was jumping to conclusions. Kam peered at Rimee. “You said they. Why?”
“Several hands on my arms. And I heard movement all around me.”
“OK. So let’s go over this one more time.”
When he’d finished without providing any new details, Seth nudged Kam’s arm. “I think you should see the film from the security camera. It shows he was hit by a brick. Nothing mysterious about that.”
“Except where is the brick now?”
“Someone must have moved it.”
“Yeah, but why?” And who had been dragging him?
Two minutes later they huddled around the computer in the guild master’s office on the second floor. Seth sat in front of the screen and handled the playback while the others watched over his shoulder. He hit the button to play it a second time, freezing the screen at the point when the brick hit Rimee’s head and again as his limp body was pulled toward the corner of the building and dropped.
“I don’t see anyone,” Kam said.
“Me either. How did his attackers stay out of sight?”
“It’s as if they knew where the cameras were,” Hayne suggested.
“Which might explain the prior security breaches,” Seth said. “They’ve been watching. This doesn’t sound like a random mugging.”
“No, but why would anyone be targeting your employees?” Kam turned to Rimee. “Have you had any trouble recently? A bar fight, maybe?” He was one of the men—mostly young and single—who enjoyed the New Orleans night scene on their time off.
He shook his head and shrugged. “Nothing I can think of.”
Hayne cleared his throat.
Rimee shot him a quick glance. “What?”
Kam lifted a brow, her interest caught by the irritation in Rimee’s voice.
“Maybe you should tell them about the girl,” Hayne said.
Rimee frowned at him. “She wouldn’t be involved in this.”
“Not her. The ex-boyfriend.”
“You guys want to clue us in?” Kam interrupted.
“It’s nothing. I met this girl in a bar a few months ago. We saw each other a few times.” Rimee glanced away before meeting Kam’s gaze. “I know dating humans is discouraged, but we hit it off. Anyway, we ran into her ex-boyfriend and his friends one night… A few heated words were exchanged.” Rimee spread his hands. “That’s all of it, the whole story. No big deal.”
“Do you know his name?”
“James something. But if he was going to pick a fight, he wouldn’t have waited.”
“Probably, but we’ll need to check it out. What’s the girl’s name?”
A quick frown. “Julia. Julia Connors. You don’t need to talk to her, do you?”
“It seems the easiest way to locate James,” Seth said reasonably.
Rimee’s eyes widened. “Can’t we just drop it? I’m not interested in getting anyone into trouble. If you really think it’s personal, I’d just as soon let it go.”
“But we don’t know that yet,” Kam said. Rimee clearly didn’t want the incident to screw up his love life. “We’ll do some looking around. Maybe it won’t be necessary to contact her, but give us her phone number anyway. Then I want you examined by our healers in Elvenrude.”
“OK, Lieutenant.” He sighed in silent protest but wrote down the number and headed to the portal. Hayne went with him. The two men appeared to be having an intense conversation. Rimee wasn’t happy the girlfriend had come into the conversation.
“What do you think?” Kam asked.
“Fights over women aren’t unusual, but a jealous ex-lover doesn’t explain what we saw—or didn’t see—on the security cam.”
“Wrong a
ngle?”
“Possible, but I doubt it.” Seth’s eyes darkened to a forest green. “I have a feeling it’s more than that.”
So did Kam.
Rimee and Hayne took the portal to Elvenrude, and the guild master—Saul Henre—returned to his other duties. Kam and Seth remained in the office. They stuck to business and discussed the next step in the investigation, agreeing to eliminate the easiest possibilities first.
Seth flicked a look at Kam’s bowed head. She was reading e-mail on her phone, waiting for him to call his friend at the New Orleans PD…and avoiding looking at him.
Their conversation had been stilted. She’d glanced at him a couple of times, as if tempted to say something, but she hadn’t, and her expression remained unreadable. Fine by him. He wasn’t eager to get into anything complicated.
He placed the call to Martin, a detective with whom he’d formed a friendship over the last few years. It had started as a convenient way to protect the guild, to bolster his cover as an ordinary businessman, but Seth had grown to like him. They’d shared a few beers, even double-dated one night when Seth—like Thornton Rimee—had been intrigued by a human woman. The love interest had quickly dwindled, but his friendship with the cop had lasted.
“Hey, Marty, are you busy?” Seth began. They chatted a few minutes. When Kam crossed and uncrossed her legs for the second time, he got down to business and told the detective about the early morning attack. “Has there been a rash of muggings lately, or anything else that might explain this?”
“Nope. Oh, there’s always a few but nothing to speak of. Been an uptick in reported ghost sightings. We were talking about it at roll call. Usually nobody bothers to call us. After all, it’s New Orleans. Spooky things are the norm around here.” He chuckled. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the tourist board wasn’t encouraging the reports to attract more trade.”
“Is cynicism part of being a cop, or is it just you?”
“It’s a prerequisite. So do you want me to take a report on this assault?”
Seth grinned, amused by Marty’s easy banter. But he definitely didn’t want the authorities involved. “No, let it go. He can’t identify anyone, and no serious damage was done. But keep it in mind if you hear anything similar. Let’s have a beer some evening.”
“You’re on. In the meantime, I’ll keep my ears open.”
Seth disconnected, leaned back in the office chair, and steepled his fingers. Ghost sightings. Could that be important? He shrugged and related the cop’s end of the conversation to Kam. “An increase in paranormal reports could be significant. Or not. I’m concerned it’s drawn police attention. If this is the work of an Elite elf…”
“We’d better find him before they do.” Kam stood abruptly and started toward the door. “There doesn’t appear to be much more to do here at the moment. I’m going to work, make some calls, and then home to change. I think a little night surveillance is in order.” She paused with one hand on the door. “Will you be joining me later tonight?”
“Of course. This is guild business.” He stood and walked toward her. Despite his best intentions, he asked, “Are you still annoyed with me?”
“I thought it was you who was annoyed.” She cocked her head, revealing a hint of a smile.
“OK, we both were. Ready to kiss and make up?” He reached out and drew her toward him. She was unresisting.
“I thought you’d never ask.” Kam reached up to touch his cheek and met his kiss.
Her lips were warm and yielding, and he drew her closer, intending to deepen the embrace.
A throat cleared behind them. Seth inwardly groaned. Why now? He was reluctant to give up this start toward mending the strain between them, but he lifted his head.
Guild Master Henre stood in the open doorway.
“Sorry to interrupt, Seth, but before you go, could you look over this invoice? I, uh, guess it could wait.” The man shifted uncomfortably as he waved the paper in his hand.
“No problem. I can do it now.” Seth held out his hand, but his laughing eyes were on Kam’s face. “How about dinner at The Wharf at eight?”
“I’ll be ready, and dressed for a night on the town.” She gave him a two-finger wave and left.
Seth laughed aloud at her play on words, picturing their usual run over the city’s rooftops.
* * *
Kam had a lot of things to do before nightfall, including a quick visit to Elvenrude to check in with her family and to report the morning attack to Captain Brunic, the head of the King’s Guard. She hurried to the Ryndel Guild’s new executive offices not far from Harrah’s Casino. It wasn’t as nice as the swanky glass building the Lormarcs owned, but it had been a good compromise between what her father referred to as the flamboyance of the Lormarcs and the modernization that was necessary to keep their guild competitive.
She entered the front door and glanced into the mini showroom where merchandise was displayed for their most exclusive wholesale buyers—silks and woolens on one end, silver and gold jewelry on the other. The Lormarc Guild held rights to the bulk sales of precious metals, but anyone could sell the jewelry, and the Ryndels employed very skilled craftsmen. The showroom manager was busy with two well-dressed clients.
Smiling in satisfaction, Kam waved at the receptionist before heading down the hall to her office. She paused in the doorway and admired the plants and flowers from Elvenrude that had found a place on bookshelves and tables. Surrounding herself with native plant life was like keeping a piece of her homeland close to her.
She crossed to the back of the room. Of the three doors, she chose the one with a silver faceplate, and pressed her palm against it. The magical interface read the cross key, the small crossbow tattoo on her hand, and the lock clicked. Kam opened the door and stepped inside. At the center of the room she held out her hand, palm down over a similar etching on the floor, and the air flickered. An image formed, resembling a small elevator. Kam murmured the coordinates, stepped inside, and an instant later she arrived at the Ryndel Guild on the New Orleans’ wharf. A second transport deposited her in the town hall of Brierwood in Elvenrude.
Kam hurried out the door, her spirits immediately lifted by the gentle breeze and more temperate climate, and she waved at vendors in the outside market. Their colorful stands of brightly colored silks, fresh produce, and baked goods were tempting, but she didn’t have time today. She turned toward the north side of town where huge, live oaks held the sprawling tree houses of the wealthier Elite families. Grabbing one of the rope ladders that hung at the edge of the residential area, she climbed to the tree-level swinging paths. As she hurried across the walkway, she noted which neighbors were receiving guests by whether the rope ramp to the home was raised and secured or hanging down.
Fortunately, the Sawyer Ryndel family was receiving and she didn’t have to shout to try to get Esty’s attention. She poked her head in the front door. “Hello, anybody home?”
“Kam!” Her mother’s eager voice echoed from the back of the house. “Estelle, Kam’s home.” Meotta Ryndel appeared at the kitchen door and hurried toward her. She was eclipsed by Esty running past, her blue eyes sparkling and her black hair whipping around her shoulders.
Esty threw her slender arms around Kam and whirled them both in a circle. “Where have you been? It’s been ages.” The spitting image of her sister, except five years younger and slightly less curvy, Esty was the more exuberant personality.
Kam grinned and hugged her back. Five days wasn’t a long time, but elven families were unusually close. Any length of time without contact was too long. “I came as soon as I could.” She exchanged hugs with her mother. “I was away on a business trip. Any news?”
While Mother and Esty filled her in on the latest village gossip, they moved into the large kitchen where her mother set out cold, honey-sweetened tea and fresh biscuits. Kam took a seat at the oak table and licked her lips just looking at the pastry. Her mother made wonderful things in the oven.
“S
o how’s Rhyden? Or have you moved on to someone else this week?” Kam asked, giving her sister a teasing look. At twenty-three, Esty was still barely past adolescence in the elven world, where a woman’s fertility peaked from thirty to eighty. She’d had at least four crushes in the last year. Seth’s cousin Rhyden had been the longest in duration, going on six months now.
Esty’s face lit up. “I’m seeing him tonight. We’re going Cityside to dinner and jazz music in the park. Oh, maybe you could join us?”
Esty seemed oblivious to the parental concern in their mother’s eyes, but Kam hadn’t missed it. Was it Rhyden’s age—seven years older—or his last name? Given the centuries-old feud between the two guilds, it had to be hard for their parents to see both daughters in relationships with Lormarcs. Forty years ago, it would have been cause for a duel.
“I wish we could, but Seth and I have work to do. One of the portal guards was attacked early this morning.”
“Oh my goodness. Is he all right?” her mother asked.
“Just a bump on the head, but we still have to investigate.” Kam set down her tea and eyed the sugary biscuits. Maybe one more?
“Since we’ll be in New Orleans anyway, Rhyden and I could help you,” Esty said eagerly.
“I’m sure that won’t be necessary.” Their mother turned away to refill the teacups, but even Esty couldn’t have missed the flash of dismay.
Kam sympathized this time. She wasn’t happy with the offer either. Esty used to be the domestic one, spending her time on sewing and cooking like a proper elven woman, but over the last few months, she’d glamorized Kam’s job. Kam had tried to dissuade her. The thought of her baby sister putting herself in danger was frightening. But she knew better than to mention her thoughts to Esty.