Piper (Queen's Birds of Prey 4)

“Something else you might not have known is that we all knew who you were and that your mother was keeping you safe.” Duncan looked shocked. Jude asked why no one had said anything. “Dante was good to us all. She never once made any of the people that were hers to protect do anything she’d not do herself. Even going so far as to helping with the dead. We were all loyal to her and only her. Even in her death, she made sure that each and every one of us were able to live out our lives without fear of anyone finding us.”

Duncan stood up and asked to be excused. Grant told him he was sorry as he left them there. Looking over at Jude, Piper asked her if he was all right. He did seem to be really upset about the news.

“Yes. He’s wonderful, as a matter of fact. These things you’re sharing with us, Grant, are things we might never have known. The very fact that you were around much longer than any of us were gives an insight to Dante and her life that we did not know until now.” Jude looked sad herself. “The things she had to endure would have killed a lesser woman, I think. Dante was never perfect, but she was the type of person whose flaws you could ignore because her kindness was so bountiful. We were very lucky to have had someone like her at a time when women were thought of as nothing more than breeding machines. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for sharing. I do hope you’ll continue to do so. Oh, welcome to the family, Grant.”

After Jude went to check on Duncan, Grant looked at Piper. She was sitting there with her head bowed, and he wondered what she might be thinking. He touched his fingers to her chin and lifted her face up to see her. She’d been crying, and Grant felt his own heart take a tight twist at the sight of so many tears.

“I’m sorry.” She shook her head and said it was all right. “Not if I made you cry. I only meant to tell you the stories, and when he asked, I couldn’t have turned him down for any reason.”

“As Jude said, it’s great hearing things that none of us knew. The very fact that you have information she wouldn’t have kept in her diary is wonderful news.” Piper stood, and so did he. “I have to go. I need to catch the next flight out.”

“I’m going.” He could tell she wanted to tell him no. “Please? May I go as well? I’d like to be helpful to you if I can. Staying here, without you, I’ll not know what to do with myself.”

Piper laughed. “I have a feeling you have plenty to do to keep yourself busy. But all right. You can go with me. But you have to do what I tell you. I don’t want you hurt any more than I want to be.” He said he’d do whatever she told him. “Good. I need to talk to my sisters, then we can leave.”

Grant told his mom he’d be back but not to worry. She hugged him several times. Excitement from him having a mate was making her giddy, an emotion he’d never witnessed from his mom before.

Once they were on the plane and in the air, Grant wondered what he would do now that he had a mate. Things, he supposed, would change a great deal for the two of them. How, he wasn’t sure, but there would be a lot of laughter and tears before they came together. Smiling to himself, Grant was up for this. He was looking forward to getting to know Piper in any way she’d allow him to. She certainly was a beautiful creature. Grant couldn’t wait to see her bird. He had a feeling she was more beautiful than even her human self when she was flying through the sky.

Chapter 3

Piper had to walk around the area she was in three times before she finally just stepped back and took in a deep breath. She was still standing there with her eyes closed when Grant spoke to her through the link that no one else could breach to find out what was going on.

I can help you. She told him she wasn’t sure what she was doing, so she didn’t know that he could. I’m fae. I would imagine you are as well now. Or at least partly so. Just dig your fingers into the soot, and you should be able to connect with the land around you. The earth will tell you answers to whatever questions you have.

This fire, it was set. He said he knew that. Not gasoline. But something just as volatile.

It smells to me like burnt grease. She looked at him as he stood there on the other side of the burnt out building. I’m not saying that’s all I can smell, but I would say it’s at least seventy percent of what was used as an accelerant.

She did as he asked her to do and bent down to the burnt out area she was standing next to. Digging her fingers deep into the debris as well as the dead soil beneath it, she could feel the earth speaking to her just beyond where she was.

My lady. How may I help you today? I must say I’m glad you are a part of Lord Grant’s family. He is a good man. His help with the earth is all that keeps us alive in some areas. She asked where the fire had started. Just to the north of you. There you will find what you are searching for. There are others as well, the placements of the cause of the fire. But the item there will show you what you can look for.

Thanking the earth, giving it a little of her own magic, she felt the shudder of the earth beneath her feet when it thanked her. Moving to where she was told, she sensed Grant coming around the side of the shell that was left and standing by her as she searched for what she’d been told.

“You were right.” He said he didn’t feel any better about being right. “No. Neither do I, as a matter of fact. But it is grease. She told me there were several more around, but this would help me in what to look for. Do you know if the people have all been accounted for?”

“Two are still missing. But the three hundred dead that they’re working with now have all their attention. It’s going to be difficult to make sure they’re all named. Having the cars on the lot is going to help a great deal.” She knew that, as well. It would help them understand who hadn’t left as soon as their meal was over. “I have an idea that I can help with the identification of the dead. If you’d not mind, that is.”

“If you can make it so the families can be notified sooner rather than later, that would be wonderful. I think if you can name then, there will be less of a chance that a family member will need to see them looking like they do.” She had been in the makeshift morgue twice now. The smell alone was more than she could handle. “The man in charge is Agent Parkerson. He’s the one that called me to the scene.”

After he left her to find out if he could help, Piper set about finding the other accelerants around the building. It took her six hours to find them all, fearful if she missed anything, it would cause the case to be thrown out of court. The people that had caused this, they needed to be dealt with in the worst possible way.

As night fell on the shell of the building, she found Grant in the makeshift morgue. He had identified the bodies, all of them. It was difficult enough having to go through the place where they had all perished. She could not imagine going through the dead and naming them for their families. Piper found herself a place to rest and to be alone while he finished up. Three hundred and seven people had lost their lives today. The two that had been missing had been found in part of the building, usually left for storage. They’d both been killed as well.

We have an idea of who caused the fire. She told Remi she didn’t want to deal with anything more today. I’m sorry, love. I truly am. But you’re the only one I can speak with, and you’ll need to tell the police.

Nearly everyone in this building is dead, Remi. Women and children made up most of the people here today. Please tell me the people who did this are still alive for me to kill. Remi told her she couldn’t do that. Why not? Who will ever know?

The Hillary Corporation will need to be exonerated from this. People will sue them anyway—there are greedy people around every

where. But if they go under, no one will get paid. The insurance companies need to have someone to blame it on. The owners of the building will also need to have a person they can point to in order to justify paying out so much. Piper told her all the doors had been locked with chains and locks. I heard that, as well. The fires were started at each of the exits, so there would be a larger death count. Piper, the five people that did this, they’re currently planning another fire to top this one.

After Remi gave her the information she’d need to tell Parkerson, she went to find him. Her heart was broken for the senseless deaths of the people here. They had come out for a children’s event that had been planned for months, only to end up dead.

Grant came to her while she stood telling Parkerson what she knew. Parkerson wrote it all down in his book, then sent his men to the address the people were at. He promised her they’d be in jail before the sun came up. Grant held her after the agent left her.

“I’ve never considered myself to be a person who would get their heart hurt over something like this. I’m not saying I’m cold and unfeeling, but the very fact that I have done this for so long sort of jaded me into thinking I’ve seen it all.” Piper looked up at Grant. “They did this for one reason—to have someone speculate on who had done this. How it had been done. They were planning another fire while they were together. That alone makes me want to hunt them down and kill them where they stand.”