BRIDGING THE DIVIDE
Hunter, Nireas, and Ronan took the news of Detective Sergeant Jude Piper surprisingly well. I'd taken care to describe him as a fae detective, which helped, and covered my silence up to this point by defending his right to secrecy.
"This could've waited until morning," Hunter muttered.
I was pressed to his side in his carriage, Ronan and Nireas crammed in on the opposite bench.
"You should be resting," he added to me.
"And we don't even know that he'll be at the station. It's the middle of the night," Nireas added.
"Maybe not, but the sooner the better, don't you think?" I asked.
"You said yourself the killer could've seen you on the street or followed you home from the theater. We don't know how long he's been planning this," Ronan argued.
Still, here we were, smashed together in Hunter's carriage, pulling up to the police station. I wasn't sure if it was because I looked especially pathetic, bruised and bandaged from the attack, or if they knew as well as I did that Jude was our only law enforcement connection and that could be powerful. Either way, I'd won the argument.
"I'll go in with you," Hunter said.
"I want to speak with DS Piper alone."
"Why?" Ronan snapped.
Hunter ignored him. "Very well, but my human disguise carries influence. Let me help you at least reach his office."
I relaxed at that and nodded. "Thank you, Hunter."
I've had sex with all three of these men, my brain very unhelpfully reminded me, not for the first time tonight. In fact, Hunter would probably still be able to smell Nireas on me. I would've thought an orc was the most likely one to be territorial, but he actually seemed the least bothered. I wondered if that was because of the confidence he claimed or a lack of real interest.
I shooed away the trivial thoughts as we reached the curb in front of the police station. It was a large building, dark brick and thick paned windows well-lit even at so late an hour, with uniformed men milling outside and a cart of what looked like drunks being unloaded and led inside.
I was more grateful than I had been at first as Hunter donned the hat of the small, dowdy man and stepped down from the carriage, his hand waiting to help me. I had Hunter's soft scarf wrapped around my throat, hiding my bruises and scrapes, but I was sure most of the officers watching us enter the building assumed I was a whore, even on Hunter's dignified arm.
There was a small line in front of the gated counter ahead of us, and we were just nearing the officer at reception, Hunter asking for Detective Piper, when I looked in the direction of a hall and saw the man himself, his head ducked and shoulders sagging.
I'd barely bitten his name off my tongue when he looked up, as if he'd heard the thought in my head. His steps stalled briefly as he stared back at me, and then he hurried forward.
"Don't bother signing them in, Stewarts, I'll handle it," Jude said, words almost nervously clipped as he reached the counter. "Miss Nix?"
"I came to speak with you," I said. My voice was hoarse now from talking with the others, my throat swelling, and his eyes narrowed at me before flicking to Hunter.
"I'll wait here in the lobby, Miss Nix," Hunter's low voice offered from the small man's lips.
I nodded to him in thanks before turning to the closely hovering Jude Piper.
"Follow me. I was just on my way out for the night."
"I'm sorry," I said under my breath as I followed him back toward the broad hall he'd just left. "I know it's late."
"Are you all right?" he murmured back.
I pressed my lips together, wanting to wait until we were alone, and Jude and I both picked up our steps. My eyes scanned the hall with curiosity. Clean walls, bright polished tiled floor, broad doorways, and glass windows. It was almost militarily pristine, but there were hints of male chaos in scattered paperwork spied through open doors.
"The inspector left hours ago. We'll use his office," Jude said.
There were uniformed police passing us in the halls, watching out of glass windows, and I kept my eyes fixed to Jude's back as he unlocked a dark office and led me inside.
"Less ears in here, and DI Martins doesn't mind me using it when he's out. What's happened?"
The lamp on the broad desk in the center of the room was lit as I shut the door behind us. It was the nicest room we'd seen yet, and the tidiest. I wondered what Jude's own office or desk looked like, but I was grateful for the privacy.
"I was attacked tonight. He was waiting in my flat," I said.
"You saw him?!" Jude asked, eyes wide and standing in front of the desk.
I shook my head and unwrapped the scarf from around my throat, revealing the marks there from the garrote. I'd applied the oil to them before we'd left, to help explain why they would be gone by tomorrow evening. Hunter had frowned when he'd sniffed the jar, and I was trying not to read into the suspicious look he'd given me.
"Shit," Jude whispered, blushing slightly.
"I didn't see him. And the gentleman who walked in with me—he's not human, by the way—he said whoever it was wore perfume to mask their scent. Which means they know monsters are tracking them too," I said, wincing at the end of my speech.
Jude gaped at me for a moment before shaking himself. "Sit. I'll get you water. Actually—" He passed me on my way to the seat, opening the door and leaning out to call, "Humphries, two cuppas."
I sat, and Jude joined me, taking the second seat in front of the desk rather than the one behind.
"You're all right?" he asked, glancing down at my bandaged hand.
"I will be. Two friends from the theater burst in before... And he took off before they could see anything," I said. "Jude, so few people from the company know where I live. Only a few, really, although—"
"You'd be less difficult to track than you'd think, I'm afraid," Jude said. "Any guess on your friend's part as to what kind of monster? It won't help me, but perhaps all the pieces together might."
"I should've brought Hunter in with me," I said, frowning. "I barely know anything. Oh! I felt... When I was trying to fight them off, it felt like I was hitting padding."
Jude frowned at that. "There was some evidence that the girl in the water may have fought. Anyone wounded recently?"
I wasn't sure I would've noticed, but I shook my head.