Deceptions (Cainsville 3)

"May I presume you'll come with me?"

His brows shot up. "Of course. Whether he wants me there or not."

--

Gabriel arranged to see Chandler that afternoon. A half hour later we were in the elevator, taking the fifty-five-story ride down to the underground parking garage.

"So what else are we doing today?" I asked as we exited the elevator. "The only thing on my schedule is working at the diner. Which I'm not." I wasn't sure if I ever could again. I'd told Larry I was unwell--between the accident and the fever that preceded it--and needed some time off, and he'd given me two weeks.

"I require a vehicle," Gabriel said. "Since that is your area of expertise, I'm taking you along to select one. After that, we'll pick up a rental car. Then we'll drop your car back here and--"

"Skip the play-by-play and hit the highlights, please."

"Today will be devoted primarily to cleaning up the mess from yesterday. We need . . ."

An almost imperceptible tightening of his shoulders told me something had caught his attention. Gabriel has an uncanny sense for trouble, which may be because his gene pool, like mine, contains a sprinkling of fairy dust.

"What's up?" I whispered.

He scanned the row of parked cars. "Do you have your gun?"

"Always."

He put his fingers against my back and propelled me forward.

"Any warnings?" he murmured.

"Portents of impending doom?" I said. "Not a one, but honestly? I'm discombobulated enough this morning that I could trip over five dead birds and not notice."

"We're both out of sorts. Which reminds me that I need to stop by the doctor and pick up a prescription for pain--"

When he wheeled, I didn't jump. Nor was I surprised to see a man two paces behind us. Gabriel admitting he needed pain meds had conveyed a warning as clearly as if he'd shouted it.

The man didn't look like the sort who'd be stalking us in an empty parking garage: early forties, decent suit, gray-salted beard. A reporter? I'd had to deal with plenty lately.

"May I help you?" Gabriel rumbled, his deep voice dropping another octave.

"Gabriel Walsh?"

"Yes."

The man held out a thick envelope. "You've been served. This is--"

Gabriel grabbed the guy by the wrist, wrenching his arm up. The guy yelped, but didn't drop the envelope . . . or the semi-automatic pistol he'd tried to conceal in his other hand.

"Give Mr. Walsh your gun," I said.

The man stared in confusion at the gun in my own hand.

"Give it to him now."

He opened his fingers and dropped his pistol. Gabriel grabbed for it with his free hand. Then he stopped sharply. "Oliv--!"

The gun clattered to the pavement. And cold steel pressed into the back of my neck.

"You don't want to do that," Gabriel said, his pale blue eyes fixed on my captor.

A man's chuckle sounded behind me. "I don't believe you're in any position to make that demand, Mr. Walsh."