"Maybe he stepped out to stretch his legs," I said to Karl. "Can you tell?"
"Only that he's been in here recently. I could try tracking him, but he's been in and out of here so often that unless he went someplace he doesn't normally go, it would be difficult to find a fresh trail."
"Do you smell anything else?"
"Blood? No."
I closed my eyes, but all I could pick up was a general sense of unease and distrust emanating from Griffin.
"He left this floor at nine-thirty," Griffin said, startling me.
"What?"
"The elevator access records show he went down to the fourth floor at nine-thirty, but never came back up."
"What's on the fourth floor?"
"Lots of things."
He was out the door before I could get another word in.
"Karl?" I said. "Can you tell whether anyone else was in here with William?"
"I can try."
He walked to the doorway and dropped to his haunches. Griffin strode back as if just realizing we weren't behind him.
"Are you com--?"
Seeing Karl, he stopped and let out a snort of disgust. Karl ignored it, inhaled, then stood and brushed off his trousers.
"There seems to be a recent second trail, but that was probably whoever dropped off dinner."
"Are you coming now?" Griffin snapped.
Karl glanced over at him and smiled. "What's the magic word?"
Griffin stalked off, muttering a word under his breath.
"That's not it," Karl called after him.
Griffin's shoulders tightened as he realized he'd been heard, but he didn't stop.
WHEN THE ELEVATOR doors opened onto the fourth floor, it looked as quiet and empty as the other levels. Odd. I'd worked for corporations, and even on floors staffed by nine-to-fivers you could expect to see cleaners at night. But I suppose having cleaners--even your own staff--in a Cabal office, unsupervised, wasn't wise. Better to lock down the floors and monitor all access.
We followed Griffin until we reached the first junction. Then Karl stopped, his nostrils flaring, and veered down the adjoining hall.
We got about ten steps before Griffin's "Hey!" rang out.
"I thought I told you to stay with me," he said as he stalked up behind us.
"No, I don't believe you did."
"This is a Cabal head office. You can't just run off like that."
"Run?" Karl turned slowly, eyebrows arched. "I believe I was walking. I also believe you are in as much a hurry to get this over with as we are, but if I'm mistaken, then you go your way, and let me follow the smell of blood."
"Blood?" I said.