“What?”
She hesitated. “At this moment, we’re not sure.”
My frown deepened. “Why not? Surely a spell strong enough to allow the shooter to slip past the security net would have left some sort of signature behind.”
“It should have. It didn’t.”
“Meaning we’re dealing with a blueblood.” A very powerful blueblood. Like Clayton.
“Possibly,” she said. “The High Council has placed their top investigators on the case.”
“Father couldn’t tell you what sort of spell it was?”
“No. As I said, he’d been shot.”
“But he’s obviously not dead.”
“He underwent emergency surgery and is currently sedated. It’ll be a few days before anyone can speak to him.”
Meaning the gunshot wound really had been serious. Guilt stirred; I should have felt a little more concern…
Why? came Belle’s comment, especially after what he did to you?
He’s still my father—
So? A blood re
lationship doesn’t automatically trigger love or respect. It has to be earned, and he certainly hasn’t.
While that was totally true, it didn’t in any way ease that wash of guilt. “When did the shooting occur?”
“A day after their meeting with you.”
The edge of accusation in her voice had anger stirring. “If you think I had anything to do—”
“No, no, of course not,” she said hastily. “But the investigators do want to speak to—”
“Why?”
“It’s routine—they’re interviewing anyone who’d had contact with him in the preceding twenty-four hours.”
“Then I hope they’re intending to speak to Clayton,” I retorted. “I know you think otherwise, but I’d bet everything I own on the fact he’s behind this.”
“I believe they intend to. The trouble is, he’s currently unavailable.”
My heart did several more skips. “Unavailable? Or gone?”
“That is another unknown.”
“When did this happen?”
“Only a few hours ago.”
“You promised to ring me—”
“Which is exactly what I’m doing.” Her voice was sharp. “I was with your father all day yesterday; I wasn’t aware Clayton had disappeared until one of the investigators rang for an update on your father’s condition.”
“Has a locator spell been initiated?”