Secrets of the Demon (Kara Gillian 3)

“To fetch a pail of water?” Ryan finished, grinning.

Zack groaned. “You two are a couple of assholes.”

“It’s why you love us,” Ryan said, voice dry. “C’mon, let’s get food. Kara has a bunch of shit to fill us in on.”

We found a booth that was well away from any other customers. As soon as the waitress had taken our orders I filled them both in on the findings from the computer examinations, what I’d gleaned from Roger’s murder scene, and the interview with Lida.

Zack frowned and pulled a small notebook out of his pocket. “So, with Roger’s murder, we still have the possibility that Vic really was killed by mistake.”

I grimaced. “No, I’m having a hard time buying that. Vic Kerry is still linked to both Adam and Roger financially. I just have to pin down how. Besides, if the thing was going after Roger, why go to the City Towers where there was no guarantee that Roger would even be there?” I shrugged. “And for that matter, why go to City Towers if it was after Vic? Seems that there’d be more risk of it being seen.”

Ryan tapped the table absently. “Where did Vic live?”

“Emerald Heights condominiums.” I paused. “Which is gated and has security. Gold star to Ryan!”

He gave me a pleased nod. “Harder to get in, and surveillance video keeps track of cars coming and going.”

Zack exhaled. “Which brings up back to believing that Vic truly was the intended target of that attack.”

“I have all of Roger’s financial information. I sent off subpoenas for Vic’s and Adam’s but it’ll take weeks to get any returns from those. But I do have the info from Vic’s computer and the books we seized at the crime scene.” I tugged a hand through my hair, grimacing. “What I can’t figure out is how the attack on Lida figures into any of this. If the intent had been to kill her, why do it in such a public way?”

We paused while the waitress delivered our food. Ryan looked askance at my entrée. “You’re really having fries for lunch?”

“It’s not just fries,” I said. “It’s cheese and gravy on top of fries. Three of the four food groups!”

He stared at me. “What the hell is your cholesterol level?”

“It’s one!” I said, showing him my middle finger.

Zack grinned. “Don’t get between a woman and her comfort food, Ryan.”

I glared at him as I dug into my healthy repast. Was it that obvious I was in need of comfort food?

“Well, it looks like I’m in for an exciting evening of looking at financial information,” I said after a few minutes of lubricating my arteries. “And I think that the rest of the Financial Crimes Task Force really needs to be helping me out with this!” I gave them both a hopeful grin.

“Sounds dangerous,” Zack said with a mock frown. “I think it would be much safer for us to hunt wild golems. Perhaps somewhere on the other side of the lake.”

“Back off, fanboy,” I said, pointing a gravy-and-cheese-laden fry at him. “I’ve already spoken to the object of your crush—”

“It is not a crush!” he insisted.

“—and Lida is arranging for private security, so your stalking services aren’t needed.”

“You wound me. My intentions are noble.”

Ryan made a rude noise, then turned his attention to me. “So you warned her to watch her back?”

I nodded. “I told Roger to be careful, too, but ... it wasn’t enough.”

His face tightened in a sympathetic grimace.

“And you need to watch your back as well, Kara,” Zack said with a telling look.

Ryan spun to face me. “Why?” he asked, barely shy of demanding.

I glared at Zack, who gave a soft sigh. “I thought you’d told him already,” he said.

“Tell me what?” Ryan said, and this time it was most certainly a demand.