Stolen (Otherworld 2)

"We have some surveillance pictures upstairs," Bauer said. "I'll show them to you later. Elena is a very lucky girl."

"Looks aren't every thing," Leah said, flashing a wicked smile. "It's performance that counts."

I studied the bubbles in my wineglass. Oh, please, please, please, don't ask.

Leah downed her wine. "I have a question. If it's not too personal."

"And even if it is," Bauer said with a giggle.

Oh, please, please, please--

"You guys Change into wolves, right?" Leah said. "So, when you and your husband are wolves, do you still ... you know. Are you still lovers?"

Bauer snorted so hard wine sprayed from her nose. Okay, that was the one question even worse than asking how Clay was in bed. This was a nightmare. My worst nightmare. Not only thrown into a wine and cheese party with two women I barely knew, but with two women who knew every thing about me and were getting a wee bit tipsy. Let the floor open up and swallow me now. Please.

"This is really good cheese," I said.

Bauer laughed so hard she started to hiccup.

The door whooshed opened. A guard stuck his head inside.

"Ms. Bauer?"

In an eye-blink, Bauer was sober. She coughed once into her hand, then straightened up, face as regal as ever.

"Yes?" she said.

"We have a situation," he said. "With prisoner three."

"They're not prisoners," she snapped, getting to her feet. "What's the problem with Mr. Zaid?"

"His clothes are gone."

Leah snorted a laugh and covered her mouth with her linen napkin.

"What's he done with them?" Bauer asked.

"He--uh--hasn't done anything, ma'am. He finished his shower and they were--uh--gone. Started raising a hel--ruckus. Cursing, ranting. All that voodoo stuff. Demanded we get you. Immediately."

Annoyance flitted across Bauer's face. "Tell Mr. Zaid ..." She stopped. Hesitated. "Fine. I'll speak to him. Step inside. I'll be right back."

CHAPTER 19

GHOSTS

Bauer wasn't gone long enough for Leah and I to exchange more than a few sentences. When she returned, she brushed past the guard she'd left in the cell with us. She didn't looked pleased.

"How's Curtis?" Leah asked.

Bauer blinked, as if distracted by her own thoughts. "Fine," she said after a moment's pause. "He's fine. Just ... unnerved by all this."

"Where were his clothes?" Leah asked.

Another blink. Another pause. "Oh, on his bookshelf." She settled into her chair and refilled her wineglass. "Neatly folded on the top shelf."

"The spirits are at work," Leah intoned, grinning mischievously.

"Don't start that," Bauer said.