Embraced By Darkness (Riley Jenson Guardian 5)

"You didn't ask what she discovered?"

She snorted softly "Of course I did. Wouldn't you? She just said that she'd hit the story jackpot, and would tell me more when she was certain."

"She obviously never did?"

"No."

"And you have no idea why Adrienne went to Monitor Island?" No.

"Did it involve the person she ran into at the club?"

"I told you, I don't know. Why do you keep asking me stupid questions when I've already told you I can't help you?"

Because I'm trying to find out what happened to her. Trying to prevent it from happening to anyone else. But I kept the words inside. It wasn't hard to guess that Jodie was speaking out of anguish more than any desire to be unhelpful.

"What plane was Adrienne supposed to arrive home on?" I'd need to check if she ever actually boarded it.

"A five PM Qantas flight."

"And there's nothing else you can tell me? Nothing she said or did that seemed odd to you?"

"Nothing at all." She looked at me then, eyes red rimmed and brimming with tears, "Just go away, and leave me alone."

I hesitated, wanting to ask more, but also not wanting-to alienate her completely. I might need to question her again later. So I simply said, "Thanks for your help, Jodie."

She didn't answer, just went back to looking out the window. I headed out of the hospital and into the fresh air as quickly as I could. After sucking in several deep breaths to wash away the lingering aroma of antiseptic, pain, and hopelessness that always seemed to haunt hospitals, I began the long walk back to where I'd parked my car. As I walked, I took my phone out, hit the vid-button, and dialed the cow.

She was as happy as ever to sec my smiling face.

"Now what the hell are you after?" she said, voice flat and annoyed.

I restrained my grin. I really did like this woman's flat-out bitchiness. "Want you to check out a club for me. I need background and trouble reports."

"What club?"

"Mirror Image."

She raised perfectly plucked eyebrows. "That's the weird one that allows humans and nonhumans to mix, isn't it?"

"Yep."

"Is it connected to the murders?"

"I don't know."

"I'm not going to pull reports on a club just because you're curious about it," she said, in that snotty way of hers.

"It may be connected to a missing persons case I'm investigating. I'm just covering all the bases."

"Oh, I'm sure you're doing more than that, wolf girl." She sniffed. "I'll send whatever I can find."

"You're such a darling, Sal."

She all but snarled at me. I chuckled and hung up. In that instant, I felt it again. The cold chill of evil. An evil that hungered to kill, and rent, and tear, not talk.

I swung around, and saw it. Not the thing I was sensing, but the car. It had veered across several lanes of traffic and was coming straight at me. I had a brief glimpse of dark hair, thin features, and a grin of sheer delight before I was diving out of the way. I hit the concrete hard, rolled to my feet, and ran for the nearest street pole, my heart racing quicker than my feet. The roar of the car engine didn't get any closer. Instead, the car bounced off another and continued on, scattering pedestrians as it continued down the footpath before swerving back out into the traffic. I didn't bother chasing it. I might have vampire speed, but that car was moving way faster than I ever could, the driver weaving in and out of traffic like a madman.

I dusted the dirt off my hands and knees, then got out my phone again.