Nicole Peeler - [Jane True 01] (18 page)

When we had recovered a bit, he waggled his eyebrows at the ocean, and I
laughed. Hand in hand, we walked down to the sea and scrubbed ourselves off in
the shallows. Then we headed back to the blanket.

“Dessert?” he suggested, at the same moment that I shoved half of an
entire
tarte au citron
into my mouth. “I guess that answers my
question.”

He chose to eat his tart off my thighs, which I think we both enjoyed.

CHAPTER TEN

I
f I’d
thought a dead, nearly decapitated goblin was one of the worst things I’d ever
seen, I only had to meet a living one to realize just how wrong I’d been.

When Ryu pulled up in front of the bookstore, I’d headed into the back
to change and get ready for that evening. I still wasn’t able to meet my own
eyes in the mirror, so refreshing my minimal makeup was a slapdash affair. I
took the opportunity to agonize, once again, over my behavior last night. I’d
betrayed the memory of Jason with a bang, no pun intended, in the company of a
man whose intentions were unclear to me. My attraction to Ryu was undeniably
powerful, and apparently mutual. But in the cold light of day, the
self-confidence I’d felt the night before was quickly eroding. What could
someone like him want with somebody like me? He oozed confidence and authority;
everything about him spoke of money, power, and status. Meanwhile, I didn’t own
a pair of panty hose. I was afraid to ask my hairdresser for a glass of water.
And let’s not forget the time Grizzie told me the fashion police were out to
get me, on charges of banality, and I actually looked around to see where they
were hiding.

Furthermore, Ryu is not Prince Charming, here to rescue you from your
enchanted slumber,
my brain reminded me.
You still have to
live in Rockabill, taking care of the father who won’t move away and whom you
wouldn’t abandon even if you could. All of which means that Ryu will go, and
you will remain.
I stared at myself, hard, in the mirror, finally touching
on the questions I couldn’t answer.

What are you going to take from this? From him?

When I finally emerged from the bathroom, freshly scrubbed and
thoroughly flagellated by my self-doubts, Ryu wasn’t alone. Next to his Porsche
was a large Audi sedan, and arguing with him was what could only have been the
female version of that awful creature in Peter’s trunk.

Ryu was obviously really angry, but the creature looked entirely
unimpressed. She just stood there, impassively, her wicked looking
long-fingered claws—painted a bold red, I noted—wrapped around the handle of
her expensive-looking briefcase.

And she was
huge
, towering above Ryu by at least two feet. Since
the only goblin I’d ever seen had been shoved into the trunk of a car, I had no
idea they were so tall. Her bony, mottled-green body was encased in a
conservative gray business suit and her many-fanged mouth sported a lipstick
that perfectly matched her fire-engine-red nails. Her eyes glowed a horrible
piquant yellow and appeared to be dripping mucus, but she did have lovely blond
hair that was wrapped up in an elaborate French twist. All in all, the
contrasts added up to one of the most repulsive sights I’d ever seen.

“Who is the suit arguing with your man?” Grizzie asked, curiously. I
couldn’t believe she could see them, and I blinked at her, confused. “She’s
hot, in a corporate way. Maybe she’s a naughty secretary.” Grizzie leered, too
busy pondering the implications of “naughty secretary” to notice that I was
staring at her with absolute disbelief.

Ah, the powers of glamour
, I thought, as I mumbled something
about not being sure who it was. Grizzie turned to me and sighed when she saw
what I was wearing. I thought I looked nice in my sky-blue T and sexiest
hipster jeans. My shirt had three-quarter-length sleeves and was cut in a
rather deep V-neck. Because of the plunging neckline, and the fact that it was
pretty thin material, I wore a nice white chemise under it. I was also wearing
my boots again instead of my Converse.

I looked down at my clothes, confused and a little hurt. Grizzie came
over and put an arm around me.

“You always look beautiful, Jane,” she said, apologetically. “But you’d
look even better in some leather. Or maybe hot pants. Leather hot pants…” she
finished, starting to look decidedly predatory.

“Grizzie, it’s November. Hot pants are not an option,” I reminded her.

She looked at me as if I’d just cursed the memory of my own mother. “Hot
pants, my dear, are
always
an option.”

I shook my head, put on my coat, and hugged her good-bye. Ryu and the
goblin were still arguing, but my curiosity was getting the better of my
apprehension. I wanted to know what was going on.

Neither the bloodsucker nor the giant gremlin registered my appearance
at their side. Ryu was so angry he was nearly spitting. No, he actually was
spitting. His extended fangs made talking difficult.

“You have no authority to take me off this case, Gretchen,” he snarled.
“I was asked to investigate this matter, and that’s what I’m doing.”

“Yes, but Martin’s death means the situation has changed,” Gretchen the
goblin replied impassively.

“How?” Ryu demanded. “Manx’s body was in Jakes’s trunk: Ergo, his death
is connected to Peter’s murder and is therefore a part of
my
investigation.”

“But it’s no longer your investigation.” Gretchen’s voice betrayed not
one iota of emotion as Ryu’s hands clenched into fists and he had to visibly
restrain himself. I took a step toward him. Whoever this goblin was, she was
obviously in charge and Ryu would do himself no favors by attacking her. Plus,
I had a feeling she’d kick his ass.

“You have been removed from this case and I have been given the
authority to replace you.” The goblin rummaged in the outer pocket of her
briefcase. “Orin asked me to inform you that this is through no fault of your
own. When a member of our firm is killed in action, our contract of service
stipulates that
we
become responsible for the deceased agent’s
investigation.” The creature’s yolk-yellow eyes flicked toward me for a split
second, and I shuddered.

“This is horse shit,” Ryu spat, as she handed him a creamy white
envelope.

“No, it’s procedure.” The goblin zipped shut her briefcase’s pocket and
straightened her suit jacket. “And procedure dictates that the firm itself is
responsible for meting out justice for those who interfere with our agents.
Alfar justice, however swift, is not goblin justice.”

Those awful yellow eyes remained emotionless throughout her speech, and
I knew I never, ever, wanted to find out what goblin justice entailed.

Ryu, in the meantime, had ripped open the envelope and was reading the
letter. He was still angry, but a look of resignation passed over his face as
he finished, crumpling up the letter and its envelope decisively. “Fine,” he
said. “The investigation is yours.” He visibly gathered himself, as if
remembering his manners. “I hope you find the murderer, and I am sorry for
Manx’s loss. He was a fine attorney.”

“Yes, he was,” the goblin intoned. “Thank you for your understanding.”
She paused as she got into her car, looking back at Ryu and me. “Have no doubt:
Martin’s murderer
will
be punished,” Gretchen concluded, the finality in
her voice sending a chill through my bones.

We watched in silence as she drove away. Ryu grumbled something
incomprehensible, and then, balancing the crumpled ball of paper on the palm of
his hand, I watched in awe as it went up in a little puff of bright-blue flame
and smoke.

“Goblins,” he said sarcastically, finally turning around to acknowledge
me. He drew me toward him, pouring his aggression into a feisty kiss before
breaking away to tell me that I was a sight for sore eyes. He kissed me again,
teasingly. “And I
mean
sore. That red lipstick just did nothing for her
complexion,” he murmured against my lips, and I burst out laughing.

When we were settled in his car, he sighed deeply and relaxed back
against his headrest. “Well, that threw a wrench into my plans,” he said,
finally.

I had already thought about that. No murder investigation meant no
reason for him to be in Rockabill. No reason for him to be in Rockabill meant
Ryu would return to his normal life in Boston.

The thing that made me feel worst was how sad I was. I should never have
gotten involved with Ryu in the first place, let alone
this
involved.

I didn’t trust myself to speak, so I just sat quietly, my hands in my
lap.

“Well, what’s done is done.” He turned to me, putting a hand on my knee.
“I thought I’d have more time here, with you. But just because I have to leave
sooner than I thought doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy ourselves. There’s even a
chance of thunderstorms tonight.” He arched a brow at me. “And I bet your
selkie half
loves
itself some storm.”

I laughed, swallowing my hurt. He was right; we had no reason not to
enjoy our last night together. Besides, I’d known from the beginning that this
was just a fling, and it’s not like I could have fit anything more serious into
my life.
And maybe you’ll have more confidence from now on,
I told
myself.
Maybe Ryu’s just the beginning of a new life.

We went to dinner at the Trough, again, and this time I hardly noticed
the prying eyes of my nosy neighbors.

Amy was happy to see us, at least, and she asked if we’d be going to the
Sty that night. When Ryu said yes, winking at me, she said she’d see us there.

I was happy knowing I would see Amy that night, and even happier when we
pulled into the Sty and Stuart’s SUV was nowhere to be seen.
He must be
regaining his confidence by being an asshole in some other bar,
I thought.
Ryu must also have been thinking about Stu, because he walked into the bar
first, keeping me behind him while his eyes scanned the other patrons.

It was a Friday night, but still pretty early, so the bar half of the
Sty was mostly empty. Sarah was serving food, but she flashed me a warm smile,
as did Marcus when we approached the bar. We ordered drinks—red wine for Ryu,
which I could see was totally not up to his standards when he tasted it, and a
Jack and Coke for me. We toasted each other, but this time I took the lead. “To
your being in Rockabill. I’ve, um, really enjoyed your being here,” I
stammered, embarrassed. But he looked so pleased I was glad I’d said it.

I excused myself to go to the bathroom, and when I came back Ryu was
walking away from the jukebox. He met me halfway back to the bar and picked me
up, twirling me around while the power of his glamour lifted the hairs on the
back of my neck, just as Cheap Trick’s cover of “The Flame” came over the
speakers.

“Cheeseball,” I murmured, leaning down to kiss him. He held me like that
for what felt like forever, until I realized that our kiss had begun to wander
into the realm of the X-rated, and I pulled back.

“You can put me down now,” I reminded him.

“I could,” he acknowledged, nipping at my breast so that lightning bolts
zinged through my body.

“Ryu,”
I scolded, looking around me. But our public display
of affection went, of course, unnoticed. I was going to have to get used to
this glamour thing.

“No one can see us,” he pointed out. “Not even when I do this,” he said
as he buried his face in my cleavage.

“No one but Sarah and Marcus,” I hissed, watching as the pair exchanged
sly smiles.

Ryu set me down and leaned over to kiss me. “You’re so sexy when you’re
being human,” he growled.

And you’re just sexy
, I thought, as I took his hand and wrapped
an arm around his waist, trying to distract him with dancing.

“Tell me about the goblin,” I said, to reinforce the distraction.

He took the bait, wrapping his arm around me and gently swaying to the
beat before saying, “Gretchen Kirschner is a senior partner in the firm Manx
worked for, and even for a goblin she’s a pain in the ass. But she’s good. If
she’s involved, then that means something big is happening.” His expression
clouded, just for a moment, and I could sense the wheels spinning.