Born to Bite (25 page)

“And Agnes turned him,” Eshe murmured.

“Yes. The little fool. I thought it a waste of a good turn at the time.”

“And now?” Eshe asked curiously.

Cedrick shrugged. “Turning made John stop drinking. The alcohol had no effect on him anymore and Armand ordered everyone not to tell him about how drinking a drunk’s blood affected us. I’m sure he’s learned since then, but as far as I can tell he hasn’t drunk since Susanna’s death.” He pursed his lips and said, “Guilt, I imagine. If he hadn’t been down at the inn in the village, he would have been there when the fire started and Susanna might be alive.”

Eshe nodded, and Bricker asked, “What happened to his betrothed?”

“Oh.” Cedrick clucked with disgust. “Armand warned him to wait until he had gained the skill to read minds before he married her, to be sure she could be a life mate to him, but he was still in love with the girl and would have gone right ahead and married her if she’d been willing.”

“She wasn’t, I take it,” Eshe said quietly.

“Hell no. He went to her the minute he left the castle and blabbed to her about what he was now. The girl was very religious, most folks were back then, and she about had a heart attack when he told her. As far as she was concerned, he was now the devil’s spawn and she couldn’t get away from him quick enough. If I hadn’t been there, she’d have run and told her father and we’d have had an army at the castle gate with stakes and torches in hand.”

“You were there?” Eshe asked with surprise.

Cedrick nodded. “Armand’s no idiot. John had promised to delay the wedding and not to tell until he could read and control mortals as well as wipe memories in case she reacted exactly as she did. But Armand didn’t trust him not to and sent me to follow him just to be sure. I wiped her memory, put false memories of a terrible fight with John into her mind, and sent her on her way thinking she never wanted to see him again. Then I brought John back to the castle.”

Cedrick sat back in his seat and shook his head. “He was a bitter and angry little bastard for a while after that, unpleasant to everyone but worst with Agnes. John blamed her for turning him into what his betrothed saw as a monster, you see,” he added dryly. “Never mind that if she hadn’t he’d be dead and still wouldn’t have her, but wouldn’t have life either.

“That was hard as hell on the girl. Fortunately, Susanna’s death seemed to knock at least some sense into the boy. He’s treated her better since then, very protective of her…which is good since she always doted on him,” he added quietly, and then asked, “Have you met Agnes yet?”

Eshe shook her head. “She was at the movies tonight when we arrived.”

Cedrick smiled faintly. “Agnes loves the movies. She’s a sweet little thing. I believe she’s almost ten years older than Susanna was. She and an older brother had a different mother than Susanna and John, who were born to their father’s second wife. Agnes’s mother must have been a wee thing. The girl’s short and slim and looks younger than most immortals despite her more than five hundred years. She had already taken the veil and become a nun when Susanna turned her, but of course she gave that up after the turn. It’s hard enough biting friends and neighbors, and they aren’t virginal brides of God,” he said with a grimace.

“I’ve met a couple of rogues who would have thought that a delicacy,” Bricker said.

“Yes, well, Agnes wouldn’t have,” Cedrick assured him, and then let them know he’d had enough questions for now by slapping the bag of blood Eshe had given him to his teeth.

She and Bricker did likewise and they were all silent as the bags emptied. Eshe was just tearing her empty bag from her teeth when they heard the rusty creak of the screen door opening at the front of the house and then the clack as it slammed shut. Eshe wasn’t surprised when Armand led Anders into the kitchen a moment later.

Cedrick nodded in greeting and removed his own empty bag to greet Armand with “I heard tell in town that you have a new manager.”

“I do,” Armand agreed, slapping the other man on the shoulder in passing on his way to the chair beside Eshe. “I’ll give you his name and particulars for the books before you leave.”

Cedrick nodded and then glanced curiously to Anders as he moved to the fridge to grab a couple of bags of blood.

“That’s Anders,” Armand answered the unasked question, and when Cedrick raised an eyebrow, added, “I’m sorry, I don’t know his first name.”

“Few people do,” Anders said mildly as he joined them at the table and handed one of the bags he’d collected to Armand. As he settled in the chair between Armand and Bricker, he added, “Speaking of your new manager, he thinks you and Eshe were away the last couple of days. So does your housekeeper. Lucian’s work,” he added when Armand glanced at him with surprise. “He didn’t want them anywhere near the house while you two were healing so put it in their heads that you were away and your manager should stay in his house with the television on loud except when he had chores to do, and your housekeeper should go home for a paid day off. She’ll be back tomorrow though, I gather.”

Armand nodded and glanced to Eshe. “I suppose you’ve already asked him the questions?”

She shook her head, an amused smile curving her lips at his consternation at possibly missing out on gaining info. “No. Cedrick was just telling us about John and Agnes. We haven’t asked about anything else.”

“Oh.” He smiled faintly, his eyes dropping to her lips. When Armand then swayed toward her, Eshe was sure he was about to kiss her, but he paused when Cedrick spoke.

“Sorry to interrupt, but what questions?”

Sighing, he smiled wryly at her, and then turned to Cedrick. “We’re trying to figure out who killed my wives and daughter-in-law Annie.”

Eshe winced at the words. While she knew Armand didn’t believe Cedrick could be behind the tragedies in his life, and while she mostly agreed, it still would have been better to leave that little bit of info out for now, just in case they were wrong and he was.

She peered at Cedrick, noting the expression on his face and that while he was somewhat surprised, he didn’t seem stunned at this news. She understood why when he said slowly, “I
thought
you just seemed to have a little too much bad luck with women.”

“You should have said something,” Armand said with surprise. “I thought the same thing.”

Cedrick shrugged. “Well, you never talked about it, and I thought maybe I was just being paranoid.”

“Yeah,” Armand said dryly. “I know the feeling.”

Cedrick stared at him silently for a moment, and then straightened in his seat and said, “Right. What can I do to help?”

Much to her surprise, Armand turned to peer at her and raised an eyebrow, silently deferring to her. Reaching for his hand where it rested on his leg, she squeezed it gently and then asked Cedrick, “I understand you were at court with Armand at the time of Susanna’s death?”

He nodded. “We left the week before and returned apparently a week after she died.”

“And when Althea died you were at the farm helping Armand?”

He nodded again. “I believe it was a foaling mare. Althea and her parents left while we were trying to turn the wee beast.” He grimaced. “We lost the foal if I remember correctly?” He glanced to Armand, who gave a nod.

“Were you around when Rosamund died?” Eshe asked.

Cedrick grimaced at that. “I was around in the area, but I was at the farm I was managing at the time. I only heard about it the next night.”

“We don’t suspect you,” Armand assured him solemnly. “We’re just trying to sort it out. You’re my alibi for both Susanna and Althea’s deaths.”

“They suspected you?” Cedrick asked with surprise and then glanced to Eshe, Bricker, and Anders and assured them, “I’ve known this man a long time. Armand wouldn’t hurt anyone, let alone kill a life mate and two wives.”

“Is there anyone you can think of who might?” Eshe asked at once.

The question seemed to set him aback, but he paused and considered it for several moments before shaking his head. “He’s a good guy. I can’t think of any reason someone would go after his women.”

“Then is there anyone besides yourself, the Harcourts, and John and Agnes who have been around since Susanna’s death?” she asked. “Perhaps not directly involved in his life even, but on the fringes maybe? Someone who keeps cropping up?”

Cedrick shrugged. “Just his family. They pop in and out of his life at times. Lucian…and Jean Claude and his wife, Marguerite.”

Eshe slumped back in her seat with disappointment. She wasn’t the only one. Bricker and Armand did as well. Only Anders seemed unmoved by the lack of information, but then he was new to the investigation and hardly knew Armand. It wouldn’t bother him.

Cedrick offered an apologetic grimace. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m not much help.”

“You verified Armand’s story,” Eshe said, forcing a smile. “That was helpful.”

He gave a short disbelieving laugh, and then glanced to Armand when he suddenly stood.

“Come to the office. I’ll get you that information on Jim, my new manager here,” Armand said quietly.

Cedrick nodded and stood, but paused to nod at Bricker and Anders, then smiled at Eshe. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I hope you sort all this out and enjoy a long happy life with Armand. He deserves it.”

“Thank you,” Eshe murmured. “It’s nice meeting you too. And we will meet again.”

Cedrick nodded and turned to follow Armand from the room.

“Well,” Anders said as the sound of their footsteps faded away up the hall. “I hope you two had more luck with John and Agnes Maunsell?”

“Yes,” Bricker answered even as Eshe said, “No.”

Anders quirked one eyebrow. “Which is it?”

Eshe peered at Bricker. “All he really did was verify Armand’s story.”

“Aha!” Bricker said with triumph. “This time
I
caught details
you
didn’t.”

Eshe grimaced. “So tell. What did you notice?”

Bricker shook his head and stood up. “I’m moving the blood. I’ll explain when Armand gets back. That way I’ll have a witness to my redeeming myself and not looking an idiot like I did last time.”

Eshe considered telling him he hadn’t looked an idiot, but then merely shrugged and stood to cross to the cupboards and begin opening and closing them until she found the ones that held food rather than dishes.

“What are you looking for?” Bricker asked with a frown.

“Something to eat,” she said absently.

“Already?” he asked with dismay. “We only had breakfast a couple hours ago before Lucian and Leigh left.”

“Three hours ago,” she corrected, and then added defensively, “And that breakfast was the only thing I’d eaten since the picnic Sunday. I’m hungry again.”

Heaving a sigh, Bricker set back the blood he’d picked up and closed the fridge door. “All right. What do you want? I’ll make it.”

“I can make myself something,” she said at once.

“Right,” he said with open disbelief. “When’s the last time you cooked?”

Eshe frowned and hesitated, but finally admitted, “Never.”

“Never?” he echoed with disbelief. “Like really
never
?”

Eshe heaved a sigh and turned back to the cupboard of boxes and cans with a grimace. “My family was wealthy. And Orion was an amazing warrior. He was wealthy too. We had servants to do that stuff. It didn’t look that hard though. I’m sure I can figure it out.”

She picked out an attractive-looking container on the shelf and peered at the pretty image of wheat and fruit on the front. “This looks good.”

“That’s Metamucil,” Bricker said with disgust, snatching it from her hand.

“So?” She turned to scowl at him. “What’s wrong with Metamucil?”

“It’s—” He glanced at the container and read, “A dietary supplement.”

“That sounds healthy,” she said, trying to grab it back.

“Eshe,” he said, his disgust giving way to amusement. “It’s what old mortals take to get regular.”

“To get regular what?” she asked, and then poked him in the stomach, hard. The moment Bricker bent over with an “oomph,” she snatched the container back and repeated, “Regular what?”

“Crap,” he gasped, clutching his stomach.

“I didn’t hit you that hard,” she said with some disgust of her own.

“No.” He sighed, straightening. “I meant that’s what they get regulated. Crap.”

Eshe dropped the can with dismay. “They buy crap?”

“Not the—It’s a—Oh. For cripes sake,” Bricker muttered, bending to pick it up. Shaking it in her face, he then said, “It’s fiber. Psyllium seeds or chaff or something. It regulates their bowel movements for those who don’t eat enough fiber in their diet.”

“Oh.” She peered at the container. “That doesn’t sound very good. It’s very attractive though.”

“Yeah, well, so are some cat foods but I wouldn’t suggest trying them either,” he muttered, setting the container back in the cupboard. “In fact, I suggest you let me take you grocery shopping your first time out just to make sure you don’t try to make a meal out of toilet cakes or feminine hygiene products.”

“Ha ha, I do know what feminine hygiene products are,” she said dryly.

“Do you?” he asked doubtfully, and Eshe rolled her eyes.

“I am a female, Bricker,” she pointed out.

“Oh, right, I forgot,” he said dryly, surveying the contents of the cupboard now himself. “I just think of you as an enforcer. A really
old
enforcer.”

Eshe was narrowing her eyes and considering plowing him one when she became aware of Anders’s soft laughter from the table. Turning, she glared at him, but he merely shrugged.

“I believe he just got you back for your earlier comments about not thinking of him as a man,” the man said with amusement.

Realizing he was right, Eshe sighed and decided not to hit Bricker. Moving to the table, she muttered ungraciously, “Fine. You can cook for me.”

“Gee, thanks,” Bricker said dryly, and Anders laughed harder.

“What’s so funny?” Armand asked, coming into the room then. Eshe glanced his way to see that he was alone and supposed Cedrick had headed back to the farm he was running.

“Eshe was going to eat Metamucil,” Bricker announced, grinning with an amusement that only deepened when he saw Armand’s blank expression. Shaking his head, he pulled down the canister of Metamucil and held it out. “Did you know what this was when you bought it?”