“No,” I said. “Let’s hold on that for now. I wouldn’t want to waste an army that talented on something as ridiculous as this.”
“Good,” she said, and she sounded relieved. “So it’s no big?”
“It’s no big,” I lied. “But if they get in touch, let me know, so I can deal with that, too.”
“Will do. Oh, I gotta go. Give Connor a big squeeze.”
I promised I would and ended the call. Then I put my head on my knees, and breathed.
***
I dressed in a drapey emerald tank and fitted jeans, my summer uniform, and had just pulled on boots when there was a knock at the door.
I doubted the AAM would be so polite, and we hadn’t madenearly enough noise to irritate Mrs. Prohaska. I actually thought to check the security peep this time, and found Theo waiting, along with Roger Yuen and Detective Robinson.
Fear was a cold stone in my belly, but I opened the door. “What’s wrong?”
“Elisa Sullivan,” Robinson said, stepping forward. “You need to come with us.”
“Why?”
“For questioning in the death of the vampire known as Blake.”
I looked at her, battling confusion at the name, and relief that it wasn’t someone I was close to. “From the Compliance Bureau?”
Yuen and Robinson exchanged a silent glance, then Robinson looked at me. “So you knew him.”
She must have known this; Theo would have told her. “He was one of the vampires who came to my door, who gave me the summons.” Fear was replaced by a sinking dread. “One of the AAM members is dead. And you think I did it.”
I certainly hadn’t killed him, and didn’t even know how he’d died. Did the AAM have enemies in Chicago? Or was it still trying to make them?
“Lis?”
I looked back, found Lulu in a robe, hair damp from the shower, arms wrapped around her torso. “What’s wrong?”
“Call Connor,” I told her and grabbed my jacket. “Tell him I’m with the Ombuds, that a member of the AAM is dead.”
It was all I had time to say before they hustled me down the hallway.
***
They put me in the back of a vehicle, drove me to the former brick factory that now housed the OMB office. No one spoke. Theo gave me a nod, but otherwise made no contact.
I wasn’t angry, not yet. But the dread was heavy. I knew Theoand Yuen, trusted them both. I didn’t know Robinson, and I didn’t trust the AAM. I had trouble believing the AAM would sacrifice one of their own to frame me, but I didn’t know of any other motive. If the AAM was behind this, they’d morphed from accusing me of breaking their rules to flat-out murder. Whatwouldn’tthey do to punish me?
We drove through the gate to the complex of brick buildings, fronted by a small parking lot for any humans or Sups who might find their way to the offices. The vehicle stopped in front. Detective Robinson helped me out of the car and kept a firm grip on my arm as she escorted me through the lobby, the receptionist wide-eyed, and into a narrow hallway to an interview room.
I’d been in the interview rooms before, had sat at the aluminum table with Theo to question Sups who’d been accused of causing trouble, or had accused someone else.
Other than the table, the two-way glass that led to the observation room, and the caged overhead lights, the room was empty. It was grim and functional, and not designed to put the interviewee at ease. It was effective that way.
I took the chair that perpetrators had occupied during my prior visits, tried to roll the tightness out of my shoulder; Gwen and Theo came in, took the chairs opposite me. Roger Yuen was apparently going to sit out the discussion. Maybe, I thought ruefully, because he was my employer.
Gwen was in the seat I usually filled, and that was another pinch around my heart. She’d brought in a file folder, dropped it onto the table.
Might as well get this started,I thought. “I don’t need an attorney. And I’ll answer any questions you like.” And I was aware of the privilege that let me do that without further worry. “But I didn’t kill Blake. I’ve only seen him twice—at my door two nights ago, and last night at the Grove. I don’t know who killed him.”
“Tell us about the night they came to your door,” Gwen said.