Department 57: Bloody Crystal by Lynne Connolly Page B

so good to him. He wanted to be sure—absolutely sure—she was safe, and in his experience the only way he could do that was to do it himself. “I just feel edgy, itchy, you know?”
    Grady chuckled. “I know.” Rhodri suspected Grady knew too well, and he couldn’t let that happen. Perhaps one day when they’d caught that bastard Wilkinson, he could come back and spend more time. If she hadn’t moved on by then. He wouldn’t ask her to wait for him. He might not come back.
    But he knew in his heart that he would. Shit, this was getting too fucking deep, too fast. He couldn’t afford for this to happen. “Her situation isn’t right. She has no money, or not enough, and she’s twenty-six.”
    “How many lives?”
    “I mean she’s twenty-six for real, man. She only knows what her parents taught her. I want to bring her in. It won’t compromise her security here, but hopefully I can give her better skills. And some contacts.”
    Grady grunted. “I need to think about that. You’re right. Her anonymity is a huge advantage for her. We don’t want to compromise that. Let me do some research. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”
    “Sure. There’s something else too.”
    “Shoot.”
    He grinned, a baring of teeth. If anyone bothered him, he would. “There’s a report in the local paper. Five tourists beaten up last Saturday night, late. One of them died. The thing is, Grady, we had something to do with that.”
    Grady sighed. “If you killed the man, it’s down to you. If they want to prosecute for violence, that’s yours too.”
    “I know that. I’m clean. They followed Cerys after work, hit on her, then tried to rape her. She fought them off. I joined in. We were both hungry, if you know what I mean.”
    Another sigh.
    “That’s how I know they were all alive when we left them. Feeding off a dead man means death to us. You know that. So I know they were alive when we left them, and neither of us took so much that we put their lives in danger. We didn’t beat them bad, either, not the way the paper says they were beaten. Just a short fight.” He ran his hand through his thick hair. “Nothing lethal. Knocked them out and left them to sleep it off. So somebody was there after we left. Killed the man Cerys fed from and hurt the others. I have no idea why. I might have contact with the local police because I was in the place where Cerys works earlier when they harassed her. I helped her, although she didn’t really need it.”
    “You know your problem, Tryfanwy?”
    “Tell me.” If anyone else had heard the particularly sugary tones Rhodri used, they’d have backed off. Not Will Grady.
    “You’re a knight errant. From a bygone age. People don’t want that anymore. Some consider it an insult. And from what you’ve told me, this girl is from today’s world. You come from a world where women, Talent or mortal, were considered weaker. Watch yourself, Rhodri. Just take care. And don’t forget you’re an agent. A valuable agent. Clear?”
    Grady’s equivalent of look after yourself , he guessed. He knew others like him, men who wouldn’t dream of telling him they cared but showed it all the time. He gave a tight grin. “Clear.”
    He clicked off after Grady disconnected, and shoved his phone back in his pocket. From Will Grady, that was enough. He’d make good on his promise. Grady had a lot of irons in the fire, but not once had he lost sight of any one of them. In fact, Rhodri was thinking of transferring. Not that he didn’t respect his boss in New York, Cristos, who had started the whole Department a couple of generations ago, but he felt restless, wanted a change. Perhaps switching back to the UK was a good plan.
    Staring out to sea, he watched a little rowboat heading across the bay. The red flags weren’t up, so it was a good afternoon for sailing. Not too hot, a brisk breeze. He should have hired a canoe, maybe found out if they’d had a speedboat he could borrow. Get lost