out something
underhand is going down when the Station Master heads Upside with the Greché,
but by then it’s too late. He doesn’t have the key to open the doors and go
after them, the Station Master took it with him.”
“They
would have killed him anyway.”
Clide
spins back to the desk, plants his big hands on the edge and leans over. “They
were talking about a wedding.”
Alain’s
muscles lock and his chair catapults him into the edge of the desk. “No.” Heat
boils through his body as anger he has not experienced for a long time consumes
him. Hands bunched, he forces down the rage with effort. He needs a cool head. Verity
will be lost to them should they not take immediate action.
“How long do we have?”
“No more than a week,
and that because the Greché will call in their people and make it a formal
affair. You know how they are with ceremony.”
“Put a team together.”
Clide’s head shakes
briskly. “Won’t work. They’ll plan a huge shindig which calls for using one of
their houses for all the guests. We approach the wrong one, they’re warned.
They’ll zip her to another location.”
Alain holds up one
hand, palm out. “Give me a moment.”
Clide bobs upright and
flings his long body into the chair which faces Alain’s desk.
Alain props his chin on
his hand, eyes slitted as he deliberates. It comes to him. He drops his hands.
“Tell me, what if we know where Verity is being held beforehand?”
“No way we can.”
Alain smiles again,
unpleasantly. “Call Rain and request her presence.”
Clide’s
eyebrows pop up. “Rain?”
“The
difficulty lies in not knowing where Verity is and our inability to search
their houses without their knowledge.”
Clide
grins. “But a wraith can.” He shoots upright. “I’m on it.”
~*~
Castle
drops me off outside my place. I get out of the car and lean in the window. “Can
I bring my laundry tonight?”
His
eyes flick up. “Take it to the cleaners, the self-service machines are free.”
“But
I hate sitting there for hours.”
He
faintly shakes his head as though vexed. “Bring your own detergent.”
I
don’t fancy the pastries anymore so toss the bag in a public bin on the street,
shuffle upstairs, unlock the door, go inside and am about to flop in the chair
when I remember I’m soggy.
The
phone rings as I head for the bathroom. I pause long enough for the machine to
pick up.
Clide’s
voice lacks its habitual drawl. “Rain, I hope you’re there listening to this.
You’re needed fast as you can, or as they say Upside, stat!”
Like
hells ! Ten minutes later, after a hot shower, I dress in
the remaining clean T-shirt and jeans and head down to Angelina’s place.
Six
apartments occupy each floor of my building, except the ground floor which my
landlord Angelina has in its entirety. Angelina is very old and has been Downside
a long time. She refuses to say how long because it would indicate her
age and Angelina says a lady never divulges her age.
She
owns more than a dozen enterprises and could live in a mansion; perhaps she is
too lazy to move. Angelina knows many people of consequence and is privy to
information kept from the majority of Downsiders, and of more interest to me,
has an inner sense which detects disruptions in Downside’s magical balance.
I
buzz the intercom. Angelina replies immediately. “Yes?”
“Angie,
it’s me.”
“Come
in, Rain. I’m in the tub.”
The
door opens with the hiss of hydraulics. Angelina made some amazing
modifications to this floor to create a fortress and her personal little den of
iniquity. Half the floor is her living area of pale, barely there blues and
aqua greens accented with delicate rose and vibrant coral. Gigantic turquoise
fern burst from terracotta pots on the tiled floor. An archway in her reception
room leads to a small, comfortable living room and doors from there to kitchen
and bedroom. Splashing sounds come from another arched entrance on my
underhand is going down when the Station Master heads Upside with the Greché,
but by then it’s too late. He doesn’t have the key to open the doors and go
after them, the Station Master took it with him.”
“They
would have killed him anyway.”
Clide
spins back to the desk, plants his big hands on the edge and leans over. “They
were talking about a wedding.”
Alain’s
muscles lock and his chair catapults him into the edge of the desk. “No.” Heat
boils through his body as anger he has not experienced for a long time consumes
him. Hands bunched, he forces down the rage with effort. He needs a cool head. Verity
will be lost to them should they not take immediate action.
“How long do we have?”
“No more than a week,
and that because the Greché will call in their people and make it a formal
affair. You know how they are with ceremony.”
“Put a team together.”
Clide’s head shakes
briskly. “Won’t work. They’ll plan a huge shindig which calls for using one of
their houses for all the guests. We approach the wrong one, they’re warned.
They’ll zip her to another location.”
Alain holds up one
hand, palm out. “Give me a moment.”
Clide bobs upright and
flings his long body into the chair which faces Alain’s desk.
Alain props his chin on
his hand, eyes slitted as he deliberates. It comes to him. He drops his hands.
“Tell me, what if we know where Verity is being held beforehand?”
“No way we can.”
Alain smiles again,
unpleasantly. “Call Rain and request her presence.”
Clide’s
eyebrows pop up. “Rain?”
“The
difficulty lies in not knowing where Verity is and our inability to search
their houses without their knowledge.”
Clide
grins. “But a wraith can.” He shoots upright. “I’m on it.”
~*~
Castle
drops me off outside my place. I get out of the car and lean in the window. “Can
I bring my laundry tonight?”
His
eyes flick up. “Take it to the cleaners, the self-service machines are free.”
“But
I hate sitting there for hours.”
He
faintly shakes his head as though vexed. “Bring your own detergent.”
I
don’t fancy the pastries anymore so toss the bag in a public bin on the street,
shuffle upstairs, unlock the door, go inside and am about to flop in the chair
when I remember I’m soggy.
The
phone rings as I head for the bathroom. I pause long enough for the machine to
pick up.
Clide’s
voice lacks its habitual drawl. “Rain, I hope you’re there listening to this.
You’re needed fast as you can, or as they say Upside, stat!”
Like
hells ! Ten minutes later, after a hot shower, I dress in
the remaining clean T-shirt and jeans and head down to Angelina’s place.
Six
apartments occupy each floor of my building, except the ground floor which my
landlord Angelina has in its entirety. Angelina is very old and has been Downside
a long time. She refuses to say how long because it would indicate her
age and Angelina says a lady never divulges her age.
She
owns more than a dozen enterprises and could live in a mansion; perhaps she is
too lazy to move. Angelina knows many people of consequence and is privy to
information kept from the majority of Downsiders, and of more interest to me,
has an inner sense which detects disruptions in Downside’s magical balance.
I
buzz the intercom. Angelina replies immediately. “Yes?”
“Angie,
it’s me.”
“Come
in, Rain. I’m in the tub.”
The
door opens with the hiss of hydraulics. Angelina made some amazing
modifications to this floor to create a fortress and her personal little den of
iniquity. Half the floor is her living area of pale, barely there blues and
aqua greens accented with delicate rose and vibrant coral. Gigantic turquoise
fern burst from terracotta pots on the tiled floor. An archway in her reception
room leads to a small, comfortable living room and doors from there to kitchen
and bedroom. Splashing sounds come from another arched entrance on my
Similar Books
