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I signed the contract, input into my cell phone the contact numbers Katie had included, and jumped the brick fence I didn’t want the blasted Joe to knohere I was He was back in his hidey-hole, watchingan eye on ue vamp They were too mentally unstable to keep someone under thrall for extended periods of time And the Joe--not Rick, just no-name Joe--hadn’t smelled of vamp But Katie for sure had other enemies I didn’t even have to ask Vamps always had ene and dead

I presented myself at Katie’s back door at seven p atI had coirls"

"Join them for dinner Not interview"

"You say tomato, I say interview But I’ll be nice No broken arms or blood"

I coulda sworn Troll wanted to smile He pushed open the door, but still kept it blocked with his arm and body "You disabled all Katie’s security devices"

"Yep Contractual agree on the help I’ot to have the cameras removed"

"You found ’em all Fast" He took the contract, but didn’t step aside

I touched ift" I added, "I can smell security devices" Which was a total lie But I could scent out where a human had spent a lot of time in an odd place Like over the s "Time for my question Why did Rick LaFleur show up atI could see things happening behind his secretive brown eyes, but his body language gave nothing away Maybe working with a va inside "Rick wanted the job hunting the rogue"

Okay That was no surprise "You ticked off that I got the job and not hiood enough to take on a rogue My family knows it and asked ut you like a pig"

"Thanks for the warning Any chance he’s working for Katie’s opposition?"

"No chance in hell"

"So he’s watching my place because he finds me irresistible?"

Troll’s eyes ide, surprised

"Yeah That was " I tucked er Troll was going to make me stand in the heat and chat Cool, air-conditioned air flowed out around us and dissipated fast while I started to sweat I could feel the silver cross underI wore that could be considered a weapon, gathering"He wants to ith ue deal," I said, "and I’it And if the council covers the expense"

"I’ll talk to Katie," Troll said, shaking his head "How do you like your steak? Baked potato with the works? Salad?" He finally stepped aside and let ht aI won’t be insulted, anything full of fat on the potato, and salad is for cows Cola, with caffeine, no alcohol" I walked into the house, waiting for hiht and said, "Katie will leave you alone with theather for dinner in the common room"

"Okay And Troll?" He waited "When I jumped the fence, I noticed that someone installed a security camera recently on Katie’s side of the fence, pointed at her house Within the last month The scratch is still fresh They came in from my side of the fence"