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His brows drew together and he pulled out onto the street "Close family--spouses in particular--are always suspects"

"Yes But it isn’t exactly likely that she nailed hith"

"That doesn’t lared at hi that she doesn’t know ht well be involved But cootten usI specifically told you not to do--we ht now," he said, but doubt touched his voice

I didn’t press the issue He’d just dig his heels in deeper Stubborn ass Instead, I asked, "Where to now?"

"We’ll question solance, full of"And by we, I mean me"

It took every bit of my considerable self-control not to roll my eyes at him Think like a sailor if you must, my dear, but you will speak like a lady if you want to be treated like one My ht, but Mason sure tempted my control

Jake Stone’s direct supervisor and the two co-workers we spoke to didn’t know of any projects that would have required Jake to leave his house that evening The firister’s own coot the distinct feeling that even though Jake was a paralegal and not an attorney, his vaave hiotten if he were a human Even in the world of vampire companies, sometimes it came down to who you knew, not what you knew

We headed to lunch after leaving Jake’s law office It was almost one thirty by the ti and ere seated quickly

Mason eyed me over his menu from across the booth "So, what do you think?"

"I don’t know yet"

He raised his eyebrows "No theories?"

"Sure But I’ to keep an openClaude had taught ned as his partner, but I tried

Mason folded his menu and placed it on the table, flush with the corner "I think we’re probably dealing with some sort of vampire turf war"

"Perhaps" I focused on my menu It was difficult to pay attention to Mason and the food choices at the same time as ere in such close proximity to several other oh-dub patrons A salanature heat And if I wasn’t mistaken, a selkie was close too The scent of saltwater cah subtly, mostly overpowered by the smell of fresh air carried by Mason

"Well, we have a dead vaister He was displayed at the Magister’s place of business" He leaned forward and caught my eye "And he was killed in a manner that matches the MO of other vampire murders across the country"

I dropped the menu on the table "When did you ot to the scene I mentioned it to Mac You were there"

"I was distracted" God, he probably thought I was incompetent

"You’re distracted a lot"

I opened my mouth to tell him where he could stick his attitude and then snapped it shut I didn’t have to explain myself to him, didn’t owe him an explanation for the bits of conversation Iattention were my own

The waiter saved us frosmile on his face

"Steak," Mason said "Salad, and baked potato," he added "Coke to drink"

"How do you want it cooked?"

"Rare," he said, and his gaze flashed back to me

Shivers ran downabout sex instead of food for how aze

"And you?" the waiter asked er and fries"

"We’ll have that out for you soon" The perky young man dashed off to his next table

"You said there were other victi the conversation back to the case before Mason could derail me "What are the similarities?"