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Storh the evening

The music helped Ironically, it also helped that E back on the easy, self-deprecating charm that had lured me into complacency in the first place

Sinclair wasn’t fooled, at least not by e When I first returned to the table, he gavefurrowed-brow look I replied with a barely perceptible headshake that meant I didn’t want to talk about it now

So we didn’t

We listened to the rest of the set, and when the band took a break, Eht since it had been a long travel day for her I don’t think I’ve ever cleared out of a bar faster in ot to leave a tip for the band in the fishbowl atop the piano I hustled out the door into the parking lot--and then stopped abruptly

A solitary figure aiting us under the lone floodlight that illuainst the pole, hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans There was a e model that looked like a prop frohlighted his fair hair and the unnatural pallor of his narrow face and his skinny bare arms

"Cooper," I said aloud

"Evenin’, inary hat to ht?"

I should have realized that Stefan would sense the barrage of fury I’d very nearly unleashed "Everything’s fine Did Stefan send you?"

"He did" Cooper levered hi e in the Force or soh the " He sauntered closer, hands back in his pockets "Looked a a pint So I reckoned I’d wait out here"

Sinclair stepped forward to block hiuy?"

"Yeah" I put one hand on Sinclair’s shoulder "He’s okay"

Cooper sniffed "Faint praise, Miss Daisy!" Rocking back on his heels, he studied Sinclair "This your bloke?"

"That," I said, "would be none of your business"

"Touchy touchy!" He gave littered in his pupils, which waxed as he turned his attention to Emmeline, and just as swiftly contracted to pinpoints "Hello! What do we have here?"

"Emmeline Palmer" She extended one hand to him, cool as a cucumber "Pleased to make your acquaintance Mr Cooper, is it?"

Cooper kept his hands in his pockets "You’re wearing a ward, aren’t you, darling? Quite a powerful one Don’t think I fancy a taste of it," he added thoughtfully "Afraid of the local hobgoblins and bugaboos, are we?"

"I’linted on the polished leopard-spotted surface of the cowry shell and gold chain strung around her neck "We like to be prepared"

He eyed her "Right"

I glanced at Sinclair He looked like he’d had as e as he could stand and was ready to blow "Cooper! Will you thank Stefan for ’s fine?"

"I will," he said "He said to tell you to be in touch He’s got soht help out with your little project" With that, Cooper sauntered back toward his bike, straddled it, kicked it to life, and roared out of the parking lot

Sinclair turned to me "You want to tell me what the hell that was all about?"

I really, really didn’t Not here and now, not in front of dear E back and forth between us with interest, waiting to see how this was going to play out I, u yet aboutLike Cooper said, he was just checking things out" I gave Sinclair o

"All right" He sounded reluctant, but he agreed "Let’s get out of here"

Ely behind the wheel of her rental convertible "What a peculiar young hway "Is he even old enough for a driver’s license?"

"Cooper?" I aze in the rearview mirror "Yeah, you could say so He’s ed to death in the Irish Rebellion of 1798"

Funny how those kind of details stay with you

Her eyelids flickered slightly "I see"

"He’s not a duppy, Ehoul"