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Illiu up on that point, thenproperties

“This one here,” he said, pointing to an X in Harle fall of color, “was a restaurant that shut up shop three ive all the patrons a free miniature jar of handone once with Demarco The food had been terrible Even peanut butter couldn’t save it “Three an elsewhere”

“What about these two?” Janvier pressed his fingers to twin Xs not far from the port where Raphael had blasted and sunk a ship full of Lijuan’s infectious reborn

“Warehouses with the saio”

Ashwini’s skin prickled, but she knew they couldn’t rush to judgment Too many of the older immortals enjoyed pleasure that was perverse to anyone who possessed an ounce of hu on the back of her neck, the iio’s “perfect” brainwashed harem front and center Thevulnerable women anted to believe in hope

“The warehouses are in active use,” Dmitri added, “but the co fact—they’re consistently only being used to half their capacity”

Ashwini folded her arms “So one could be empty?”

“Or one is in full use, the second only utilized enough to provide cover for other movements in and out,” Janvier pointed out “The extra space could’ve been ly kind of sense Why risk hiding the women in a residential area when the warehouse and port district had enough ongoing noise to provide cover for any screaht—aside froio could have redone the interior or a part of it to his standards beforehis captives in

A perfect prison within relatively short reach of his Vampire Quarter residence

“Does he import nuts or items that would have the scent?” Janvier asked, the tension across his shoulders telling her his instincts were shouting exactly the saht up a manifest on a tablet, handed it over “He’s not the only one who ioods, but the other shipments are all stored in warehouses shared betweenthe manifest down on the table, Janvier tapped the final X

“A o and left boarded up by the owners” He brought up ilass table that Ashwini belatedly realized wasn’t a sih space that your killer could’ve set up a private room inside—and Khalil was one of the financiers behind the venture”

Janvier hissed at the sadistic vampire’s name, but shook his head “We check the factory out, but I say it’s Giorgio Khalil is vicious, evil at tiht, that was the right word There was a cruel slyness about it all, a sense that theat his victiio with his shiny new house, false bonho else, so iain, eneral area, a ood to be true But that wasn’t what held her attention, what occupied herto her

What she had to say changed everything

“The watch!” Violent anger tore through her, io, the bastard earing the watch Felicity bought hiistered at the ti us even then”

Janvier’s response was a streas moved at rapid-fire speed after that Dmitri authorized theio in and rescue any other hostages Illiuion squadron would provide aerial backup Meanwhile, Dmitri would coordinate with Sara to clear the other possible properties, on the sliio wasn’t the killer

•••

Ashas used to working alone for theon a team Especially when the core of that team was made up of her, Janvier, and Naasir They knew one another’s rhythms, could predict split-second decisions with near-total accuracy and make the necessary course corrections

Now, the three of them made their way to the suspicious warehouses while another unit cleared Giorgio’s house If he was there, they’d take him into custody Ashwini didn’t care about that at this instant—she wanted the bastard to pay, but her first priority was to rescue any other wo the car so they did not as for Giorgio to e—the three of them went onward on foot “Up,” she said to the two race that wasto her eyes as Janvier’s fluid leap up She made the motion for “Go” and they headed onward The tould take Naasir’s lower skyroad, while she’d go in on the ground, and their aerial backup would drop down froed down the ball cap under which she’d hidden her hair after dirtying up her face, lasses were on her nose, and slouched forith her hands in the pockets of her raggedy black coat A young vath piece out of God knehere

On her feet were sneakers as ragged She hated being without her boots, but they were the thing that ave people’s true motives away, especially hunters and ht her soon after her admittance into the Guild

Shoes and atches, that’s where folks slip up