Part 29 (2/2)
”This isn't going to work,” Jack told me an hour later. We'd left Mandy with Ty and headed for Mandy's apartment and a final showdown with Ayala.
”She didn't recognize your voice, did she?”
”She's never heard my voice.”
”Exactly. And she's never been to this apartment before?”
”No, but it's an apartment. Not a lawyer's office.”
”But you told her this was an informal call, right? That you're just a hardworking professional trying to do what's right despite a bunch of pushy werewolves. If said werewolves are your clients, then it makes sense that you couldn't invite their enemy to your office. You would have to meet her on the side.” I motioned around Mandy's immaculate living room. ”Here. Stop worrying. It'll work. She thinks you're a pretentious born vampire just like her and that you're betraying your client's trust because, hey, pretentious born vampires stick together.”
He looked doubtful. ”She's managed to frame you for murder. She's smart. Too smart to fall for a scam like this.”
”If she thinks that Brian the werewolf left her a s.h.i.+tload of money in his will and his family is trying to keep it from her, she'll come. Money motivates people.”
People being the key word. But Ayala wasn't a person. She was a vampire with all the attributes that come with being a denizen of the undead, including superior intelligence. But-and this is what I was counting on-she was also female. In her own twisted way, she'd loved Brian. I'd seen it in her eyes.
When they hadn't been gleaming with a crazed light, that is.
On top of that, she was greedy.
”She'll be here,” I told Jack. ”Did you call Remy?”He nodded. ”He's on his way.”
”Good.” I retrieved the small tape recorder that Mandy used during her autopsy a.s.sists from the pocket of her lab jacket-right where she said I'd find it-and slid it into the pocket of my grimy but still fab Diane von Furstenberg.
”What if you can't get her to confess?” Jack asked as I settled on the living room sofa.
”She'll confess.”
”And if she doesn't? What are you going to do then?”
”I'm going to kick her a.s.s.”
”And what if she kicks your a.s.s first?”
I gave him a determined smile. ”At least I'll go down with a fight.”
Ayala showed up exactly thirty minutes later. Jack answered the door. ”Sorry I had to have you come here,” he apologized as he ushered her into the apartment and closed the door. ”But Brian's relatives are adamant that you know nothing about the stipulations of the will. They're paying me quite well, but I took an oath and I feel obligated to do the right thing.”
”That's admirable of you,” Ayala said as she followed him the few steps toward the living room. Thanks to his luscious scent, she'd tuned in to him first and so she hadn't even noticed me sitting in the corner. The moment her gaze touched me, however, she came up short.
”What are you doing here?” Her gaze swiveled back to Jack. ”You're not a lawyer.”
”Finally the vamp senses kick in,” I said.
”What about Brian's will?”
”There is no will. I mean, maybe there was. I didn't check. But if there had been, he obviously didn't leave anything to you. Why would he? You dumped him and practically killed him.”
Her gaze narrowed. ”What do you want from me?”
”I want to help you. It's obvious you have some serious anger management issues, Ayala. While I'm not an expert on the subject, hacking someone to pieces is usually a clear sign of inner aggression.”
”Toward you. I hate you.”
”Good, good. Get it off your chest.” She gave me another strange look. ”Confession is good for the soul. I bet if you let it all out, all the sordid details about what you did to Keith, you'll feel much better.”
”I feel fine.”
”Now, but you're sure to have nightmares for years. You hacked him up, Ayala. Into tiny little pieces. There was blood everywhere. And I bet he screamed. I bet he begged.” Okay, so I was making myself a little queasy. I fought down a rising wave of nausea and plowed forward. ”I bet he even prayed.”
”Not as much as you're going to,” she said a split second before she pulled a gun from her pocket and fired off a shot at Jack.
He flew back against the wall and slid toward the floor. I knew he wasn't permanently injured, but it still shook me. Long enough for Ayala to pounce.In a flash, she leaned into me. But it wasn't a gun that she pressed to my chest. It was a letter opener, the tip sharp and lethal.
This was it. I cast a frantic glance at my brother. While I knew he wasn't mortally wounded-already his body was expelling the bullet-he was still bleeding profusely, his arms and legs limp. Pain contorted his expression and gripped his body.
The sweet scent of toffee-covered peanuts filled my nostrils (I know, gross, right?) and my stomach jumped.
”I thought you wanted me to suffer,” I told her, stalling for time. Where the h.e.l.l was Remy?
”I told you back at the cabin, I changed my mind,” she told me. ”I want you dead.”
Maybe so, but I didn't want me dead.
In a split second, I brought my hand up and smacked her upside the head with enough force to throw her back several inches.
Before I could gather my strength again, she lunged.
I ducked and rolled, cras.h.i.+ng into the coffee table. I was about to smack her again when the door crashed open and Remy arrived. He had a gun of his own. One shot and she crumpled at my feet, temporarily of course, but it was long enough for Remy's men to surround and seize her.
”I guess she wasn't the perfect one for me,” he said, coming over to me. ”And to think we had such a good time.”
I glared at him. ”Don't even think about asking for your money back.”
His eyes twinkled. He grinned and, despite my undying like for Ty, I actually felt a strange warmth in the pit of my stomach.
”You can owe me.”
Epilogue.
”I need more ribs,” Mandy declared as she burst through the swinging doors that led into the ma.s.sive kitchen. ”They're eating everything.'” She dropped an empty platter on the marble island cabinet where I stood arranging a mountain of hot wings into the shape of a baby carriage. ”And snarling. And one of them even growled at me.”
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