was
her lips that twitched though she did a better job than he did at
not giving into the compulsion to grin. “Maybe you bring the best
out in me, detective.”
“Hmm...” He would have much rather looked at
the evidence without her being here, but he couldn’t very well ask
her to leave. “Out of curiosity, how do you know about the theatre
company, Shakespeare in the Park?”
Her eyes narrowed, darkening with suspicion.
“How do you—”
“You wore a T-shirt last night with the
logo.” He didn’t let her finish.
“So you noticed more than my scent.” Her
eyes twinkled with amusement. The woman had a sense of humor. He
liked that, too.
His lips curved into a grin as he shrugged
his shoulders. “Sorry, if I came on too strong.”
She waved his apology off. “Your friend
explained.”
“Gideon?” For the first time he wondered
what else Gideon told her when he stepped outside the
Laundromat.
She nodded. “He explained you were mugged
and the meds had made you loopy.”
Mugging? Then he remembered his cuts and
bruises that were all but healed this morning. A human would take
up to a week or more to heal from the injuries he sustained, but by
tomorrow, the worst of it would be a distant memory. “Yeah, I
tossed the meds this morning. I need a clear mind. So are you
involved with the theatre?” he asked again, determined to know more
about her.
“Yes, tryouts are tonight if you’re
interested.” She said in an off-handed manner, obviously dismissing
him in having an interest in the arts.
“I might show up.”
Her gaze wavered over him. “Do you know
anything about Shakespeare?”
His lips curved. Will and he had shared a
pint or two, but he knew she wasn’t asking if he knew the man
personally. “I’ve even performed in a few of Shakespeare’s
plays.”
Doubt still lingered in her eyes, but also
admiration. “Maybe I’ll see you there tonight. I’m in charge of
wardrobe. We’re looking for a male addition to the troupe.”
Perfect.
Juliet’s features sobered as her gaze landed
on a bloody print on the black stovetop. Her steps took her for a
closer look. Their pleasant banter was put on hold for now.
The splayed handprint was a bold statement
of how Leroy fought for his life. Leroy died protecting what
exactly? Whoever did this wanted information and they took extreme
measures to pry it from him.
“Who could have done this?” Her voice
lowered to a hoarse whisper.
He had his suspicions, all of which he
couldn’t share with her. This was preternatural business. Leroy may
have wanted to spend the morning with Juliet, but his untimely
death dragged her into this mess. Half angels didn’t usually buddy
up with humans, even if... His gaze slid down Juliet’s curvy body
and back up again. Even if the human looked like Miss Romeo. She
grieved for Leroy. No doubt about it. Her emotions were thick as
the blood splattered on the walls.
“This was personal. No one kills with such
rage without knowing the vic,” she voiced her opinion.
She obviously didn’t know many Hashasheen
demons. They enjoyed the kill almost as much as they enjoyed the
hunt and they didn’t have to even know the vic’s name. With
a quick once over though, he dismissed the Hashasheen demons of the
crime.
He crouched down to examine the bloody flesh
at the foot of the table. Edges of the flesh were black as if fire
had been part of the torture. His hand reached out to touch it,
hoping to pick up a signature reading of the being responsible for
the carnage. He wasn’t very good at it, but it was worth a
shot.
“What are you doing? Stop!”
Juliet’s shrill warning brought him up
short. For a brief moment, he didn’t understand the horrified
expression marring her otherwise perfect features. Then he realized
humans didn’t touch blood without protection. The Fallen had very
few things to thank their fathers for, but a supreme immune system
happened to be one of them. “I wasn’t going to
her lips that twitched though she did a better job than he did at
not giving into the compulsion to grin. “Maybe you bring the best
out in me, detective.”
“Hmm...” He would have much rather looked at
the evidence without her being here, but he couldn’t very well ask
her to leave. “Out of curiosity, how do you know about the theatre
company, Shakespeare in the Park?”
Her eyes narrowed, darkening with suspicion.
“How do you—”
“You wore a T-shirt last night with the
logo.” He didn’t let her finish.
“So you noticed more than my scent.” Her
eyes twinkled with amusement. The woman had a sense of humor. He
liked that, too.
His lips curved into a grin as he shrugged
his shoulders. “Sorry, if I came on too strong.”
She waved his apology off. “Your friend
explained.”
“Gideon?” For the first time he wondered
what else Gideon told her when he stepped outside the
Laundromat.
She nodded. “He explained you were mugged
and the meds had made you loopy.”
Mugging? Then he remembered his cuts and
bruises that were all but healed this morning. A human would take
up to a week or more to heal from the injuries he sustained, but by
tomorrow, the worst of it would be a distant memory. “Yeah, I
tossed the meds this morning. I need a clear mind. So are you
involved with the theatre?” he asked again, determined to know more
about her.
“Yes, tryouts are tonight if you’re
interested.” She said in an off-handed manner, obviously dismissing
him in having an interest in the arts.
“I might show up.”
Her gaze wavered over him. “Do you know
anything about Shakespeare?”
His lips curved. Will and he had shared a
pint or two, but he knew she wasn’t asking if he knew the man
personally. “I’ve even performed in a few of Shakespeare’s
plays.”
Doubt still lingered in her eyes, but also
admiration. “Maybe I’ll see you there tonight. I’m in charge of
wardrobe. We’re looking for a male addition to the troupe.”
Perfect.
Juliet’s features sobered as her gaze landed
on a bloody print on the black stovetop. Her steps took her for a
closer look. Their pleasant banter was put on hold for now.
The splayed handprint was a bold statement
of how Leroy fought for his life. Leroy died protecting what
exactly? Whoever did this wanted information and they took extreme
measures to pry it from him.
“Who could have done this?” Her voice
lowered to a hoarse whisper.
He had his suspicions, all of which he
couldn’t share with her. This was preternatural business. Leroy may
have wanted to spend the morning with Juliet, but his untimely
death dragged her into this mess. Half angels didn’t usually buddy
up with humans, even if... His gaze slid down Juliet’s curvy body
and back up again. Even if the human looked like Miss Romeo. She
grieved for Leroy. No doubt about it. Her emotions were thick as
the blood splattered on the walls.
“This was personal. No one kills with such
rage without knowing the vic,” she voiced her opinion.
She obviously didn’t know many Hashasheen
demons. They enjoyed the kill almost as much as they enjoyed the
hunt and they didn’t have to even know the vic’s name. With
a quick once over though, he dismissed the Hashasheen demons of the
crime.
He crouched down to examine the bloody flesh
at the foot of the table. Edges of the flesh were black as if fire
had been part of the torture. His hand reached out to touch it,
hoping to pick up a signature reading of the being responsible for
the carnage. He wasn’t very good at it, but it was worth a
shot.
“What are you doing? Stop!”
Juliet’s shrill warning brought him up
short. For a brief moment, he didn’t understand the horrified
expression marring her otherwise perfect features. Then he realized
humans didn’t touch blood without protection. The Fallen had very
few things to thank their fathers for, but a supreme immune system
happened to be one of them. “I wasn’t going to
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