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Of course the area was under investigation. We’d had how many incidents on it? If we tried to say it wasn’t under investigation while holding so many extra patrols, it’d look unbelievably sketchy.

When we’re forthright and seemingly oblivious like this, we might be able to lull him into thinking we don’t suspect him.

Clarence sighed, sounding weary. “Grove, you can’t just go around telling people we’re investigating the street.” He turned his back to Orrin, all signs of fear gone as he massaged his head. “That defeats the whole point of trying to do this secretly!”

“What?” Orrin did a good job of sounding surprised.

“Well, boo. That’s boring,” Grove said.

Binx rolled her eyes and growled.

“Why all the alarm?” Orrin asked.

“I’m not yelling this all across the street,” Binx flatly said. “Come here.”

I eyed Binx with new appreciation—thatwas a tidy piece of manipulation!

Orrin trotted across the street—a smile still on his lips but there was a smug gleam in his eyes that made me think Clarence, Grove, and Binx’s act might have fooled him. His gaze did, however, linger on my gun—which I hadn’t lowered or put away.

Clarence, his back still to Orrin, bleated, “Slayer, you can put away your firearm.” He started to bulge his eyes at me—I think to convey he didn’t really want me to do that but I was ahead of him for once.

I racked my gun loading a bullet in the chamber. “No,” I said, the flatness of my voice coming in handy for once as I sounded emotionless, giving Clarence an excuse to squeak and back away from me.

Grove patted Clarence on the shoulder, then eyed Orrin as he joined us on the sidewalk. “You’re the dragon shifter’s personal assistant, right? The flashy lady who wears a lot of purple,” he said.

Orrin bowed. “It is my honor to serve Lady Gisila during my days,” he said.

Behind my mask, I squinted.Huh. That was a clear line in the sand he drew there. Why? There’s no point in trying to differentiate himself for her sake, unless he’s trying to protect her?

I stared at him trying to engrain his appearance in my memory for the report.

“And during your nights you enjoy prowling around cities?” Binx asked, her natural disdain for anything breathing serving her well as she eyed the handsome fae.

Orrin chuckled. “I didn’t mean to surprise you,” he said. “With a night like this, I merely felt that I had to be out and about.” He discreetly glanced at me, his eyes again lingering on my gun.

Oh, yeah. He is definitely wary of me after last night’s chase. But he’s not worried about the rest of the team, and he doesn’t know about Team Watchers, so we can still pin him if he tries something.

I frowned—not because of his fear of me, that was good—because when he shifted, I swear I saw the chain of a necklace flash at the neckline of his shirt.

Was he wearing the necklace?Surely, he wasn’t going to try releasing monsters on Tutu’stonight?Why would he risk it?

Grove frowned, then peered up at the sky where thin clouds passed in front of a full moon. “Why would this gross weather make you want to be outside?” he asked.

Orrin ignored the question and smiled politely at Binx. “Have I ruined your investigation?”

Binx scoffed and settled her arms across her chest.

I shifted to get Clarence’s attention. I risked removing one hand from my gun to scratch at my neck hoping the vampire might get what I was referring to.

He has a necklace—it might be Gisila’s!

Clarence glanced from my neck to Orrin’s, then he sidled up to Grove.

“Nah,” Grove rocked forward and backward on the tips of his toes to his heels. “No way the perp is here—Blood just chased him last night, probably scared the magic straight out of him.” He paused, then glanced over at Orrin with a thoughtful expression. “That’s right—you know that. She saw you last night atLuxe Sejour.”

“Correct,” Orrin snapped off a nod to me before his eyes once again flitted to my gun. He missed it when Clarence and Grove exchanged looks. “Lady Gisila was there to attend a fae performance.”

“Is it a nice job—working for a dragon shifter?” Clarence asked.