Page 39 of Gray Dawn

“I’ll dowse for Clay,” Dad offered, stepping away, “try to figure out where he went from here.”

“Makes sense to case the joint first.” I turned my thoughts back to Clay. “See what he’s up against.”

“Hmm.” Marita tilted her head. “You think there’s a chance he missed the fireworks?”

“Maybe he got an eyeful of the Hertzog witches and decided to bide his time before making his move.”

“From what Colby said, it sounds like the director is done hiding.” Derry frowned. “Now that he knows Luca is responsible for his present circumstances, he won’t stop until he eliminates her.”

“I believe that’s the point Rue is trying to make,” Asa mused. “That, with the level of opposition, Clay would have left rather than engage if Luca wasn’t present.”

“Which he only could have known,” I cut in, “if the director had means of tracking her.”

The hope we hadjustmissed him was a blow and a boon. As much as I wanted to set eyes on him, we had better odds of intercepting Luca if he hadn’t witnessed our explosive encounter with the witches.

“Once he takes out Luca,” Dad said, his words frosting over, “he’ll eliminate Rue next.”

“Try,” Marita corrected him. “He’lltryto eliminate her next.”

“Then we’ll kick his ass.” Derry rolled a shoulder. “It’s what friends do.”

“Thanks, guys.”

Hard as I fought to stay present, to bask in the glow of their affection, I couldn’t fight the force dragging my lids down.

“Clay is here.”

I groaned and turned away from the bright voice in my ear.

“Rue.”

A familiar weight began trouncing me until my kidneys waved a white flag. Make that two white flags.

“I’m up,” I wheezed, capturing Colby in a hug then dragging the sheet over our heads. “Have mercy.”

“No mercy.” She shoved against my chest. “Clay’shere, Rue.”

“Here?” Her earlier words replayed in my head, and I shot upright, earning a yelp from her.“Here?”

“Notherehere, not the hotel.” She yanked the cover down. “At the distillery.”

The hotel we chose was three miles away, maybe four. We grabbed the nearest one after getting an all-clear from the cleaners, who agreed to keep their findings mum for twenty-four hours to give us time to intercept Clay. And the director. And, hopefully, Luca too.

“Why didn’t anyone wake me?” I swung my legs over the side of the bed. “We need to go.”

“Ididwake you,” she pointed out, zooming away. “Now, hurry up.”

The door opened while I tugged on fresh clothes, and Asa passed me a glass of orange juice.

“Thanks.” I gulped it down without tasting it. “Clay is really there?”

“According to your father, yes.” He traded with me, forcing a breakfast sandwich into my hand. “He arrived ten minutes agobut hasn’t moved since. He’s either waiting for Luca in the car again or watching for her from a stationary position.”

“Okay.” I did a quick turn, making sure I had my wand, and decided I had everything I needed. “Let’s go.”

Asa and I rode the elevator down with Colby in my hair and found Marita and Derry waiting in the lobby.

Their eyes were bloodshot and their clothes filthy, an indication they had spent the day on patrol, but they vibrated with energy that prickled my skin.