Page 22 of Veiled Justice (The Other Detective #1)

Krieg and I decided to split up. All eyes were being drawn to him, so I could stay under the radar and I moved through the party, questioning everyone who I recognised as having attended Quintos’s party.

I kept my comments light, mostly asking whether they’d seen the fireworks last night and who else had been watching them.

Not a soul had seen Quintos, Katz, Squiggins, Montague, Louisa or Verona. My suspect pool was annoyingly big.

A professional photographer and a videographer were moving through the glittering crowd, capturing the festive atmosphere and the wealthy elite at their most glamourous.

I did my best to avoid both of them; I was neither wealthy nor of the elite, and I had no wish to become part of Louisa’s latest home movie.

‘Bloody hell,’ a familiar voice said from beside me. ‘I didn’t even know you knew how to wear a dress.’

‘Fuck off, Rupert,’ I said pleasantly to my brother. He was dressed in a light-grey suit with a white shirt and a pale pink tie. His dark hair was freshly cut, with sharp shaved sides and a messy quiff on top. He looked good but I’d rather poke out my eyes than tell him that.

He grinned and his dark eyes lit up with mischief. ‘It’s so weird. You actually look like a girl.’

‘Again, fuck off, Rupert.’

He laughed then gave me a kiss on the cheek and a champagne flute. ‘I’m on the job,’ I murmured as I tried to refuse the glass.

‘Of course you are,’ he muttered back. ‘But everyone is drinking, so hold the damned thing. Treat it like a prop.’

He was annoyingly right, so I took the damned glass. I was thirsty and I desperately wanted to sip it despite not really being a champagne girl. Give me a Dr P anytime.

I studied my brother. ‘You decided to come, then.’

He saluted me. ‘Thank you, Captain Obvious.’ He grew serious. ‘Ava wanted to come. She’s good friends with a lot of this crowd.’

‘Have you got imposter syndrome?’

He grimaced. ‘Big time. She’s out of my league, and she’ll realise it at some point.’

Oh boy. I sighed. ‘You’re not totally ugly, you know. And you’re pretty smart – for a lawyer.’

Rupe grinned. ‘This is physically hurting you, isn’t it?’

‘Shut up.’

He snickered. Ava approached us with a warm smile.

She still looked a little on the pale side but maybe that was because of the pale dress she was wearing.

The pink, floor-length confection had spaghetti straps and a V-neck that was clinging valiantly to her generous curves.

Like mine, it had a split up the front to reveal her long, shapely legs and shoes that glittered with what could actually be real diamonds.

‘Ava,’ I greeted her warmly. ‘You look lovely.’

‘Stacy.’ She gave me two air kisses, like we were suddenly French. ‘Oh là là!’ Her gaze swept me up and down. ‘You look divine. Vivienne Delaney?’

‘What?’

‘The dress. It must be one of Viv’s.’

I blinked. ‘I have no idea. Krieg got it for me.’

Her lips parted. ‘High King Krieg bought you that dress?’

‘And the shoes and the bag.’ I shrugged. ‘I didn’t have anything suitable to wear and we needed to blend in.’

‘Where is he?’ she asked urgently.

I pointed to a shadowy corner where he was speaking with a group of women who were fluttering around him.

Creature or not, he was sexy as hell and I doubted they had missed the clues that he was as rich as Midas, too.

Maybe not all of the guests were anti-creature like Louisa seemed to be; though even Louisa hadn’t shown any sign of dismissing him.

She looked at the ogre king intently then back at me. ‘He’s colour matched your dress,’ she breathed, her eyes wide.

‘So?’

‘Did you arrive together?’

‘Yes. He picked me up.’

Her mouth dropped open. ‘What?’ I asked. ‘What am I missing?’

‘I’m a siren. I’m trained from a young age to learn other species … peculiarities.’

‘And?’ I asked impatiently.

‘Ogres don’t colour match casually. When they do, it signals serious intent.’

‘Serious intent to do what?’

She pressed her lips together. ‘Perhaps I’ve said too much.’

‘You really haven’t,’ I complained. ‘Tell me more.’

She flashed me a smile but ignored my demand. ‘Rupey, I need a drink. Let’s go to the bar.’

‘Rupey?’ I grinned.

Rupert sighed. ‘I’ve been avoiding the bar. Alice Rose was there.’

‘Who?’

‘Remember? The dryad that complained about me after I won her case?’

‘The one that complained it took too long?’

‘Yeah.’ He glared towards the bar then brightened. ‘She’s gone. We’re good.’ He offered Ava his arm in a gentlemanly gesture that took me off guard and she beamed at him as she took it. They beat a hasty retreat before I could press Ava further about the significance of the colour-matching thing.

I grimaced. Krieg had been clear that he fancied me and I wasn’t delusional enough to pretend that the attraction wasn’t mutual.

His red bow-tie probably signalled his intent to fuck me, and Ava didn’t want to say that in front of my brother.

Mystery solved, I turned back to the real mystery at hand: solving Helga’s murder.

I scoured the room for Squigsy and his cohort who were still on my to-interrogate list. When I couldn’t see them, unease trickled along my spine.

I was heading out to the garden when Louisa Carnforth cut me off.

‘Inspector Wise!’ she greeted me loudly.

‘What a pleasure to see you here! I’m so glad you could make it. Have you met my father?’

‘I haven’t had that pleasure yet,’ I replied slowly.

I didn’t tell her what the maid had said.

For some reason, Louisa was trying to make people believe her father was still out and about, rather than confined to his bed.

I’d dig into that later but for now I needed to stay on her good side or I’d be chucked out before I could question everyone I wanted to speak to.

Louisa made a show of looking around. ‘I can’t see him. He must be getting some fresh air.’

That comment reminded me of Ava and Rupert. I looked at the bar but they were no longer there. I grimaced; I really didn’t want to see them having sex in the gardens.

‘Never mind,’ Louisa waved an airy hand. ‘Isn’t it wonderful? So much better than Quintos’s weak effort.’

This affair did have more drama but it also had messages of subjugation and second-class citizenship that I wasn’t on board with. ‘Chimeras are dangerous,’ I said. ‘And rare. It doesn’t deserve to be in a cage.’

‘It’s only been hired for the party,’ she parried.

‘After that it’ll go back home, no harm, no foul.

And it does add a certain drama having something that could kill you prowling around, doesn’t it?

’ Her eyes swept up and down Krieg as she spoke; her smile told me that, deadly as he was, she was more than willing to do the horizontal rumba with him. Something bristled within me.

‘Have you hit that?’ she asked me. ‘I bet he’s hung like a centaur!’

‘I wouldn’t know,’ I said tightly.

She tapped a finger to her perfect lips. When Krieg glanced at us, no doubt having felt our gaze on him, she pushed her index finger into her mouth and sucked on it. The woman had zero subtlety.

Krieg looked from Louisa to me. I realised that I had crossed my arms. I met his eyes across the distance between us and rolled mine in exasperation. He smiled. I hoped he was amused by my exasperation and not flattered or interested in her exemplary finger-sucking skills.

I turned on my heel and left Louisa still going at her finger like it was a chocolate-covered phallus.

It turns out you can be born to class but still have none.

I was heading for the exit of the marquee when Rupert and Ava stumbled in, eyes wide.

Rupert’s shirt had blood on it. ‘Is there a healer?’ he bellowed into the room. ‘Is anyone a healer?’

The music stopped abruptly. My brother looked at me, relief colouring his features that I was here to deal with whatever had him running down the dark alleys of panic.

‘Stacy! Thank God. There’s been another stabbing!’ he blurted.