Page 41 of Veiled Justice (The Other Detective #1)

Krieg locked the car door. As we approached the front door, another ogre melted out of the shadows: Maktel. Loki let out a screech in warning. ‘Your Excellence,’ Maktel greeted Krieg.

‘All quiet?’ he asked.

‘Yes, Your Excellence.’

‘Good. Carry on.’

Maktel melted back into the shadows.

‘What was that?’ I demanded.

‘What?’

‘Why is Maktel here?’

Krieg shrugged. ‘It occurred to me that Quintos may have become overzealous in his desire to frame your brother. When things got heated, a tidy suicide and a neatly penned confession from your brother might have come in handy.’

Fear surged in my gut: my God, he was right! If I hadn’t been so shattered, the thought would have occurred to me, too. ‘You set a guard over my family?’

‘Yes.’

I touched his arm. ‘Thank you.’ I kicked myself repeatedly that I hadn’t thought to do it – then again, I couldn’t trust many in the Connection as far as I could throw them. With the right bribe, they’d have brought Rupert in themselves. It was a depressing thought.

‘You’re welcome. I like them.’ Krieg knocked firmly on the door and Mum pulled it open, oblivious to any threat.

‘Robbie!’ she beamed. ‘Come in!’ She paused. ‘Sorry, should I call you Your Excellence?’ She looked flustered. ‘I’m not up on royal etiquette.’

‘Robbie is perfect, Mrs Wise,’ Krieg confirmed gravely.

‘Polly, please. Come on in. I’m just serving up.’ She smiled at Loki. ‘Hello, Loki, it’s lovely to see you.’

‘Feed me?’ he asked piteously like he hadn’t been fed in days.

Mum nodded. ‘Of course, darling.’ Then she turned to me and eyed me critically. ‘That damned uniform! Stacy, please!’

‘I’ve some spare clothes for her in my car,’ Krieg offered. He darted back, grabbed a black holdall from the boot and passed it to me. ‘Left compartment,’ he offered.

I was too tired to freak out about him packing a spare set of clothes for me. He was organised. That was all.

I hustled into the spare room with the bag and opened the left compartment.

Jeans, T-shirt and a soft cashmere jumper.

I pulled off the tags and slipped into the far more comfortable clothes.

I wanted – desperately – to see what the right-hand compartment held but that would have been intrusive and Mum had taught me better.

I shoved my curiosity down deep and went back to join the others.

Loki was sitting on the sideboard in the dining room, scarfing down some ham. Krieg was on one side of the table with a spare place next to him. Grant was at the head of the table – there was no sign of Julian – and Rupert was on the other side next to Ava. They both looked pale and glum.

I looked at Krieg and raised my eyebrows. He shook his head: he hadn’t told them Rupert was in the clear. He’d left it to me.

‘Quintos, Carnforth and Katz all confessed,’ I said quickly. ‘I have enough evidence to lock them away for a very long time. You’re all clear, Rupe.’

‘Oh, thank God!’ Ava exclaimed and promptly burst into tears.

‘Hey.’ Rupert pulled her close. ‘It’s okay. It’s over.’

‘I’m never going to a society event again!’ she wailed.

He grinned. ‘We both know that’s not true. But next time … let’s stay inside.’ She gave a half-laugh, half-sob.

Mum squeezed my arm. ‘Thank you,’ she murmured quietly. ‘I can see you’re exhausted. Thank you for protecting your brother.’

‘Always.’

She kissed my cheek. ‘Go and sit next to your hunk.’

‘Mum! He’s not my anything.’

She smiled. ‘Then why is he here, Stacy?’

I ignored her because I didn’t have an answer and sat next to Krieg, opposite the lovely Ava. ‘Where’s Jules?’ I asked Grant, removing one of the lids from the casserole dishes and helping myself to some broccoli.

‘Working,’ he said on a sigh. ‘He’s on call and he got called.’

‘That sucks.’

‘That’s being a medic for you.’ He shrugged philosophically.

Mum brought in the roast beef and set it pointedly in front of Krieg.

Without being asked, he started to carve and serve the glistening red meat – Mum knew how to cook beef rare.

Yum. The dishes of vegetables were passed around whilst Mum opened a bottle of red wine and passed me a can of Dr Pepper as well.

Never had I needed its caffeinated goodness so much.

I took the can eagerly, listened to the crack and hiss as I opened it, then gave a happy sigh as I sipped at the sweet, peppery nectar.

I closed my eyes and let the bubbles fizz in my mouth.

Notes of vanilla and almond danced on my tongue and I opened my eyes as I swallowed.

Next to me Krieg was unnaturally still, watching me with hot eyes.

‘Oh boy,’ Grant said.

‘Well, that answers that,’ Rupert snickered. ‘They haven’t shagged yet.’

‘Told you,’ Ava said smugly with a wobbly smile.

‘No shagging,’ Loki agreed.

‘This is not appropriate dinner-table conversation!’ Mum harrumphed.

‘You’re right,’ I interjected. ‘So when are you going on a date?’ I changed the subject and took another sip of my Dr Pepper.

My mum looked at me flatly for a minute then said, ‘So how come you two haven’t shagged?’

I spat my Dr Pepper all over Ava. ‘Oh my God!’ I said, eyes wide. ‘I am so sorry!’ Her dress had probably cost more than my flat.

Ava started to giggle, then the whole table erupted into peals of laughter. I set the can down and rubbed my face with both hands. I turned to Krieg. ‘You still like them?’

He grinned. ‘Definitely.’

There were worse ways to end your day.