to you?”
She leaned back with her hands folded neatly across her taut midsection. “I believe I said I made it, not that it is my personal glove.”
“Where were you last night around midnight?” Adam asked.
“I was here. Had an appointment with a client.”
“Can you prove that?” I said.
The corner of her lip lifted, but her eyes hardened. “In theory, yes. But since you’re not an officer of the law and you have no warrant, I will not. My clients trust me to protect their privacy.”
My eyes narrowed. “That excuse would work if this was a mortal criminal investigation. But we are here under the authority of Despina Tanith Severinus, High Councilman Orpheus of the Hekate Council, and The Shade. I’m sure all three would be very interested to know you aren’t cooperating.” Honestly, I didn’t believe Mistress Bianca was the murderer. But I hoped putting her on the defensive would encourage her to open up about who bought the glove.
She raised an eyebrow. “Oh, Sabina, let’s not let this polite conversation devolve into power plays and vague threats. It demeans us both.” She leaned forward and flipped through a leather-bound agenda on the desk. “I won’t give you the client’s name, but the appointment lasted from midnight to one a.m.”
“Can anyone verify that information?” Adam asked.
She waved a hand toward Nipple Clamps. “Francis will confirm it as truth.” She snapped her fingers.
“I confirm it as truth,” Francis said.
My face tightened into a fuck-you smile. “Yes, I’m sure the testimony of your slave is reliable.”
“I’m not sure what to tell you.” Her shrug made something squeak under her suit. I wondered if she had on some sort of crazy latex contraption under there. “But why would I admit to making the glove if I’d murdered this mage?”
“She makes a good point, Sabina,” Adam said. I made a mental note to exclude him from interrogations with hot dominatrixes in the future.
“Fine. I still need to know who purchased the glove.”
“Again, I protect my clients. If word got out that I opened my books to you, my credibility would be shot.” She smiled smugly.
“Not as shot as it would be if Slade revoked your feeding rights.”
Her smile faltered. “He wouldn’t do that.”
“Oh, I assure you that he would. The murder happened in his club. I’m sure you’re aware how seriously The Shade takes his position in the vampire community. And even if he didn’t, I’m fairly certain the Despina and the High Councilman would have an opinion. Your persistence in obstructing this investigation will not go without consequences.”
She sat still for a few moments, thinking it over. The truth was I hoped she didn’t call my bluff and get Slade on the phone. I had no idea if he’d agree to revoke her feeding rights over this. For all I knew, they were lovers and he’d be pissed I threatened her.
Mistress Bianca rose with as much dignity as she could muster. She walked stiffly to a filing cabinet and unlocked it with a key hanging from a chain around her neck. She pulled out a ledger and flipped through it. After a moment, she said, “According to my records, that item was sold four nights ago here in the store. The purchaser paid cash.”
“Were you here? Do you remember the buyer?” Adam asked.
She shook her head. “No, I would have remembered selling that pair. Whoever bought it must have come in during daylight hours. I have human employees who run the shop while I’m sleeping.”
“Who was working that day?” I asked.
She pursed her lips. “Let me check the time sheets.”
Bianca rifled through some more file folders. When she found what she was looking for, she ran a black nail down the paper. The finger stopped on something and her face changed. “Shit,” she whispered.
I rose and went to her. “What is it?”
She held up the sheet. “Liam worked that day.” Her voice sounded different, strained.
“Can we talk to
She leaned back with her hands folded neatly across her taut midsection. “I believe I said I made it, not that it is my personal glove.”
“Where were you last night around midnight?” Adam asked.
“I was here. Had an appointment with a client.”
“Can you prove that?” I said.
The corner of her lip lifted, but her eyes hardened. “In theory, yes. But since you’re not an officer of the law and you have no warrant, I will not. My clients trust me to protect their privacy.”
My eyes narrowed. “That excuse would work if this was a mortal criminal investigation. But we are here under the authority of Despina Tanith Severinus, High Councilman Orpheus of the Hekate Council, and The Shade. I’m sure all three would be very interested to know you aren’t cooperating.” Honestly, I didn’t believe Mistress Bianca was the murderer. But I hoped putting her on the defensive would encourage her to open up about who bought the glove.
She raised an eyebrow. “Oh, Sabina, let’s not let this polite conversation devolve into power plays and vague threats. It demeans us both.” She leaned forward and flipped through a leather-bound agenda on the desk. “I won’t give you the client’s name, but the appointment lasted from midnight to one a.m.”
“Can anyone verify that information?” Adam asked.
She waved a hand toward Nipple Clamps. “Francis will confirm it as truth.” She snapped her fingers.
“I confirm it as truth,” Francis said.
My face tightened into a fuck-you smile. “Yes, I’m sure the testimony of your slave is reliable.”
“I’m not sure what to tell you.” Her shrug made something squeak under her suit. I wondered if she had on some sort of crazy latex contraption under there. “But why would I admit to making the glove if I’d murdered this mage?”
“She makes a good point, Sabina,” Adam said. I made a mental note to exclude him from interrogations with hot dominatrixes in the future.
“Fine. I still need to know who purchased the glove.”
“Again, I protect my clients. If word got out that I opened my books to you, my credibility would be shot.” She smiled smugly.
“Not as shot as it would be if Slade revoked your feeding rights.”
Her smile faltered. “He wouldn’t do that.”
“Oh, I assure you that he would. The murder happened in his club. I’m sure you’re aware how seriously The Shade takes his position in the vampire community. And even if he didn’t, I’m fairly certain the Despina and the High Councilman would have an opinion. Your persistence in obstructing this investigation will not go without consequences.”
She sat still for a few moments, thinking it over. The truth was I hoped she didn’t call my bluff and get Slade on the phone. I had no idea if he’d agree to revoke her feeding rights over this. For all I knew, they were lovers and he’d be pissed I threatened her.
Mistress Bianca rose with as much dignity as she could muster. She walked stiffly to a filing cabinet and unlocked it with a key hanging from a chain around her neck. She pulled out a ledger and flipped through it. After a moment, she said, “According to my records, that item was sold four nights ago here in the store. The purchaser paid cash.”
“Were you here? Do you remember the buyer?” Adam asked.
She shook her head. “No, I would have remembered selling that pair. Whoever bought it must have come in during daylight hours. I have human employees who run the shop while I’m sleeping.”
“Who was working that day?” I asked.
She pursed her lips. “Let me check the time sheets.”
Bianca rifled through some more file folders. When she found what she was looking for, she ran a black nail down the paper. The finger stopped on something and her face changed. “Shit,” she whispered.
I rose and went to her. “What is it?”
She held up the sheet. “Liam worked that day.” Her voice sounded different, strained.
“Can we talk to
Similar Books
