Betrayed in Blood (Of Blood & Dreams #6)

Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

I scowled at Sergi when I climbed into the SUV with four other vamps from the security detail. It was all to push his buttons. Of course, it apparently had no impact because the damn vamp just grinned.

I’d been grinning too when I woke that morning in Devon’s arms. I was ready for this day, needing a face-to-face with my mother to know that she was okay.

But deep down in those places we share with no one, well, I just refused to go there, allowing Devon to erase those dark thoughts with his passionate kisses and soft strokes. And when I cried for no apparent reason, he held me and promised everything would be alright. Because what else does one’s boyfriend do when you cry after he’s made such sweet love to you.

But once I’d kissed him and jumped in the shower, I put on my game face. I didn’t eat breakfast, too jacked up on nerves and buckets of caffeine. Ginger, wanting to do her part to show support, picked out my designer-labeled ensemble of pants, blouse, and jacket, all in silk, and topped it off with three-inch heels, a gold bracelet, and a diamond pendant necklace. I would have preferred my jeans and sweatshirt, but that wouldn’t have been acceptable in the neighborhood I’d be visiting.

Devon gave me another passionate kiss on the front steps of the manor, not caring who saw. Then he patted my ass and told me once again that everything would be alright. This was nothing more than a fact-finding mission.

My leg bounced all the way to the hair salon. Sergi watched me. Not out of the corner of his eye, but with one of those damn vamp stares. I ignored him most of the way to Castle Street, the ritzy part of Santiga Bay. Bella and Jacques were in the SUV behind us. They stayed close until we got into the middle of town, where they backed off, giving us space in case they needed to run a diversion.

We drove past the salon, and even with the large windows, it was impossible to see who was inside. Like the day spa my mother went to, the front of the store was all retail space with the stylists behind a wall in the back where no one could see the clients with curlers or tinfoil in their hair.

Mateo turned the SUV around and parked on the opposite side of the street, a block away. The other SUV was parked facing the way we’d just come but found a spot a block before the salon. I waited for Bella and Jacques to get out. They walked the street hand-in-hand, each with a cup of coffee. Where had they gotten those? The cups probably held nothing more than water or might even have been empty. I had to admit, they were excellent at their job. They walked past the salon, eventually turning and coming down our side of the street. Bella gave the slightest of nods before continuing on.

“You have a go,” Sergi said. “We’ll wait here. If we suspect trouble, prepare for something loud and remain in the salon until one of the SUVs pulls up for you to jump in. Understand?”

“Yes.” I checked my pockets. My dagger was in my inside jacket pocket, and I touched it, feeling calmer by the action. When I reached for the door handle, Sergi laid a hand on my arm.

“You already know what you’ll find. Don’t let it deter you from the mission. It only confirms what we already suspect and what we’re preparing for.”

I stared at him. I should be angry, but I wasn’t. How did this stoic, seemingly uncaring vamp do it? A calm swept through me. Somehow, I knew he had his own dark places he shared with no one.

I took a deep breath. “Thank you.”

Then I was out the door, glancing around as if I was getting my bearings and deciding which way to my destination. I crossed the street in the middle of the road, not bothering with a crosswalk, and strolled the half block to the salon. Bella and Jacques had stopped at a boutique bookstore across the street. How perfect was that?

I ducked into the salon, five minutes past my mother’s salon appointment. I glanced around the retail area, not seeing her. No surprise so far.

I’d spent most of the previous night trying to remember her stylist’s name, but it wasn’t until I was in the shower that morning that it came to me. Louise. There was a receptionist station for the stylists, and I waited behind a woman who was changing her appointment. I wanted to tap my foot with impatience, but there was plenty of time before Mom’s lunch date. Her hair appointments were an hour long—a quick color touch-up, a trim, and off she went.

Finally, the woman moved on, and it was game time.

“Hi, I was wondering if Louise was in?”

The receptionist with frizzy brown hair pulled back in a headband, perfectly applied makeup, and bright red lipstick, clucked her tongue and reviewed her display screen. “She usually has an appointment at this time, but it looks like she’s on a break.”

My heart sank at the news, then remembered what Sergi said, and I leaned in. “Then maybe she has a couple of minutes. It’s about my mom, who usually has an appointment at this time.”

The woman blinked. “You mean Willa?”

I nodded and blinked rapidly. I hadn’t expected the burning tears, but they came unbidden, and I had to admit was the perfect touch.

“Oh my, yes, let me just check.” She turned away and tapped an earbud.

I didn’t bother trying to listen in. They were worried about my mom. I stared at a display of lip balms, not seeing them as their image blurred. I blinked faster and channeled Sergi, Simone, and Ginger. Wow, that was a strange combination.

“Miss? Are you alright?”

“Hmm. Oh, yes, I’m sorry.”

“Louise will meet you by the wash station.”

“Oh, thank you so much.”

“It’s no problem, sweetie.”

Louise was short, thin as a rail, with long red curls that reached the middle of her back. Like the receptionist, her makeup was perfectly applied. Everything had to be flawless for their uber-rich clientele. And while she wore a smile, there was worry in her gaze when her eyes met mine.

“Come this way.” Her cheery voice gave nothing away.

She stepped into a mini solarium. The room was small, but there were dozens of windows, a tile floor covered in Persian rugs, several comfortable chairs, a long couch, and a kitchenette. Their breakroom was pretty sweet.

Louise sat in a corner chair and tapped the one next to it, a Mediterranean-blue table between us.

“Is your mother alright? I mean, she didn’t?—”

Did the woman think I came to tell her my mom was dead? Good lord, I needed to work on my delivery.

“No, no. She’s fine, but I am worried about her.”

Louise placed a hand over her chest. “Oh, thank god. When Ella said her daughter wanted to talk to me, I’m afraid I thought the worst.” She chuckled—one of those hysterical ones. “I know she was upset about Christopher’s death.” The woman eyed me, probably wondering how much I knew about their relationship. “But, I don’t think it was a surprise.”

“Really?” I decided to use Devon’s suggestion. “I know I’ve been out of town for some time, and our communication hasn’t been the best. I’d had my problems with Christopher...” I let the rest hang because Louise was nodding. I shook my head as if pushing Christopher to the netherworld where he belonged. “How long has it been since she’s been in?”

Louise sat back, her eyes rolling toward the ceiling as she considered the question. “About three weeks now.”

“How did she seem the last time you saw her?”

She huffed out a breath. “Don’t take this the wrong way. She talked about you every once in a while, more so the last few months. I guess she hadn’t seen you for some time, but then she mentioned she’d recently seen you.” She gave me a weak smile. “She seemed to think you were in a good place and, I don’t know, appeared proud of you.”

Damn. Those fucking tears. I blinked and stared out the window before turning back with her next comment.

“It was strange because it was the first time I ever heard her say one negative word about April.”

“April?” The statement startled me because I wouldn’t have thought Mom would ever say anything bad about her in front of others.

“It was the last time I saw her. She was quite angry with your sister. Oh, she didn’t go into details—she never would. All I know is she mentioned her getaway stash. Then, two days later, April called and canceled her mother’s appointments. She said her mother wasn’t feeling well and had a small breakdown about Christopher. I thought it odd, but what could I do? I thought of calling her but decided against it.”

I reached out and took Louise’s hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll be seeing her tomorrow. I’ll let her know you’ve been worried about her.”

“It’s funny, you know.”

“How’s that?”

“Even though I knew she worried about you, she always said you were her strongest daughter. She always knew you’d be just fine.”

I stared out the window as we drove to Chantel’s, an upscale restaurant with a lovely garden patio, my mind still on Louise’s last comment. Mom knew I’d be okay. She actually told someone else that she was proud of me. It bolstered me. Even though I knew Mom wouldn’t be there, perhaps I could get more out of her friends than the hairstylist.

“This meeting could be more emotional for you than the last.”

I turned to find Sergi watching me, but not with his usual placid stare. His brows were furrowed with concern. Was it for me or the mission?

“I’ll be fine.” I forced my leg to stop bouncing. Then I sighed. “What does it matter, anyway?”

“I might be an ancient, but I remember my mother.”

That got me.

“I’m sorry. I take it she’s not around anymore.”

“She, like my sister, was a casualty of war.” He grunted. “More like bait to start a war, but in the end, it’s all the same.”

I glanced down, disturbed by the flash of grief I’d seen in his gaze. I didn’t have to ask how long ago. The fact it happened during a war told me it had been a long time, yet he still carried it.

“Sometimes our family problems are so personal, so painful, that we forget others have faced the same thing. Maybe not in how it played out, but the emotions that stick with us. If April is truly mesmerized, can she be saved? Or my mother?”

“As Devon would say, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We’re gathering information to help us decide how to move forward.”

I nodded. “Right. Eyes on the prize.”

The SUV pulled up to the front entrance, and Mateo waved off the valet. I tugged my jacket into place and dusted off my silk pants. The driver opened the door, but before I got out, Sergi grabbed my elbow as he had at the last stop.

“Devon will do whatever he can to ensure your family’s safety. Not just your mother, but April as well. We all will.”

I turned and blinked away the tears that seemed to be a stream of waterworks today and placed a hand on his. With a shaky breath, I gave him a weak smile. “Who would have thought meeting with my mom’s friends would be scarier than escaping Shadow Island?”

Sergi’s laughter bolstered me as I exited the SUV and strode to the door with my head high and shoulders back. I wasn’t that woman from the Hollows anymore. I might not live in the same neighborhood as these rich bitches, but I was from House Trelane. A new thought came to me. Once we were out of lockdown, I was going to make a reservation for the females of House Trelane and have one hell of a party right here.

The hostess, a petite dark-skinned woman with huge amber-colored eyes and a bulldog expression like most in her profession when dealing with the rich, blocked my entrance.

“Can I help you?”

“Yes, I’m meeting Veronica Stevenson and her party.”

She gave me the once over, and I silently thanked Ginger for dressing me. While I might have passed the first inspection, I didn’t pass the second.

“We only have her down for a party of three, and everyone else has already arrived.”

“I know. I didn’t think I was going to be able to make it, but my other appointment was canceled.” I hadn’t grown up in Christopher’s house without learning a thing or two, and I hated having to use his name now. “Would you be a love and let her know Cressa Underwood is here.”

I didn’t have to look down my nose since she was shorter than me, but I did lift it a bit. She would have expected it. After she scurried off, I prayed the women would be too curious to say no to me joining them. If mom hadn’t been to the hairstylist for three weeks, had she been able to stay in contact with her friends?

The hostess was all smiles when she returned. “I’m so sorry to have to check. You know how it can be.”

I wasn’t sure, but I could guess. The rich didn’t like to be disturbed by riffraff.

I put on my best smile. “Of course.”

“Just this way.” The hostess led me onto the patio to a far corner made more private by the potted ferns and roses that were in full bloom. The light scent energized me as I strolled by to find three wide-eyed, curious faces.

I almost laughed out loud. The last time they saw me, I was a feral high school girl in ripped jeans and a cropped T-shirt. They’d probably written me off as a sad example of how things could go so wrong.

Veronica, Agnes, and Monique continued to stare as the hostess pulled out a chair for me. They were all perfectly quaffed, their fingernails expertly polished and kept at the perfect length with the same boring, sedate colors. They were of varying heights, but they were all thin, perhaps too thin, and were impeccably dressed in their Dior, Gucci, and Chanel and wearing the latest Jimmy Choo shoes.

All three were long-time friends of my mother’s and married to rich businessmen who’d been friends of Christopher. For a hot minute, I wondered if any of them had gotten mixed up with Venizi, but I doubted it. However, I decided to tread lightly and see where the women took the conversation.

“Cressa, my dear, it’s been ages since we saw you.” Veronica, as the ringleader, spoke first.

I gave her a huge smile. “I imagine I looked a bit different back then. But we all grow up.”

“I’d say,” Agnes blurted out, then covered her mouth as she glanced around before taking a sip of her wine. Chances were good she’d probably had a martini or two before leaving the house. “That was so rude, but you look marvelous.”

“Thank you. You all look exactly as I last remember you.” I nodded when Monique held up the bottle of wine once another place setting was put in front of me, but I waved off the server when he handed me a menu.

“Please, give her a plate so she can enjoy the appetizers. They’re still quite fresh.” Veronica waited for the plate, which was in front of me in a blink of an eye.

I dutifully placed a crab tart and a mini quiche on my plate and sipped what tasted like a very expensive bottle of Pinot Gris.

Once the server left and we were left alone, Veronica got right to the point. “Why are you here?”

Monique gasped then sipped her wine while Agnes rearranged her plate. Veronica was not only their leader, and she’d never pulled punches. That was fine with me. Neither did I, and I wasn’t here for a friendly lunch. I wanted out of there and out of these heels.

“When was the last time you saw my mother?”

That took a bite out of Veronica’s sails. She glanced at the others, but before she could speak, Monique did.

“She’s missed the last three lunches. I’ve tried calling, but she doesn’t answer anymore.”

“When she missed the first lunch, we all called her and got the same answer,” Agnes added. “She wanted to spend time with April.”

“When was the last time you spoke to her?” Veronica asked, her eyes narrowed as if I had some ulterior motive.

“About three days ago.” That got everyone’s attention since Mom had answered my call but not theirs. At the same time, I didn’t see a reason to play games and gave them most of how it went down. “You know how moms worry about their kids. At first, she seemed okay, but there were several people at the house. I heard them in the background. Then she made some comment about how it would be better if she called the next time and not to worry.” I shrugged. “You know what a rebel I am. I worried.”

All three of them tittered at that, almost seeming relieved I was still the little troublemaker. It somehow put their world back on the correct rotation.

“I have to say we’re worried, too.” Veronica sipped her wine and tapped her light-pink nail against the glass. “But we’re not sure what to do about it. We considered driving over.”

“It’s April,” Agnes spat out. “There’s something wrong with her.” She leaned in, her voice lowering. “I think she might be dangerous, and I know how that must sound, we’re not really sure it’s even her fault.”

Before I could get a word in, Monique broke in. “It’s that boyfriend of hers. We all thought you’d be the one to break Willa.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Sorry, but you were a bit wild. But Willa never said a bad word. She always knew you’d be okay. She said you were the strongest of her daughters and that you’d find your way.”

My heart almost cracked hearing that for a second time in one day.

“Several months ago, Willa said April brought home a new boyfriend.” Veronica refilled the wineglasses as she took up the tale. “He was handsome and had just gotten a high-paying job at one of Christopher’s businesses. He was what Willa called a fast riser in the company. But after a month or so, Willa was worried. April wasn’t acting like herself, and…” Veronica gave the other women a glance, and when they all nodded, she continued, “Willa had been having problems with Christopher. He was keeping long hours, going away on business trips that she didn’t think were business trips.”

“Christopher was cheating on my mother,” I cut in, wanting to get to the chase. “I know. Mom knew and, from my understanding, had an escape plan.”

Veronica sat back, and though she’d been shocked for an instant, a knowing smile lit her face. “You’ve been keeping tabs on her.”

I sighed. “It wasn’t a secret I hated Christopher. And from what I understand, even though the police cleared me as a suspect in his gruesome murder, April still believes I was somehow responsible.”

Agnes snorted. “Christopher had been known to be wheeling and dealing with unscrupulous men and women for months. And what? They thought you waited how many years to show up out of the blue to slice and dice him?” As soon as the last words were out of her mouth, her eyes almost popped out of her head.

The table went deathly silent until I erupted in laughter. It took a second for the rest to join in.

“I know it’s not nice to speak ill of the dead.” I gave the women a conspiratorial wink. “But let’s face it, the asshole got what was coming to him. But this boyfriend, I assume he was close to Christopher.”

“Like peas in a pod, from what Willa said.” Monique fluffed her hair and checked her fingernails.

“Do you happen to know his name?”

The women glanced at each other, their foreheads scrunched in thought, which was a surprising feat based on how much Botox they were probably pumping into it.

“Henry?” Veronica said.

Monique shook her head. “Peter.”

Agnes rolled her eyes, which was what I’d been about to do. “Jasper Hunnicutt.”

We all stared at her.

“How can you possibly remember that?” Veronica asked.

“Richard has a cousin named Jasper. He’s a crazy old drunk but a kick at parties. And our neighbors at Martha’s Vineyards are the Hunnicutts. At first, I thought there might be a connection, you know, since Christopher and Willa have come to the island with us several times. But I don’t think that was the case this time.”

Monique shook her head and glanced at me. “Agnes always plays a memory game with names. You know, trying to remember by associating something with them.” She tittered. “I obviously need to try the same thing.”

I glanced at the watch Ginger made me wear at the last minute. Devon had given it to me one of the first days I’d been at the manor, but I’ve never worn it because I don’t wear watches. I touched the small diamonds around the face. He must have paid a fortune for it, and it didn’t escape my notice that the others took note, their eyes growing wide.

“You can afford that?” Veronica leaned over. “That’s a limited-edition Rolex.”

I grinned. “If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t steal it.” I flipped my hair back and almost cringed at the automatic response. Then decided to go with it and leaned in. “My boyfriend bought it for me the first week we were together.”

I made my excuses, knowing they were dying to start the gossip once I was gone, but left them with one promise.

“I don’t know what’s going on with my mom, April, and whoever this Jasper Hunnicutt is, but I can assure you I’ll get to the bottom of this.”

“And you think there’s something you can do?” Veronica sounded doubtful.

“Not me alone, no. But my boyfriend will see it done, and he’s never gone back on his promises.” I stood. “I can’t say it will be next week or even a month from now, but soon, there will be four place settings at your weekly lunch again.”

They all stared at me with a mixture of hope and downright terror at this new Cressa. If they only knew the truth, as I walked out feeling my dagger snug in my pocket, they’d all piss their pants.

When I strode out of the restaurant, feeling more confident than when I went in, the SUV pulled up as if it had been sitting outside the door all that time. The valet opened my door, I got in, and we were out of the lot and on our way home. The second SUV, which had been waiting down the street, pulled in behind us.

“Well?” Sergi asked.

“I need you to find a Jasper Hunnicutt. Also, I want you to check the video you have from when April and a vamp went into my old apartment. Let’s find out if that vamp is our mysterious Jasper. I think April and my mom have been mesmerized.”