“There’s not a gang in the Weird delusional enough to take on the Guild,” said Nigel.
“Apparently, this one is,” I said.
Keeva looked at Nigel. “Let’s assume you’re right, Nigel. Given Connor’s attackers and a few of the others, would the Consortium recruit out of the Weird?”
He nodded. “It would make excellent cover for them.”
Keeva turned her screen back. “I agree. I’m putting security sweeps down there until after Kruge’s funeral at least.”
“You can’t hold a neighborhood responsible for the actions of a rogue gang, Keeva,” I said.
She didn’t look up. “It’s just a visible presence until we know more.”
“Keeva, I know what you’re really suggesting. You can’t put an entire neighborhood under martial law without more reason.”
“Caution is enough right now, Connor.” She began typing.
I looked at Nigel in disbelief. “You can’t condone this.”
Nigel stood and went to the door. “I do. These are troubled times that call for strong measures. Despite agreeing to a cease-fire, the Consortium has not changed. They still seek the destruction of the Seelie Court. Do you need anything from me right now, Keeva? I have security plans to work out with Gerin. I think you should see them.”
She shook her head without looking up. “Thanks. I’ll send you and Manus updates.”
Nigel hesitated. “Connor, Gerin will be calling a meeting of the Bosnemeton tonight. Remember the path you once sought.” He bowed his head and left.
She ignored me as she read whatever she had typed, probably an email by her body language. She clicked the mouse, no doubt sending a squad of security agents to the Weird to hassle anyone who spelled funny.
“Something doesn’t fit, Keeva.”
She leaned forward on her desk and put her head in her hands. “I know. But I can’t make sense of it.”
I felt a twinge of sympathy. Keeva might be many things I don’t like, but most times her heart is in the right place. When she remembers she has one. “How are you holding up?”
Stricken, she looked up. “I’ve got two royal delegations I’m trying to keep separated, a funeral with a change in venue, a murder investigation going nowhere, and the entire board of directors attacked. How do you think I feel?”
“I’ll help any way I can.”
She nodded vaguely. “I thought you were dead. Your apartment was broken into. Why the hell did it take you two hours to answer your phone or my sendings?”
“I was blocked. I was checking my messages when I was attacked.”
“Nigel’s right, you know. There are factions in the Consortium that would like nothing more than to see the Guild in chaos.”
I shifted in my seat. My coat might have taken the most of the essence that hit me, but my shoulders were definitely tender. “That’s a huge risk. They’d have to be pretty confident to pull it off. And now that he’s out of the room, I have to point out your blind spot. You’re assuming Manus and Nigel had nothing to do with this.”
The look of surprise that came over her face made me feel embarrassed. “Wow. I knew you had trust issues, but that’s pretty extreme even for you.”
I shrugged. “I’m being an investigator. Manus is definitely sick—I saw that myself. But you heard Nigel. He has just as much motive to make the Consortium look bad as they do the Guild.”
“Do you really think Nigel would resort to murder?”
“I’m not saying that. But I don’t think he’s above using this situation to push the Consortium into a corner.”
She seemed to consider the idea. “Kruge is the key to this. We figure out who killed Kruge, then we figure the rest.”
“It was a drug dealer named C-Note. Eorla Kruge thinks that even if you and Nigel don’t.”
“And why would you know her opinion?” Anger had returned to her face.
I rolled my eyes in answer. “Because I listened to her, Keeva, which apparently you haven’t. She told you a drug dealer might be a suspect.”
“Wouldn’t that fit your cover plot? She would support your theory if she were trying to throw us off the Consortium.”
“Keeva, her husband’s dead. That’s a level of political ambition even you can’t imagine.”
She laughed, a bit weakly for my taste, but she laughed. “That’s why we’re looking for Croda. She may have been the killer herself somehow, but we’re also running down her drug associates.”
I didn’t say anything. Not without knowing why Ryan macGoren had been at Croda’s murder. “You don’t need to put an entire neighborhood under martial law. You need to go after C-Note. His gang attacked me. It’s him, pure and simple.”
She gave me a suspicious look. “You seem awfully confident. What evidence do you have?”
“Word is C-Note’s muscling in. Dennis Farnsworth died on another troll’s turf. His name is Moke. He says it was C-Note’s people.”
Keeva smiled. “Putting aside that Moke may be playing you, has it occurred to you that your attack was coincidence? You’re not really a director, you know. Maybe this C-Note’s gunning for you because of Farnsworth.”
I pursed my lips. I hadn’t considered that. Crystal placed Farnsworth and Kruge in the same room. And there was still the matter of Croda’s recording ward. I didn’t think that was a coincidence.
“It’s not the Consortium, Keeva. I feel it in my gut.”
Keeva stood and moved for the door. “I’ve got a major security situation to handle, Connor. Don’t leave the building. I have enough people to worry about.”
“Are you arresting me?”
She shrugged. “Call it what you want. Now go find someplace to sit. I have work to do.”
I decided now was the time to push her. “I have a question before you go. Why did Ryan lie about being with you the night of Kruge’s murder?”
Her glare snapped back instantly. “He didn’t lie. He had his dates mixed up.”
“So, where was he?”
“Here. At the Guildhouse. He was here the entire time.”
“Do you trust him?”
She gave me a long look, and opened the door. “Yes. I’m not a fool, though, Connor. And as much as I hate to admit it, I checked the security log. He was here. I was checking a blind spot.” She strode away.
I trailed after her and walked down the hall to my old office. I sat behind the desk, spun the chair around, and put my feet up on the windowsill. Outside, Guild security agents did aerial sweeps of the surrounding city blocks.
Given the right motivation, I could believe anyone was capable of anything—even murder. But as the list of players expanded, the list of motivations seemed to expand even more. Clearly a power struggle was in play, both down in the Tangle and in the Guildhouse boardroom. The only connection between them was Ryan macGoren, and his involvement made no sense. I wanted to tell Keeva about the helmet, but she played games, too. And so did Nigel. And Gerin. Any one of them could be in a position to protect macGoren or hang him. I couldn’t decide who to trust, if any of them.
My issues with the Guild were turning into fears. If they could turn my home into a prison camp, I had no recourse than to keep my mouth shut until I could prove publicly what had happened. As I stared out the window, I felt more alone than I had in a long time. It’s bad enough to watch your back with enemies. It’s worse when you have to do it with allies.
Chapter 13
I lifted the receiver from the office phone on my desk. It had a dial tone, so I punched in Meryl’s internal extension. She picked up right away.
“Hello?” Her voice had an odd, guarded tone.
“Hi, it’s me,” I said. I swung back to the window to watch yet another squad of agents fly in the direction of the Consortium consulate. I’m sure Keeva was on the phone explaining to Consortium security that they weren’t spies. I’m sure she wouldn’t be believed.
“Grey?”
“Yeah. Why do you sound funny?”