Sara Dillon was quite shocked. "I don't know," she said over the phone, hesitating at the suggestion.
"Come on, they haul shrimp straight from the gulf. It’ll be the best you’ve ever had. Baby, you said you had some frequent flyer miles. Use them. Come and see me this weekend."
"I’ll think about it. Give me until tomorrow and I’ll call back with an answer," she promised.
"All right, but the answer should be yes." Randy was smiling.
"I’ll give you an answer tomorrow," Sara was smiling, too.
"I’ll be waiting. On the beach, cell phone in hand, walking through the surf in nice, clean air." Randy was teasing.
"Then I’ll think harder," Sara laughed. Randy hung up reluctantly.
* * *
"Honored One," Edmond reported, "Nathan received a call from Aedan. I was not privy to the conversation past Aedan's orders that the call be private."
"He likely ordered Nathan not to reveal further information on the boy," Wlodek agreed. Edmond had waited until his own call might be made in private to the Head of the Council. "No matter, that is why I sent Hector, Casimir and you. You will report the information. Nathan need not worry any longer that he is betraying his sire's trust. Have you anything new on the boy?"
"What you know already—that the boy managed to disappear from a van not far from here and appear at his father's home outside London with two others."
"Yes, Gavin has informed me from this end."
"I have nothing else," Edmond said. "We will contact you when we have news."
"I expect no less." Wlodek ended the call. "Charles?" Wlodek looked up at his assistant, who stood near his desk, waiting expectantly. Charles wasn't as tall as Wlodek, with slightly curly brown hair and hazel eyes. Thinner, too, and not as broad across the shoulders as Wlodek. Many people (and vampires) had underestimated Charles through the years.
"Honored One?" Charles replied.
"Take the rest of the evening off. I have personal business to conduct." Wlodek rose from the seat at his desk.
"Of course, Honored One." Charles nodded respectfully. "I feel like a trip to London. Haven't been in months." Charles turned and strode from Wlodek's private study. Wlodek watched him go before pulling his private cell phone from a pocket. "Radomir, bring the car around," he said.
* * *
Charles closed the door on his own vehicle. He didn't drive much, but he certainly enjoyed it when the opportunity came. His Wiesmann GT Lizard King hugged the road and drove like a dream. Misty silver in color, it could blend with the fog in London if Charles chose to drive it there. Charles shifted and flew through the front gates outside Wlodek's manor. Halfway down a private country lane, Charles pulled over and shut off the lights. Hauling out his cell, he began tapping out an email before attaching a file and sending it on its way. Breathing a sigh of concerned relief, Charles put the car in gear again, left the lights off and drove toward London.
* * *
"Mr. Winkler, Ashe asked not long ago about the possible leak in the Amarillo pack. Did we ever get anything on that?" Marco settled into the seat beside Winkler's desk. Winkler had just gotten off the phone with the Grand Master; Wlodek had authorized several vampires from the Chicago area to coordinate with wolves from the Chicago Pack, in addition to some of Matt Michaels' best human operatives.
A strike would be made against the Elemaiya who were occupying the narrow gauge rail tunnels in the Chicago area on Thursday evening. The full moon wasn't long past that and the wolves would love a fight. Winkler thought about going, but decided to stay put and let others handle things for a change. Marco's question caught him off guard.
"No—nothing ever came from that. The Grand Master suspected something, but the Packmaster swears by his members and we couldn't find a thing. You say Ashe was asking?"
"Yeah. Don't know why."
"Ashe plays his cards close to his vest," Winkler sighed. "There may be something we missed. I'll ask the Grand Master for any records or information he might have and we'll take another look."
"I'd like to help, if that's possible," Marco offered.
"I'll consider it. A new set of eyes is never a bad thing. I'll let you know." Marco recognized a dismissal when he heard one. Lifting himself easily out of the chair, he walked softly from Winkler's office. Marco could move as quietly as a cat when he wanted; it was one of the qualities Winkler valued in the young werewolf. Andy walked in after Marco left Winkler's office.
"Here's the information on the Little Rock thing, boss. Fergus fired the accountant. According to Fergus, the man was sniffing after Eudora. Said it was a relief to get rid of the guy."
"Any way to get the money back? Eudora should have reported it instead of taking the money. That's Fergus' Second's wife, you know. We could bring the matter up with the Grand Master. Weldon could remove Fergus' Second, Jarrett Long, if Jarrett knew anything about his wife accepting some mighty big paychecks. Eudora works as a secretary in Fergus' regional office and got paid three times what she was supposed to get." Winkler had offices located in many the major cities across the U.S., plus several in foreign countries. "Ask Fergus about that."
"I'll ask," Andy agreed. "Probably won't know anything until tomorrow, at the earliest."
"If you can't get it that way, see about bringing charges against that fool accountant. That's nearly fifty thousand, Andy. See what evidence Fergus has against the man."
"Yeah. I'll work on that. Find what kind of proof Fergus can produce and then hand it over to the D.A. in Little Rock."
"Do that. Email the Grand Master, too, and see if he's got any information from the investigation on the Amarillo Pack."
"Will do, boss." Andy walked out of Winkler's office.
"Now, what else can I do before the day's over?" Winkler grinned.
* * *
"You think they'll take the bait?" Trajan sat at the all-night diner in Port Aransas, nursing a cup of coffee and staring across the table at Winkler.
"I'd bet money on it," Winkler grinned. "Around fifty thousand ought to do it."
"Expect any trouble?"
"Nah. Piece of cake," Winkler said. "I've got several in the area already. When Fergus tries to run, probably with Eudora, they'll have both of 'em."
"What about Jarrett?"
"He probably doesn't suspect a thing, more's the pity," Winkler's grin faded. "He's decent. Have to see what he wants to do after Fergus and Eudora are hauled in. The accountant is locked up already; Fergus just doesn't know about it."