CHAPTER NINETEEN

 

 

“Are you ladies enjoying the party?” A musical voice cut the tension.

“Yes, Mia,” I answered, silently thanking her for the interruption.

“Of course,” Robin answered perfunctorily.

“I’m so glad to hear that,” Mia said, clapping her hands. Her voice washed over me and I found the tension from the conversation melting away. Mia placed her hands on my and Robin’s shoulders, gently squeezed, and then moved on to another small group of partiers.

Robin opened her mouth to speak, but her eyes focused on something over my shoulder. Or somebody. I turned to look and was shocked to see Councilwoman Barbara Knollman staring daggers in our direction. I presumed the daggers were for me. I smiled widely in her general direction and Robin stepped away.

I watched the councilwoman close the distance between us. She wasn’t wearing a mask. She did at least dress up, though it was more mother-of-the-bride than night-out-in-Vegas.

“Ms. Rodham, how lovely to see you.”

I didn’t need my empath abilities to know that was a lie. I smiled anyway. “Councilwoman, I’m surprised to see you at an industry event,” I redirected the conversation.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” she countered. “All business in the Valley is the council’s business.”

She definitely believed that, and undertones to the sentence suggested a meaning I was missing. “That makes sense,” I agreed with her. “What can I do for you?”

“Do? Why nothing, of course. I’m simply stopping by to say hello.”

What an odd thing to lie about. What the heck; I’m going for it. “That’s a lie,” I said in a lowered voice.

Her cheeks flushed at my comment and her lips smiled tight across her sharp teeth. “Why would I lie? What other reason would I have for coming over here?”

Her questions were so reasonable. And still. “That’s what I’d like to know,” I challenged her.

“I can’t give you an answer I don’t have,” she said, still smiling, though the words were clipped.

I couldn’t get a read on her; her comment was… empty. She waited for my next salvo. I had nothing. This whole thing was weird, but I was getting nothing specific.

“My mistake, then.”

“Apology accepted.”

The councilwoman reached out her hand and I took it, for appearances if nothing else. A shock of cold flooded through me at her touch. She smirked at my reaction. “Until next time, Ms. Rodham.”

“Definitely, Councilwoman.”

I watched her walk away, head held high, greeting others when she passed them, a stereotypical politician. I knew that was a façade. Hiding what?

Right now, it didn’t matter, I reminded myself. Focus. I frantically tried to think of a way to lure Michael. As the night wore on, it became apparent that the incubus wasn’t going to take my bait. Dang, and I looked so good tonight. In frustration, I headed back to the bar.

This evening was NOT going as planned.

“I’ll take a vodka gimlet.” The familiar-looking blond standing at the bar next to me stared beneath her pink feathered mask. Not challenging, but questioning. I stared back before catching myself. “Forgive me for staring,” I apologized. “Were you on the set of John Doe?”

The blond smiled, her dark red lips parting slightly, and nodded yes, sending her 1920s ringlets bouncing. “I was. Were you?”

“Only the first day.” I extended a hand, which she took, her cool fingers wrapping around mine. “Catherine Rodham, talent agent with Peterson Talent.”

“Evelyn Jones, actress. You can call me Evie.”

“It’s nice to meet you again, Evie.”

“You, too, Catherine.” She stared at me, appraising. “I saw you speaking with Robin and Barbara.”

Alarm bells began ringing. “Yes, are you friends with them?”

Her nose wrinkled. “Not exactly. I’m familiar with them.” A delicate shoulder lifted in a shrug. “I was represented by Robin in the past.”

“Was?”

“Turned out we weren’t a good fit. What were you talking to them about?” Evie shut down her side of the conversation fast.

“Not much,” I evaded, before reconsidering. “I was asking them about Michael Onyx.”

“Why?”

Now it was my turn to shrug. “Professional curiosity.”

She stared at me. “I saw you dancing with him.”

“You did?”

“I did.”

“Hmm.”

Her eyes bored into me. “What do you know?”