“Forgive the intrusion, my prince.” Lorenzo’s eyes flickered to the woman’s and back again. “But there’s a situation that requires your attention.”
The Prince swore. “Can’t it wait?”
Lorenzo lifted his hand, revealing a cell phone. “I’m afraid not.”
The Prince scowled at the device. He despised them. They weren’t permitted in Teatro for security reasons.
If Lorenzo was using one, something must have happened.
He turned to the guard.
“Escort the woman to one of the rooms and see she is not disturbed.”
He lifted her hand and pressed his lips to the back of it. “I’ll be with you momentarily. There are drinks in the room. Please enjoy yourself while you wait.”
She smiled up at him and nodded, following the guard down the hall.
The Prince watched the curve of her backside as it swayed in her tight blue dress.
“What is so important as to interrupt my entertainment?” The Prince turned angry eyes on his lieutenant.
“An incident at Santo Spirito.”
At the very mention of the name, the Prince stilled.
Cassita.
“What kind of incident?”
“Perhaps we should move this conversation somewhere private.”
Angrily, the Prince stormed toward the exit of the club, pushing beings and humans aside as he crossed the dance floor. He threw the door open and stepped into the alley. It was raining.
Lorenzo followed, closing the door carefully behind him.
“We need privacy,” he said to the security guard.
The guard nodded and moved to the far end of the alley.
“What happened?” The Prince placed his hands on his hips, his voice low.
“A feral appeared in Santo Spirito. It killed an Interpol agent.”
The Prince pressed his lips together. “Witnesses?”
“I’m told there are a few. Fortunately for us, the agent was not in uniform.”
“Other casualties?”
“Just the feral. Ibarra and Aoibhe killed it and gathered a few younglings to help them remove the corpses and attend to the scene.”
“What about the border patrols?”
Lorenzo shook his head. “No one reported a breach.”
The Prince scowled. “Double the border patrols immediately and call a meeting of the Consilium after sunrise.”
“The local police received reports by telephone. Officers are at the scene, but our contact has delayed the face-to-face questioning.”
“Exactly what was reported?”
“Witnesses saw a man dressed in black threatening a woman. She escaped into one of the apartment buildings. Then the man attacked another man, killing him. There were reports about Ibarra and Aoibhe, but those reports have mysteriously disappeared.”
Lorenzo smiled.
The Prince took a moment to process the report. “The woman was threatened by the feral?”
“So I’ve inferred.”
The Prince’s eyebrows knitted together. “Why isn’t she dead?”
“Witnesses claimed it didn’t approach her. She must have been wearing a talisman.”
The Prince rubbed at his chin thoughtfully. “Do we have names for these witnesses?”
“Yes.”
“We cannot erase the event without arousing more suspicion. Have our contact see to the interviews personally. Remind him to check for cameras or telephones that might have taken photographs. He can amend the reports, if need be.”
Lorenzo bowed. “Yes, my lord. And the woman?”
The Prince forced himself not to react. “If she’s wearing a talisman, no one will be able to approach her. I’ll investigate the matter personally.”
The lieutenant gazed at him curiously.
“What about the dead agent?”
“Aoibhe has probably burned the corpse by now. Tell our contact to focus everyone’s attention on the missing person investigation that will no doubt ensue and to plant evidence that links the scene to organized crime. That’s plausible enough. The witness reports and physical evidence should support a knife attack, rather than a feeding. If an unruly witness were to disappear . . .” He gave Lorenzo a meaningful look.
“And the other woman?”
“What other woman?”
“The woman you left in the club.” Lorenzo gestured toward the door.
The Prince startled, for he’d forgotten her.
“Find out her name and address and ask one of the guards to escort her home. She is not to be touched by anyone.”
“As you wish.”
The Prince dismissed his lieutenant and instructed the security guard to return to his post. Then he ran in the direction of Santo Spirito, as if the very forces of hell were chasing him.
Chapter Sixteen
In the Prince’s experience, coincidences were rare. That was why he flew with great speed to Jane’s building.