Devil's Eye Read Free Page A

in several times a week. She’s an attractive woman, so a lotta men watch her. But none of ’em ever made any kinda pass at her, as far as I know. It’s somethin’ I generally discourage.”
    “ Is she seeing anybody?”
    “ Not that I know of. She doesn’t talk about her personal life or family overmuch.”
    “ At least she followed one rule,” Sophie muttered. She shoved away from the desk and dug in a jacket pocket. "Look, I’ll leave my card. Call if you hear from her. I’m going to check out her apartment.”
    “ Keep it,” said Mick. “I’m comin’ with you.”
    Her eyes met his. “This is not your problem, Mr. Guidry. And in case you hadn’t noticed, you’ve got a full house out there.”
    “ Mick. And my people can handle it. I told you. I protect what’s mine.”

    ~*~

    Liza lived a few blocks from Le Loup Garou , in a second story, walk-up apartment above a bakery about a block off South Carrollton Avenue. The lower level was dark, but, despite the rain, Sophie could still smell a faint scent of fresh baked bread as they climbed the stairs. Her stomach grumbled again, reminding her that she still hadn’t eaten. In her pocket, her cell vibrated. Her handler calling again, no doubt. Well Leif was just going to have to wait for an explanation as to why she’d dumped a personal leave form on his desk before business hours this morning.
    All thoughts of food and her handler vanished, as she plowed straight into Mick’s rigid back. He’d paused a few feet from the top of the stairs, nose lifted. She picked up his low growl, even over the drumming of the rain.
    Not pausing to ask why, Sophie pulled her gun and switched off the safety.
    Mick moved slowly then, up to the landing, where he laid his ear against the door panel. A few moments later he motioned her back and took aim. The ancient door casing gave way easily under the snap of his kick, the door flying open and banging back into the wall.
    Mick was through it in an instant, and Sophie was right behind, gun held braced and at the ready. He skidded to a stop so fast, she almost ran into him again.
    “ Mon Dieu ,” he breathed.
    The apartment was ransacked, furniture overturned, pictures and knickknacks broken.
    Keep it together. Do your job. Work the scene. Suppressing the nausea of anxiety, Sophie carefully picked her way across the littered floor. She led with the Sig that was loaded with specialized bullets designed to slow down at least half the Mirus population. If anyone else was in the apartment, Mick would probably know it, but protocol was deeply ingrained. He fell into step on the other side of the room, movements soundless.
    She peeked into the galley style kitchen, finding nothing but a pile of dishes on a drip rack. “Clear,” she called softly, knowing Mick would be able to hear her.
    He skirted the trashed living room and headed for the bedroom, his face set in hard, unforgiving lines. For a long moment, he stared at the knob of the closed door. Listening, maybe, or perhaps steeling himself for whatever was on the other side. A muscle jumped in his jaw as he reached forward to open the door.
    Sophie signaled for him to wait. Whispering a brief incantation, she generated an energy shield that would block any spells that might get thrown at them in case someone was inside or had left the room booby trapped. She nodded a go ahead. Mick glanced at her briefly in speculation, then threw open the door.
    Sophie went in first, the energy shield moving with her. The bedroom had fared no better than the rest of the apartment. No evidence of anyone present. Sophie dissipated the shield with a wave of her hand. Across the room, the sliding glass door was cracked open, and the sheer curtains flicked in the wind like a restless ghost. The lamp on the bedside table leaned drunkenly against the headboard, propped up only by its dented shade. The light cast strange patterns of shadow on the walls. And in its shuttered glow, she saw the blood