Vintage Soul Read Free Page B

matter of Stine, Johndrow’s head of security.   The man had been ancient and quite skilled at his duties.   Whoever had taken Vanessa had brushed past the gnomish wizard with no more thought than one gave a mosquito, and the result of that encounter had been astonishingly violent – and final.   Stine’s people had worked over the body for twelve hours straight, but the effort was wasted.   There was no chance of resuscitation, and despite intricate charms and incantations, they’d been unable to extract any information from the corpse.
    Since Johndrow’s penthouse would not be fully secured for several days, the elders had opted to meet in Joel’s office.   His quarters were not as ostentatious as Johndrow’s, but the security was tight.   Joel occupied the seventeenth floor of a twenty story office building in downtown San Valencez , California .   Below were the vaults and offices of the bank Joel had built and held full controlling interest in.   The eighteenth floor was vacant, not accessible by public elevator or stair, and housed offices for security and other dealings that required separation from the financial institution below.   The upper stories were apartments Joel leased to relations and associates.   Each had its own private security and access.   There was a helo pad on the roof.
    The last time the council had met, there were sixteen in attendance.   Tonight, there would be only ten.   The Resendez brothers were in Argentina on business, and though their people had, of course, been alerted, and warnings passed, they were unable to return in time to be present.   Claudia Forsythe and her current paramour, who Johndrow knew only as Benjamin, were in Europe and could not be reached.   Copper and Alicia Contreaux were still in Louisiana , and there were reports that the two had troubles of their own in the bayou.
    Johndrow glanced up and down the hallway as he entered the large conference room Joel had cleared for the meeting.   Two of the small, gnomish men and one gnarled woman, a good foot shorter with piercing blue eyes and a hooked nose reminiscent of a buzzard were stationed at intervals up and down the hall, and there were others at every entrance.   At Johndrow’s apartment, Stine had been alone, and had fallen to the element of surprise.   It was obvious that his people considered the threat a serious one.   Johndrow had never seen such a concentration of the security force. He knew it must have cost a fortune, and he knew as well that a bill would arrive at his penthouse shortly for his part in it.   Joel was a good friend, but business was business.
    Joel stepped up to greet Johndrow at the door, laying a hand on the taller man’s shoulder.   “They will be sufficient,” the old man assured him.   “They take what happened last night as a personal affront.   I would not like to try and breach their defenses tonight.”
    â€œI would have had them there last night, if I’d had any idea…” Johndrow’s features darkened.   He was angrier than he’d been in over a century, but there was nothing on which to vent his rage.   He wanted to roar up and down the hallway, smashing anyone and anything that got in his way, but it would have served no purpose, and he knew that Joel was right.   If he tried something crazy like that tonight, it would be his bones scattered haphazardly over the carpeted floor.
    â€œCome in,” Joel said, stepping aside.   "Corwyn, Ballard, and Jensen are here already.   I just received word that Grimshaw and Nystrom are in the garage.   Lydia and her Adriana will be fashionably late, of course, and that only leaves Ligaya, who will finalize security.   We’ve commissioned extra wards.   It’s an inconvenience, I know.   No one will be able to leave before the charms are raised, but it will afford us the