A Member of the Council (10 page)

Margaret smiled. “My, I feel like I’m in a romantic suspense movie. I’m the heroine, not some disposable actress gone by act two.”

“I’m serious here.” Ty called to Sally. “Sally, please call Mrs. Winter’s driver and tell him to have the car brought around front. Alex, I need to speak with you a second alone.”

He walked back to his desk, conscious of the long to-do list Mrs. Winter’s case required before five PM today. But first he needed more information about Parris. What could have happened to cause her to reach out to him? Where was she? What trouble had she gotten herself into now? He’d spent all day away from the office yesterday. It wasn’t not like he had time to run around saving her, day in and day out.

“When you dropped off the car to Parris McCall, what did she say? Was she going somewhere?” He tried to sound casual as he wrote the Winter’s address on an envelope where he’d stuffed five one-hundred dollar bills into the opening waiting for an answer.

“She wasn’t at the bar. The bartender said she’d gone home but she’d be back during a meeting this morning. April said she’d give her the keys. Did I screw up?”

“No, I…” Ty paused. What was he doing, checking up on Parris? She probably was just trying out her new skills. Even though she claimed to not want the power, even he knew it could be intoxicating. He handed Alex the envelope. “Thanks, this is far out of scope from the list of an intern’s responsibility. The money’s for expenses. Let me know if Mrs. Winters gives you a hard time.”

“She seems nice.” Alex glanced toward the door.

“Those are the most dangerous ones.” Ty slapped the kid on the back, returning to his desk to make a few calls. He set up the security details, sent junior associates to do the legal work and judicial orders to ruin John Winter’s day. Then he made one last call.

“Alibi on Broadway, this is April, how can I help you?” A cheerful voice answered on the fourth ring.

“Parris McCall.”

“I’m sorry, she’s been called away on a family emergency.” The woman paused. “Can I take a message?”

The burning in his gut flared. He’d been stupid to wait. Stupid to think the premonition nothing. “April, this is Ty Wallace. I worked with Parris on a family matter yesterday?”

Ty heard the smile in her voice; Parris must have shared more than their success at clearing up her grandmother’s tax issues. “Mr. Wallace, she did mention you. What can I do?”

“I need to know when Parris called and where she said she was going. I know you may think it’s personal, however, if this is part of the tax problems, I need to know.”

“Oh, no, nothing like that. Parris said her grandmother was rushed to the hospital last night. She said she’d be gone a few days, nursing her back to health.”

Plausible. Then he asked one more question. “So what time did you talk to her?”

The line went silent.

“April? Are you there?”

“I’m trying to remember. It’s funny, I always get to the bar at eight-thirty on days we have staff meetings to help Parris prepare. She’d said last night she’d be here. After the meeting started, I realized I must have taken a phone call from her. I don’t remember exactly.”

Forgetting spell. Classic. “What time did she leave the bar last night?”

“Six. She took the night off.”

Crap. He glanced at his watch. Fifteen hours was a long time to be missing. Especially since he now knew where she was. Only one place she’d be where she’d have a need to send a plea for help.

The Council had kidnapped Parris.

Chapter 11

Council headquarters sat a few miles west of town. Built on a large acreage of land, the main building and surrounding lands looked more like a southern plantation or a boarding school educating the children of the wealthy than a haven for witches. The Council ran five centers matching this one scattered across the United States. More centers existed in Europe, Asia, and they’d established a collaborative center in Africa. The Council of Witchcraft wasn’t a fly by night organization. Money could buy anything. The Council ran off a bigger budget than most governments, especially now with the recession. Not relying on mundane funding sources like taxes to build their coffers, The Council owned a piece of everything. The ultimate diversification.

The guard station waved Ty through the gates without hesitation. Not a good sign. Apparently The Council expected him. He’d known keeping his knowledge of Parris secret from The Council was a risk. He imagined he’d have more time to plan. A way to tell them enough of the truth they’d leave her and Matilda alone, based on his investigation.

Time ran out faster than he’d hoped. He never even got a report from Derek on her heritage. Maybe Derek’s investigation clued off The Council. What alarms had been set off when Derek opened those genealogy records?

Ty parked next to Derek’s black Maserati. He should have known better. A human private investigator might have been a better choice. Derek was the best. Usually, discrete.

He straightened his suit jacket steeling for a fight. Ready to fight the lions and rescue the maiden. Parris didn’t deserve this. He had to remove her from the fray. No matter what the cost to him.

A pretty, young blonde sat at the reception desk. As she watched him walk to the desk, her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “The Council is expecting you. They’re already in chambers. Go ahead.”

The pit in his stomach grew bigger. He nodded his thanks to the woman, walking toward the elevators. Council Chambers took up the entire fifth floor of the building. He hesitated with his finger on the elevator buttons. Parris was here, he felt her. They’d keep her in the basement. He could make a dash and run. Ask forgiveness later.

His finger dropped to the bottom button.

“This is crazy,” he said to the empty elevator. He pushed the basement button anyway.

He would visualize where Parris was being held, convince her captors he was taking her to The Council, return to the elevator, and make a break for the car.

That’s all.

Somehow Ty knew the rescue wouldn’t be easy or even possible. He jacked up his senses, trying to reach for Parris feeling a fuzzy, dream like attachment. The girl was drugged. She tried to reach out, to meet him, something made her giggle and she disappeared.

When the doors opened, two men dressed in black suits met him. “Sorry, sir, you’re needed on the fifth floor. We’ll escort you.”

Ty nodded. No use arguing. He’d never get past these two. He knew the body guards when he’d been assigned a Council task last year to clean up a serial killer-slash-rogue witch. He wouldn’t make two feet before he’d be on his knees in pain.

“Parris, I’m coming. Hold on.”
Ty didn’t know if she’d heard him in her drug induced state, however he had to try.

He stepped back letting the two enter the elevator car. Josh, the dark haired guard, punched five. He glanced back at Ty. “Nice to see you again.”

Ty almost laughed. Council staff was nothing if not polite. Even escorting someone to death or banishment, the guys had class.

“You too, Josh, Harold.” No use being rude. His mother would be so pleased. He hadn’t forgotten his manners. Irony.

The elevator doors opened directly into The Council’s chamber. Josh and Harold stepped forward facing each other, making a gauntlet for Ty to walk through. He wouldn’t have been surprised to see them draw swords crossing them over his head.

He took a deep breath, walking toward a single chair in the middle of the room. Council members sat above and around him, on raised wooden judicial benches, attached in a circle, with only one visible way in, the elevator.

When the guards reentered the elevator closing the door, the exit disappeared behind the dark cherry wood facade.

Ty unbuttoned his jacket and sat. And waited.

He didn’t have to wait long. A side panel to his left opened. Derek walked out. He sat in the witness chairs along the side of the room. He nodded to Ty, but didn’t speak. He looked like a dog that’d been punished for pulling the chocolate cake off the counter and eating his fill. Sick and sorry.

“So this is you.” Ty couldn’t help kick Derek when he was down.

“No. I mean, yes, I talked. They knew before I was called. Ty, I swear, they already knew about,” he paused, finishing his statement with one word. “Her.”

Ty almost believed him. If Derek hadn’t told, who’d set off the alarms?

As an answer to his unspoken question, another man walked through the witness opening taking the seat farthest from Derek as possible. His lime green suit seemed to glow against the darkness of the chamber.

“You.” Ty’s teeth ground together. He should have known. He started to tell the little shit off when a voice from above stopped him.

“Well, it looks like we’re all accounted for. Thank you for arriving early, Mr. Wallace. We didn’t expect you until this afternoon. Your arrival proves the power of Ms. McCall, now doesn’t it?” Angel Florentine, Council Chair, spoke, her black hair loose and flowing over her powder blue suit.

“I was coming to report on an assignment.” Ty responded, trying to focus his mind on the last assignment he’d been working on before Parris appeared.

“Please don’t lie. You never were any good.” Angel purred at him. He’d been seduced with that purr years ago. When he’d tried to please The Council, tried to please Angel. Thank God she went through men quickly otherwise, the purr might have seduced him again. Now, he knew her actions were ploys. Ways to get men to do her bidding.

He shut up. Let The Council tell him what they knew, then formulate a plan. Law school 101.

“Mr. Wallace, you are not the one in trouble here. Despite the unusual circumstances, please be assured, this is a fact finding setting. We need to know about this woman, Parris McCall. We need to know what you know.” Levi James, the oldest Council member nodded toward the witness stand. “We’ve heard some disturbing facts from your colleagues over there.”

Ty realized they weren’t going to let him remain silent. “Look, I don’t know what these two have told you. I met Ms. McCall a few days ago, felt a possible power source, and hired Derek to do a family tree search. I’ve been working with her for a couple days, way too early to give you any kind of definite report.”

“He’s sleeping with her.” Raymond Stone piped up. The weasel who’d walked into the chamber after Derek. The weasel who probably called The Council the moment he and Parris left his office.

Angel looked amused. “Is this true?”

Ty debated telling her his sex life was none of her business. Besides, when he and Parris met with Raymond, they hadn’t, yet. He swallowed his pride. The goal here was to get Parris out of the building, safe their testing, not to discredit Raymond, even though he wanted to punch the weasel’s face.

“Once.”

Raymond grinned like a cat with a robin. “See. I told you.”

Ty shot him what he hoped was a withering glance, “After we’d met with Raymond. He’s lying to you to make the story sound bigger than it is.”

“And you are being truthful? Or telling us what you think will be enough?” Neal Smathers spoke next. Ty knew The Council member hadn’t been one of Stone’s supporters, spearheading the campaign to force him to retire.

“Does it matter?” Ty challenged him. “I’m not lying.”

The Council exchanged glances. The five members nodded, answering some unspoken question. Angel spoke again.

“Ms. McCall is a person of interest to us. You are a valuable asset we don’t want to lose.”

Raymond Stone stood up, “But he didn’t tell you. I told you.”

Angel pushed a button sliding open a wall segment. Josh stepped into The Council room. “Please remove Mr. Stone from the chamber. Thank you for your service to The Council.” She waited for Josh to escort a struggling Raymond from the room and the door to slide shut.

Ty swallowed a smile.

Angel focused back on Ty. “Now, to continue. We have discontinued Ms. McCall’s testing. How she escaped our notice so long, we would like to know. We would like to know how powerful she is. Doctor Lyons believes she’s still able to hide her true level here, under her testing. She’s quite enamored with your Ms. McCall. Lyons says the girl’s the most unique subject to cross her table in quite some time.”

“You’re letting her go?” Ty knew there was a catch.

“Into your supervision. You and Mr. Chandler here are responsible for the woman.”

Ty glanced over at Derek who looked as confused as he felt. “Responsible?”

“We are asking you train her as a hunter.” Angel smiled at Ty. “Don’t think of her as your replacement, more a partner.”

“Why do I need a partner?”

“Because if we’re right, and The Council is rarely wrong when we’re unanimous, there’s another sect running through the country that’s been hiding from us for years. Ms. McCall has their bloodline.” Angel watched Ty, letting the news set in.

“Another bloodline of witches?” He stared at Derek, the genealogy expert. “Is that even possible?”

Derek frowned. “There’s a lost thread early in Salem history. We’d always disregarded the thread as a bleep, an error. Records seemed like there was something there, each time I’d try to nail it down, the thread would disappear. Are you saying the bloodline vanished from the records on purpose?”