"The police have the pills. Are they going to find your fingerprints?"

A smile. "No. I bought everything in boxes. Paid cash at different grocery stores. When I got them home, I took out the bottles wearing rubber gloves. I burned the boxes and the bellman uniform. I didn't touch anything in the room. There shouldn't be anything to connect Gloria and me in that hotel."

Thank you, Law and Order. At least some of the lessons sunk in. Jason missed the episodes about ballistics, but he learned how to cover his tracks. Unless he got caught on a hotel security camera. If he did, we'll hear about it soon enough.

G.o.d, what was Gloria thinking? Jason is a kid, but she certainly should have known better. There'll still be a phone record of calls between them, although that can be explained away because Jason and Gloria know each other through his father. Condolence calls, Detective Harris, that's all.

"Okay, let's go see Gloria's lawyer. Don't talk about anything except what you heard the day your father was killed. Don't volunteer anything about the gun. She knows I found one. Let's hope she hasn't already reported it to Detective Harris. No more lies. No more saying what you think will get Gloria off." I take him by the shoulders and make him look me in the eye. "There isn't anything else, is there?"

He looks ready to cry. "I wanted to help Gloria. I wanted to make the police look somewhere besides at Gloria. Now all I've done is screw things up and make her look guiltier. Why are the police going to believe anything I have to say now? Unless Laura backs me up, it's my word against hers."

"Not necessarily." I tap the newspaper. "You may have corroboration. Right here."

CHAPTER 58.

JAMIE SUTHERLAND'S OFFICE IS LOCATED ON ONE of the posh top floors of a high-rise that has come to be known as the Darth Vader building. It's tall, black and pierces the skyline like a sword. Her door says "Sutherland, Talmadge and Gates, Attorneys at Law." Her name is first. Senior partner. For one so young, it's quite impressive.

I called to let her know we were on the way and she's waiting for us in the reception area. I introduce her to Jason as she leads us into a book-lined corner office with a view as impressive as her t.i.tle. Once we're settled into richly upholstered visitors' chairs, she urges Jason to begin.

Jamie listens to Jason's story with sober concentration. She lets him talk without comment or interruption. For his part, Jason does exactly what I told him. He doesn't mention the gun or the hotel room. When he's done, she crosses her arms over her chest and leans back in her chair.

"When your father was telling your mother that he thought someone was after him, did he mention a name?"

Jason frowns. "I don't remember-" He lapses into silence, then after a moment, sits up straighter in his chair. "Wait. He didn't mention a name exactly, but he did say it was a doctor on the research team, one of the directors, I think."

I point to the newspaper I brought with us. "All the directors are listed in this article. They're also all plaintiffs in the suit being brought against O'Sullivan's estate."

She picks up the article. "Well, being cut out of a billion-dollar deal would definitely cause hard feelings. What I'm wondering, though, is why kill him if you're planning to sue?"

I think of the questions I was going to ask my dad when I read the article the first time. "What if the suit had no merit? Jason said his dad told Laura he'd cost a colleague a lot of money. It seems to me that O'Sullivan was a shrewd enough businessman to have made sure he owned the rights to any marketable formulas his team came up with. So maybe what he did wasn't illegal, but it certainly would have p.i.s.sed off somebody who'd expected to share in the profits. With O'Sullivan dead, it'd be far easier to deal with Mrs. O'Sullivan, coerce her to settle simply to avoid a nasty court battle."

"Laura definitely wouldn't want a battle," Jason says bitterly. "Dad's only been gone a couple of days and she's already got lawyers checking into how much of my father's estate I'm ent.i.tled to and how much is hers. She's even contacted my grandparents to see if I can live with them. She wants to get me out of her life as quickly as she can. She'll want to get this suit settled, too."

Jamie taps a manicured fingernail against the arm of her chair. "I'm going to call Detective Harris. Jason, I want you to tell him what you told me. He's already suspicious of some of the things your stepmother said. For instance, the police have determined there were no irregularities with the books at the restaurant. There is no proof that your father and Gloria were having an affair. Now that he's gone, all she has is suspicion. Gloria certainly won't testify about it. We won't get Gloria off this minute, but we can point Harris in another direction. It's a start."

Jason doesn't look convinced, but he does agree to talk to Harris. While Jamie makes the arrangements, I ask him if he wants me to stay. I'm relieved when he says no. I still have business to settle with Sandra, and the sooner I attend to it, the sooner I'll feel safe in my own skin.

Before I leave the lawyer's office, I take Jamie aside. I give her my father's number in case she has questions about O'Sullivan's dealings with Benton Pharmaceuticals. I also give her the invitation. She recognizes the implications immediately. Then I tell her where Jason spent last night. She doesn't ask why or if Laura kicked him out, and I don't volunteer it. Jason is a minor, and she says she'll make sure he gets home when they're finished. From her tone, I have a feeling she's hoping Laura will give her a reason to exercise some legal muscle against her. I do, too.

After that, I'm on my own. Up to this point I've given no thought as to how I'm going to take care of my problem with Sandra. I know what I have to do, find that talisman. Maybe Tamara can help.

This time, when I call her, she picks up.

"Anna. I was about to call you."

"Yeah. I'm sure."

"Did David tell you he's cooking dinner for me tonight?"

Not if I can help it. "Yes, but I need to talk to you first. About Sandra's problem."

There's a moment of dead air. "You believe me now?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Is that important? Do you want my help or not?" "Where are you?"

"On my way to Avery's."

"Good. We'll be waiting."

CHAPTER 59.

MY MOOD IS FAR DIFFERENT ON THIS TRIP TO see Sandra than it was on the first. No fancy dress, no s.e.xual fantasies buzzing around my head like wasps around water. I want two things this time-free Sandra and send Avery to h.e.l.l where he belongs. Every day I learn more about what it means to be a creature who is not human, and every day I find another reason to hate what I've become. If the alternative were not so bleak, if I didn't have my family and David to counterbalance the evil, it might be an unbearable burden.

What I'm going to do when they are no longer part of my life, I refuse to consider.

My eyes keep straying to the rearview mirror. It's been two days since Williams' watchdog and I had that unintentional run-in at Mister A's. During that time, I've yet to spot Tom's Escalade. Either he's changed vehicles or he's been pulled off the case by Williams and I have a new shadow.

Or Williams called off the surveillance altogether. Maybe he thinks it's no longer necessary to tail me since I won't be around much longer to cause him grief. One bite from a werewolf, and it's good-bye, Anna. Something he's wanted since the beginning. In spite of his lofty rhetoric, I've felt his resentment grow. He hasn't been able to fashion me in his own image any more than Avery could.

And like Avery, allowing me to live as I wish is something he can't seem to accept.

f.u.c.k him.

CHAPTER 60.

A VERY'S GATE IS OPEN, AND I PULL THE MUSTANG up to the front door. It's easier to be here during the day. I pocket the car keys and start toward the door. It opens and Tamara steps out to meet me. She's dressed in jeans and a tight red jersey knit top. She's had a haircut since I saw her last. A fresh, feathery style that makes her look more feminine.

Too bad David is never going to get a chance to appreciate the effort.

"Cool car," she says. "What happened to the Jag?"

"Oh, you didn't hear? Somebody vandalized it. Looked like it was attacked by a pack of wild dogs. Imagine, in the middle of the day on a crowded street. Shocked the h.e.l.l out of David and me."

Her lips form an O of surprise, but her eyes reflect only cold amus.e.m.e.nt.

"If the stunt was meant to get my attention," I say, "it worked. Here I am."

Tamara's look is cool, appraising. "David doesn't know what you are, does he?"

"No more than he knows what you are. It doesn't matter anyway. I'm here to help Sandra. Then I expect you and the rest of the pack to be on your way. No dinner date. No good-bye kiss. David is not going to become your mate or f.u.c.k buddy or whatever the h.e.l.l you call males pressed into stud service. It's not going to happen, Tamara."

I didn't plan that speech. The words erupted when I saw the new, improved Tamara and guessed her game plan. As soon as they did, though, I had the stomach-clenching feeling that I'd said too much. Nothing like tipping your hand. Not too smart.

Tamara doesn't react the way I expect. No heated reb.u.t.tal. No threats. No hands-on-hips declaration that I can't stop her from doing whatever she wants. Her eyes and mouth tighten a bit at the corners. Then the shadow pa.s.ses and she smiles. "You been practicing that speech?"

"Where's Sandra?"

She stands aside and points up the stairs. "Waiting for you. She isn't feeling well. Avery is preventing her from making the change.

Do you know what that means?"

I gesture for her to go ahead of me-now that I know the consequences of a bite, I'm not about to turn my back on her. Then, I answer her question. "Yes. He's hidden her talisman. She'll die without it."

She nods. All I see in her eyes now is concern. "I've turned this place inside out. I'm hoping since you lived here for a while, you'd know if he had a hiding place. Something I've overlooked."

I do know, and Avery did have a hiding place. Before I share, I want to set one thing straight. "I didn't live here. Not really. Avery treated me in the hospital after I was attacked. He said he would help me through the transition. He never mentioned a wife. I can't seem to make anyone understand that I have no interest in his estate. If Sandra wants it, she can have it. I haven't touched anything, nor had I been in the house before Sat.u.r.day. Not once since he tried to kill me. Do you understand?"

Tamara listens with her head tilted, her hand on the doork.n.o.b to the front door. "There's only one thing wrong with your story,"

she says. "The part about not having any interest in the estate. Not exactly true, is it?"

"What are you talking about? I said I haven't been in the house. If something is missing, I didn't take it. Williams said there was a caretaker. Maybe-"

Tamara holds up a hand and laughs. "I don't think a caretaker arranged this." "Arranged what?"

She turns her back on me and opens the door. "Arranged to have Avery's vineyard in France transferred to your parents," she says. "Avery is very angry about that."

CHAPTER 61.

TAMARA IS WALKING AHEAD OF ME, INTO THE house. My own feet are rooted to the spot. It never occurred to me that the vineyard my parents "inherited" was Avery's. I didn't even remember before this moment that he owned one. How the h.e.l.l was it possible that his winery ended up with my parents? Who could have made such a thing happen?

As soon as I ask myself that, the answer is there.

Williams.

It has to be. He'd been Avery's friend for hundreds of years. He knew everything about him. He was overseeing the estate because I wanted no part of it.

He wanted me free of human influence. He must have set this in motion months ago, before he knew about Sandra. It would take time to come up with a phony family tree and lay the foundation for the "inheritance."

Tamara stops when she realizes I'm not behind her and turns around. She studies me for a moment. "You didn't know? For real?"

I'm too dazed to do more than shake my head.

"Then who?" She pauses and a sharp flash of surprise widens her eyes. "Williams."

My turn to reflect surprise. "You know Williams?"

"Yes."

It's all she says. Then, "We should go to Sandra."

She moves off and I rouse myself to follow. My brain is still trying to process the implications of Williams' treachery. No wonder he came to see me at Glory's. He said nothing that prepared me for this, but he knew Sandra was about to discover what he'd done.

Did he find out that Avery had come back in her body? I doubt it. Otherwise, he would not have been so calm. He'd know once Avery took care of me, he was likely to be next.

He almost got away with it, didn't he? My family may be packing right now for a future that can never happen. A future that's a lie.

And I played right into it. I was suspicious, but I never connected the legacy to Avery.

Sandra coming here must have really upset Williams' plans. Did he decide to cut his losses? Feed me to the wolves and hope his part in the deception would go undiscovered?

Tamara has moved through the foyer and, instead of going to the living room, starts upstairs. I realize I have to pay attention to what's happening now or risk the consequences of being caught off guard by a werewolf who suspects me of deceit. Sandra (or Avery) knew all along what I've just found out. I doubt they'll believe it, though. I wouldn't.

Another shock wave hits when I realize where Tamara is taking me. Avery's bedroom. s.h.i.t. It was bad enough being in his living room. A tumble of emotions, all negative and too strong to deal with rationally, causes a predictable reaction.

The vampire surfaces.

Tamara is still walking ahead of me. Her own animal instinct causes her to falter, turn around. She senses the change. "We appreciate that this is hard for you. Being here. We wish you no harm. We need your help."

She stands at the door to the bedroom. His bedroom. My body trembles. If I enter that room, if I face Sandra knowing she is a vessel for Avery, I can't be sure how I will react.

Tamara watches. She sees the trembling, reads the conflict in my eyes. "Avery is asleep," she says. "You will be speaking only to Sandra."

How can she know this? The only sound I'm capable of making at this moment is a growl. It comes from a dark place, the pit of my soul. It is meant as a question and a warning.

Once again, she seems to understand. "When you called," Tamara says, "Sandra took a sedative. She knew Avery was sensitive to certain drugs. Since he has inhabited her body, we use the knowledge to allow Sandra respite from his control. It doesn't last long, and when it wears off, he exacts terrible retribution. It is Sandra who awaits you now. Not Avery."

She pushes open the door and waits.

I wait, too. For the blood to cool, for the fight reflex to dissipate, for reason to take back control.