The Undead Pool (The Hollows #12)(36)
Author: Kim Harrison

“That’s the idea.” I’d watched Ellasbeth turn green when the girls had greeted me with enthusiasm, then white when they’d toddled off to the toy box, clearly knowing where it was.

Quen smiled thinly, finally lowering himself to sit on the edge of a chair beside the fridge. “Any problems while I was gone?” he asked, looking at Ivy’s new monitor in envy.

“Apart from the recent magic misfires and no functioning undead vampire in the Cincinnati area?” I helped Ray turn the page, and she sang out, “Thank you,” charming me with her little-girl voice. “No,” I said softer, the scent of her hair tweaking my maternal instincts. “Mr. Ray and Mrs. Sarong have started campaigning for their picks for the next mayoral battle, and there’s been some noise about the parks Trent made in the abandoned warehouse district being better used for commercial, meaning gambling. Couple of death threats with low credibility, but I forwarded that to you.”

Quen squinted as he noticed the scratches Bis had made on the ceiling. “Thank you.”

His attention fell to Lucy as she ran in and dropped a train book on Ray’s lap. “No!” Ray demanded, shoving it off, but Lucy was gone.

I leaned to pick it up and set it on the table, now cleared of any and all FIB-gathered evidence. “It’s been my pleasure. I’m glad you’re back, though. These misfires and increased vampire violence have problem written all over them.”

“You think the two are linked?” he asked, his concern obvious, and I nodded.

From the back room, Ellasbeth’s voice rose in hurt. “I’m staying until this matter is settled. If not with you, then downtown. There’s one decent hotel in Cincinnati. The service is lacking, but the food is bearable.”

“I didn’t say you weren’t welcome; I asked you to not antagonize my staff,” Trent said. “Maggie has been with me since my parents died. She’s not an employee, she’s family.”

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware,” Ellasbeth said softly, and I winced. She was being very contrite—meaning she was up to something.

Lucy came back in, and Ray looked up in annoyance at the glitter ball in her hands. “I’ll take it, Lucy,” I said, and laughing, the little girl threw it, watching it bounce on the floor before running back into the living room. The ball rolled to a halt and Quen scooped it up.

“How’s the weather on the coast?” I asked, wishing they’d hurry up.

“The lines are intolerable. I’d do this for the girls, no one else.” He shifted the ball in his hands, watching the glitter move before he set it on the table beside the book of trains. His expression froze when Trent said, “I’ll have your room refreshed immediately.”

Jenks snickered, and Ray patted the dust suddenly spilling over the book. She looked up at him, beautiful as she smiled and held a small hand up for him to land on.

“My room?” Ellasbeth said. “Trent, I was hoping—”

Her voice cut off at his soft comment, and I cringed. TMI. I was getting too much information. I knew her moving back in with Trent was inevitable, but did she have to bring it up where I could hear it? But remembering how she’d flashed that never-returned engagement ring, she probably did.

I couldn’t help my sigh. Ray looked up and patted my cheek, and I flushed when Quen’s brow furrowed in suspicion. “So you’ve been enjoying the work?” he asked, and I was saved answering immediately when Lucy raced in with a Bite Me Betty doll.

I set the doll aside as she ran out. “I don’t care to work for most of the people looking to hire a demon,” I said, thankful the solicitations for evil curses and bad karma spells had stopped.

Trent’s expression was closed when he came in with Ellasbeth. The woman had Lucy on her hip, and the toddler was fussy, clearly not happy with half the toy box still unemptied. There was a book in Ellasbeth’s hand. I knew that wasn’t going to fly: Ray studied, Lucy explored. They were going to be a potent team if they ever learned to understand each other. Seeing Ellasbeth, Trent, and Lucy together, the resemblance was more than obvious, and my smile faltered. Lucy looked a lot like her mother, too. They were the perfect family.

“Ellasbeth is going to stay and help with the girls until the misfires can be explained and rectified,” Trent said as he stood just within the kitchen, not a hint to his mood in his tone.

“Nice,” Jenks muttered, then took off from my shoulder. Lucy began to wiggle, clearly wanting to play in the temporary sunbeam. Ignoring her, Ray turned a page.

Ellasbeth pulled out one of the chairs from the table and sat, expertly wrangling the complaining toddler. Her gaze shifted between Trent and me as if looking for evidence we were lovers. It made me nervous, guilty almost, and I hadn’t really done anything. “It’s not the misfires as much as the out-of-control vampires I’m concerned with,” she said as she tried to distract Lucy with the book.

“Me too,” I said faintly.

Quen, who had stood when Trent came in, nodded. “Very good, Sa’han. I’ll call ahead and have Ellasbeth’s room refreshed.”

Ellasbeth smiled stiffly, giving up on the book and taking the Bite Me Betty doll when I handed it to her. “Thank you, Quen. I’d appreciate that.”

Trent clapped his hands once. “So, Rachel. What have you and Ivy pieced together?”

“Ah, it’s rather sensitive,” I started, and Ellasbeth frowned. “I don’t mind telling you, Ellasbeth,” I added quickly. “Especially since you’ll be dealing with it, but don’t go telling your best friend on the coast.”

She made a short bark of laughter. “I’m a scientist,” she said, sour enough to curdle milk. “I know how important proprietary information is. I can keep my mouth shut.”

She probably did, I mused, having forgotten that aspect of her. “Sorry.” I stood and set Ray down, not liking the image of the two of us dueling over the girls’ affections. The little girl wobbled for a moment, then carefully toddled into the living room and the toys. Lucy wiggled until Ellasbeth had no choice but to let her down.

“Mine!” Lucy shouted, and Jenks darted after them. Ellasbeth stared at Trent, then Quen, frowning when neither man followed them to supervise.

“Jenks is in there,” Trent finally said, and the woman eased back in her chair, clearly not liking it but wanting to leave the room even less.