Web of Lies (Page 55)

"Because it’ll look too suspicious and point Mab in Jo-Jo’s direction," I finished his thought. "Okay, so how do we do it? There has to be some way to get into Mab’s mansion so I can get close to Dawson."

Finn hesitated. "Well, there’s something, but you’re probably not going to like it."

"Spill it."

He stared at me. "First of all, you have to realize it’s not enough for you to just get into the party. You can’t go into Mab Monroe’s mansion as you, Gin Blanco. Jonah McAllister’s on the guest list. He’d spot you in a minute."

"So I’ll wear a disguise. Not like I haven’t done it before."

Finn polished off his cake and cut another slice. "True, and I have an idea about that. As part of the evening’s festivities, Mab has arranged for a variety of… entertainments for her guests."

My gray eyes narrowed. "What kind of entertainments?"

Finn cleared his throat. "Hookers. Men and women. Humans, giants, vamps, dwarves. Her guests pick out who they like, do whatever they want, and she foots the bill for the whole thing."

"So you’re telling me the best way, the only way, to get into this party is for me to pretend to be a hooker, catch Tobias Dawson’s eye, get him alone, and do him before he does me. So to speak."

Finn winced. "More or less. Sorry, Gin. I know it’s not ideal, gambling on whether or not you can attract Dawson. But I think this is our best shot at him."

I helped myself to some more blackberry cobbler and thought about things. As an assassin, as the Spider, I’d played a variety of roles over the years. Waitresses, hotel maids, musicians, even a cop a time or two. Dressed up in wigs, makeup, skimpy clothes, and more, all in the name of doing the job. So I wasn’t worried whether or not I could pull off being a hooker. What concerned me was the fact I was supposed to do that, lullaby Tobias Dawson, and get away afterward – all on Mab Monroe’s home court. Still, Finn was right. This was probably my best, quickest shot at Dawson, and the dwarf needed to die – right now.

"All right," I said. "So I’ll go in as a hooker."

Finn nodded. "That’s actually where it gets a little easier."

"Why?"

He grinned. "Because I happen to be very good friends with the person supplying the evening’s entertainment – Roslyn Phillips."

First, Donovan had mentioned her name last night, and now Finn this morning. I hadn’t thought about the vampire in weeks, but here she was, popping up all over the place, even if she didn’t realize it. Even if I didn’t like the fact of how closely we were tied together.

Not only did Roslyn Phillips run Northern Aggression, the most decadent nightclub in Ashland, the vampire used to be a hooker herself. She had worked the Southtown streets for years before she’d saved enough money to move up into management and open her own gin joint. All vampires needed blood to survive, of course, but lots of them also powered up through sex, which is why so many of them worked as prostitutes. Plus, vamps could live a very long time, and hooking, well, it was a skill that would never go out of style or demand. Vamps needed cash just like the rest of us.

Roslyn Phillips was the best of the best. She could do things to men and women I’d never even dreamed of – and she’d taught her staff most of her tricks. But more important than that, the vampire owed me for killing her abusive brother-in-law and for not telling Finn how her loose lips had inadvertently led to Fletcher’s death. So Roslyn was going to have to deal with me again, whether she liked it or not.

I scraped up the last of my warm cobbler, then pushed my bowl away. "Well then, I guess it’s time to pay Roslyn a friendly visit."

Finn grinned. He and Roslyn had been special friends for years. That is, they often met for dinner, drinks, and a night of hot, sweaty sex when they weren’t seeing other people. Sometimes, even if they were.

"Oh, goodie," Finn drawled. "A field trip."

Chapter Twenty-Four

It was a little after one when we pulled into the parking lot of Northern Aggression, which was located in Northtown, as befitted its name. By eight o’clock tonight, high-end cars of all makes and models would fill the lot, and a long line of eager men and women would be waiting to get inside and satisfy their desperate desires.

But on this cold November afternoon, the nightclub looked like some anonymous warehouse. A big, gray, metal box you’d find in any one of Ashland’s industrial parks – except for the enormous rune over the door. A neon light shaped like a heart with an arrow through it perched above the entrance to the nightclub, marking it as something out of the ordinary. The pierced heart was Roslyn Phillips’s personal rune and the symbol for her club. From previous visits, I knew the sign would flash red, then yellow, then orange when it was turned on. But right now, it was just a hunk of metal and glass hovering above the door.

"The place looks deserted. You’re sure Roslyn’s here?"

I asked. "I thought she stayed home during the day and watched her niece, Catherine."

Finn shrugged. "Not today. She said she was here looking over the books since it was getting close to the end of the month. She’s expecting us."

"Marvelous," I murmured.

We got out of the car and headed toward the entrance.

The front door was locked, so Finn rapped on it. His knuckles made a hollow, ringing sound on the reinforced steel door. A few seconds later, something clanged, like a security bar being thrown back, and the door rattled open. Xavier, the nightclub’s head bouncer, stuck his head outside. The giant looked even larger, wider, and stronger in the weak afternoon sun than he had at the Pork Pit when he’d arrested Jake McAllister a couple of nights ago.

His dark eyes flicked over Finn, then me, then moved back to Finn.

Finn knew exactly what was expected. He smiled and stretched out his hand. Xavier shook it and palmed the offered C-note with surprising grace for someone with hands as big as a melon.

The giant grinned. "Always a pleasure to see you, Finn. Come on in."

Finn and I stepped inside, and Xavier shut and locked the door behind us.

"You know I’ve seen you manning the door here," I said. "But I didn’t realize you worked for the police department too until you dropped by the Pork Pit to clear up that little mess the other night. Shouldn’t you be out arresting lawbreakers?"

Xavier’s grin widened. "Ah, the cop thing’s just a parttime gig. Besides, why go out there when they’ll all just be coming here later on tonight?"

"Good point."

Xavier grabbed a couple of wooden boxes that had been stacked by the front door, and the tink-tink of glass inside caught my ear. Looked like a delivery of liquor of some sort. The giant hefted his burden and headed deeper into the club. Finn and I followed him.