Wanted: Undead or Alive

Intent to Pursue

Wait. I looked to my left and right, turned all the way around. "Where's Moose?"

Nick mimicked the gestures I'd just made. He wobbled a little unsteadily as he did so. "Come on." He grabbed my hand. His skin was so hot it bordered on painful to be touched by him.

We didn't run, but our steps were quick as we skirted around the small crowd. Behind us, the ambulance roared off into the night, siren blaring. I had a bad feeling no matter how fast they were, it wouldn't be fast enough to save the guy.

After a long two or three minutes of searching, I heard a low groan coming from the alley that led to the club's kitchen entrance. We found Moose laid out on the pavement behind the dumpster with a goose egg beginning to rise on his forehead above his left eye. His hands were tied behind his back and fastened with a longer length of rope to his bound ankles.

I yanked my small knife from the sheath strapped to my ankle, cut the ropes away, and helped ease him up.

He pressed two fingers gingerly against his wound and winced.

"What happened?" Nick asked.

Before Moose could answer, the sound of fast approaching footsteps drew our attention. Nick had a gun drawn. I was crouched with the knife. Moose was blinking hard, as if to maintain consciousness.

Price burst from the shadows, panting and disheveled. He drew up and took in the scene. "What happened?"

"You tell us," Nick said.

Price shook his head. "I noticed Moose was gone and called on the comm. When he didn't answer, I went looking and heard a scuffle. Someone was running away, there," he pointed toward a narrow passage between buildings I hadn't noticed before. "They were fast."

I tried to remember when Price had slipped away from the group. He'd held onto me after Nick got sick, but everything got jumbled after that.

"Fast like a speed weasel?" Nick asked.

Price's brows drew together. "No. Faster than me, though."

"Ain't so fast," Moose grumbled.

Price scowled at him.

Something settled over Nick. It was a dark energy that crackled in the air around him. The scent of ozone filled the night as it does in the moments before a storm breaks. "We need to go after him."

Price barked out a harsh bray of laughter. "You're not even trying to pretend to follow the rules anymore?" Apparently addressing someone listening to the earpiece, he said, "Harris, Smith, circle around. We're in the alley behind the bar. Take Adamos into custody."

"No!" I leaped to my feet. While I agreed Nick shouldn't pursue anyone for any reason, the mere suggestion of doing something illegal wasn't, in itself, illegal. At least, I didn't think so. "You can't take him back there. We're still working. The killer is out there. Nick didn't poison himself. It's someone else."

"Someone who used a poison that would affect Nick but not disable him? Almost sounds like the kind of poison a clever man would use to divert suspicion."

I blinked at him, standing in the flickering glow of the streetlamp. I had to say something. Anything to get Moose to safety and Nick back on solid ground and keep him out of jail. "We have to go back to Benny's estate," I blurted. "All of us."

All three men stared at me like I'd lost my mind.

"I know who did it." What the hell were these words coming out of my mouth? They were right. I had lost my mind.

"Then, for God's sake, woman, tell me," Price said.

"No."

"Nowicki?" Nick fidgeted like a runner at the starting line. His hands twitched at his sides. He clenched and unclenched his fists. He glowed brightly enough to illuminate the dark alley, and the glasses weren't doing much to hide the fire in his eyes. "What's are you doing?"

Harris and Smith came jogging down the alley. They drew up behind their boss and cast nervous glances at Nick.

"Let's get out of here. Back to Benny's. Then I'll tell you all together. The whole staff. And you guys, too. All at one time. They need to be together. You'll understand once we get there. It'll make sense once you hear." I clamped my teeth together to stem the flow of words.

After a long moment of painfully awkward silence, Price gestured toward Nick and the two men came forward with crystal cuffs in hand. They clamped them onto Nick's wrists and, instantly; he looked like a human again—an ill, exhausted human in a dirty, rumbled suit.

I balled my fists. "Don't do this. Nick needs to be there."

Moose struggled to his feet and stood by my side.

"Nick will be in holding. If you convince me that you've found evidence proving he's innocent, I'll let him go, but you heard him yourself. He's got intent to pursue."

"No! It was just a suggestion. He didn't do anything. He didn't—"

"Nowicki," Moose laid a heavy hand on my shoulder. "Stop."

I gaped up at him, stunned that he would take Price's side.

"If you can end this by going back to Benny's, let's end it"

It's like the dang fool didn't even know I was bluffing.