Dragonfury 02 - Fury of Ice

“Now, Clarkie-baby…what can you tell me about what happened here?”
    Tania almost rolled her eyes. She stopped herself at the last second, curiosity getting the better of her. She settled in behind Ms. Man-Eater at the countertop instead. She wanted to know what had happened, too. And if riding on Clarissa’s coattails got her the information without her having to lift a finger, so much the better.
    “Look, Clarissa.” The cop glanced around, shifting as though his bottom half had just woken behind the desk. “Captain Hobbs’ll have my ass if he sees you here. We’re not supposed to be talking to reporters and—”
    “No harm, no foul,” Clarissa murmured. “Meet me after work? At Deuce’s across town?”
    Oh, boy. Match. Set. And Game. Clarkie-baby was toast. Deuce’s was a hotspot known for dark, cozy corners, under-the-table antics, and a lot of backroom dealing. Tania had never been, but…wow. The rumors abounded. Especially since membership into the club came with a hefty price tag.
    The cop nodded and glanced around again.
    “Good.” Clarissa smiled, smoothing her hand down the front of his shirt before letting him go. “See you there, baby.”
    As the blonde turned, she arched her back a little, posing for the guy before she put the beautiful Louboutins in gear and, with a finger wave, headed for the exit. Tania shook her head and watched her go. Jeez. Man-Eater was right. A real student of the game. And the cop’s dumbstruck expression? Testament to the woman’s skill. Clark had bought the act, was 100 percent on board.
    “Excuse me?” Tania said, hoping to snap the cop out of his blonde bombshell fixation.
    “What?” His eyes narrowed on her.
    Oh, snap. What was the load of pissed off and nasty all about? “Ah, I’m here to see Detective Keen and—”
    “No one’s coming in or out today, miss.”
    “But—”
    “The precinct’s closed to visitors. Only essential personnel allowed.”
    Frig. He sounded like he was reciting a direct order or something. Not good. On any level. “I have some important information about a case they’re working on and—”
    “So call ’em. Leave a message.”
    “I did that already.” Cupping the lip of the counter with both hands, she leaned in, using her big, brown eyes to effect. “If you’ll just let me go up for a minute, I won’t take—”
    “N. O.” He gave her a stern look.
    Tania blinked. Nuts. For the first time in her life, she wished she was blonde. Things obviously got done when a woman possessed the right hair color. “Please, Officer Clark? Detective Keen told me to come see her anytime . All I need is five minutes.”
    “Off you go, miss.” With one last head shake, he waved his hand, dismissing her as he picked up a stack of paperwork. “Come back when there isn’t a hole in the side of our building.”
    Tania sighed, disappointment hitting her chest-level. No way was she getting in today. Not with a couple of cops flanking the elevators and watching the stairs. Turning toward the exit, Tania wrenched her handbag from the crook of her elbow. As she slung it higher, the leather dragged at her shoulder and…God. She’d been carrying the thing around forever, but today was the first time it felt heavy.
    Crossing the lobby, she pushed one of the doors open and stepped out. The air smelled fresher outside, without the taint of lemon and sulfur in the crisp autumn air. She stared at the tips of her Manolo Blahniks, racking her brain for a new plan.
    So…what next? Follow Detective Keen home like a lost puppy? Corner her in an underground parking lot? Tania snorted. Yeah, like she wanted to sneak up on a woman with a loaded gun on her hip. That kind of stupidity would only get her shot.
    A lighter snicked nearby. Cigarette smoke drifted, perfuming the air a second before a husky voice said, “You in trouble, gorgeous?”
    Tania glanced toward the shadows to the right of the front doors. Oh, lovely. The Man-Eater, sucking on a cancer stick, lying in wait for her next victim.
    But…wait. Maybe that was a good thing. The cops wouldn’t listen. Didn’t seem to care that her friend was still out there. All alone. Or that Tania had information that could save her life. Myst might be alive now, but for how much longer? Whoever had kidnapped her wanted something. And as soon as they got it, her best friend would be found with a bullet in her skull.
    Her grip tightened on her handbag. Over her dead body. No way would she