How does this help? Michael asked. We still dont know where they are.
Hess reached in his pocket and pulled out a folding pocket mapa Morganville map. It was marked in grids, color-coded: yellow for the university, pale red for the human enclaves, blue for the vampires. The center of town, Founders Square, was black. Here, he said, and walked to the dining room table. Michael moved his guitar case out of the way, and Hess spread the map out. Travis, you know who owns what near the square, right?
Yeah. Lowe leaned forward, fished some reading glasses out of his coat pocket, and looked closer. Okay, these are warehouses here. Vallery Kosomov owns some of them. Most of these belong to Josefina Lowell.
Anything owned by Oliver down there?
Why down there? Lowe asked.
You want to answer that one, Officer Morrell? Hess asked. Richard edged in to consider the map, and marked out something with his finger.
Underground runs right through here, he said. This is the only area of the Underground where we didnt see the van come and go.
Which tells you what? Hess asked.
Crap. They were faking the video. Showing us where they werent, sending us all over town. And hiding where they were. Richard looked up at Hess, then Lowe. Olivers warehouses are off of Bond Street. Its mostly storage.
Gentlemen, we have exactlyHess consulted his watchfifty-two minutes. Lets get moving.
They all moved to the door, and it was going fine until Richard Morrell glanced at Claire and Eve, put his arm up like a barricade, and said, Oh, I dont think so, kids.
Weve got a right to
Yeah, Im getting all choked up about your rights, Eve. You stay here.
Michaels going! Claire said, and winced, because she sounded like a disappointed little kid instead of the responsible, trustworthy adult shed intended.
Richard rolled his eyes nearly as well as Eve. You sound like my sister, he said. Thats really not attractive. And its not going to work. Michael can take care of himself on a whole bunch of levels you cant, kid, so you. Stay. Here.
And Hess and Lowe backed him up.
Michael just looked vaguely sorry to be in the middle of it, but relieved all the same that they werent going. It was Michael who took Eves car keys from the tray on the hall table, where she always left them. Just in case, he said, and dropped them in his pocket. Not that I dont trust you or anything, just that I know you never listen to me.
He slammed the door on Eves frustrated cry.
And that, Claire thought, was that.
I cant believe they left us, Claire said numbly, staring at the door. Eve kicked it hard enough to leave a black mark on the wood and stalked away, into the living room. She stood at the window until the police cruiser pulled away from the curb and glided off into the night. Then she turned and looked at Claire.
She was smiling.
Chapter Thirty-two
What? Claire asked, confused, as Eve grinned wider. Are we happy about getting left behind?
Yes, were happy. Because now I know where theyre going, Eve said, and reached in her pocket. She pulled out a second key ring and shook it with a merry, metallic jingle. And Ive got a spare set of keys. Lets go save their asses.
It was a good thing the Morganville police force was otherwise occupied, because Claire thought that Eve probably broke every traffic law that was on the books. Twice. She couldnt bring herself to open her eyes very oftenjust peeks every other block or sobut it seemed like they were going very, very fast, and taking corners at speeds that would have given a drivers-ed instructor a heart attack. Not much traffic, at least, in this predawn darkness. That was something, Claire supposed. She clung to the stiff aftermarket shoulder belt as Eve screeched the big black Cadillac through a hairpin right-hand turn, then another, and into one of the storm-drain tunnels.
Oh God, Claire whispered. If shed been in danger of motion sickness before, it was ten times worse in the tunnel. She squeezed her eyes tight shut and tried to breathe. Between the dark, the panic, and the closed-in spaces, it wasnt exactly her best rescue attempt ever.
Almost there, Eve said, but Claire thought she said it to herself. Eve wasnt calm, either. That wasnot comforting. Left turn up ahead
Thats not a turn! Claire yelped, and braced herself against the dashboard as Eve slammed on the brakes and the big car shimmied and sprayed shallow water as it skidded. Thats a dead end!
Nope, thats a turn, Eve panted, fought the wheel, and somehowClaire had no idea howgot the car to make the impossible corner with only a little bang and scrape up against the concrete wall. Ouch. Thats gonna leave a mark. And she laughed, high and wild, and hit the gas again. Hold on, Claire Bear! Next stop, Crazytown!
Claire thought they were already there, actually.
She lost track of the nauseatingly twisty course they were following. In fact, she started to think that Eve didnt know where she was going at all, and was just making random turns hoping to find an exit, when suddenly the tunnel ended, and the car hit an upslope, and they rocketed out into the open darkness again.
Bond Street, Eve said. Home of upscale vampire shopping, fine restaurants, andoh shit.
She hit the brakes and brought them to a fast, complete stop that tossed Claire painfully against the restraints. Not that Claire noticed all that much, because like Eve, she was pretty much horror-struck by what she was seeing ahead.
Tell me thats not the place, she said.
Because if it was, the place was on fire.
Richard Morrells police cruiser was parked at the wrought-iron gates, its doors hanging open. The guys had bailed out fast. Eve moved the Caddy closer, then shut off the engine, and the two girls looked in dawning horror at the flames shooting out from the windows and roof of the big stone building.
Wheres the fire department? Claire asked. Where are the cops?