"Fine," Carlos kept his voice low. "I made sure she didn't see any bathrooms with missing mirrors."
"Good." Jack focused once more on the conversation in the living room.
"He's going to help us find the kidnapper," Lara whispered.
"What if he's steering the investigation away from himself?" LaToya asked.
"He's not," Lara hissed. "Did you come across any imprisoned women upstairs?"
"No, but I haven't seen the basement yet. You know there's something weird about him."
Lara sighed. "Yes, I know."
"What do you know?" LaToya asked sharply.
"I know that I don't know."
"Well, I know that."
Lara moaned. "This is getting us nowhere. I'll be fine. Why don't you go home, and I'll be along later."
"All right," LaToya grumbled. "But before I leave, I'm going to finish checking this place out. If you need me for anything, call me."
Jack strode to the console and collected the car keys. "Are you ready, Lara?" he called.
"Coming." She rushed into the foyer, swinging her handbag onto her shoulder.
LaToya followed her and glared at Jack. "She'd better come back safe."
He nodded. "I would never do anything to hurt Lara."
"I'm holding you to that. I've got a cousin in New Orleans who's into voodoo. Don't make me start playing with dolls."
Jack looked at Lara and smiled. "I'll try to behave myself."
She leaned close and whispered, "Don't try too hard."
He squeezed her hand. "Whatever you say, bellissima. I always aim to please."
"Oh God." LaToya grimaced. "Y'all are so sweet, I'm going into hyperglycemic shock. Just kill me now."
Carlos laughed. "How about a beer?"
"Sounds good." LaToya crossed her arms, still watching Jack with a suspicious eye, while Carlos disappeared into the kitchen. "So, choir boy, what's in the basement?"
"A dead body or two, usually." Jack smiled. "But they're gone now."
Lara gave him an annoyed look. "That's not helping."
"Sorry," Jack said. "There's a washer and dryer downstairs."
"Of course." LaToya narrowed her eyes. "And plenty of bleach for getting out bloodstains."
"Exactly." Jack nodded. "I hate bloodstains."
Lara elbowed him in the ribs. "Would you stop kidding? She's going to believe you."
Unfortunately, he wasn't kidding.
"Here's the beer," Carlos announced as he returned from the kitchen. He handed an opened bottle to LaToya.
"Thanks." She took a swig. "So what is in the basement, Carlos?"
"A pool table. Would you like to play?"
"Sure." She followed him to the basement stairs and gave Jack an irritated look as she passed by. "Dead bodies, my ass. You've probably got a spaceship down there."
Jack strode to the front door and punched some buttons on the keypad to deactivate the alarm. "Shall we go?"
"Sure." Lara followed him out the front door. "Please don't mind LaToya. She's just very protective of me."
"I understand." He closed the front door and turned the alarm back on. "I feel the same way." There was a bloodthirsty vampire out there collecting redheads. He would do whatever it took to protect Lara.
CHAPTER 10
"Megan, this is Jack... Venezia." Lara realized she wasn't sure what Jack's last name was, which was a bit disturbing since she kept ending up in his arms, kissing him. "He's going to help us locate Vanessa."
"Okay." Megan's eyes widened at the sight of Jack standing at her door.
"How do you do?" He nodded politely. "May we come in?"
Megan stumbled back a few steps, still gawking at Jack. Lara knew how she felt. Jack had a way of taking over one's senses.
He closed the door. "Have a seat, please. This will just take a moment."
Megan retreated until she collided with her bed and fell onto her rear. Lara sat across from her on the other twin bed. She retrieved pen and paper from her handbag while she wondered what exactly Jack would do to this girl.
He leaned casually against the door. "So, Megan, you and Vanessa are good friends?"
"Oh yes. Vanessa's like the coolest friend I've ever had. I-I hope she's okay." Megan's bottom lip trembled and tears filled her eyes. "I'm so afraid for her."
"I'm sure you are," Jack spoke softly. "And where did you and Vanessa go last night?"
The change that swept over Megan's face was alarming. Lara's skin prickled with gooseflesh as she watched the young woman go from near tears to a totally blank expression in a matter of seconds.
"We were in our room, studying," Megan said with a dull, robotic voice.
An icy blast of air swirled around the room. With a shiver, Lara turned her attention to Jack. What kind of human brain could change the temperature? He was frowning, completely focused on Megan. The gold flecks in his eyes gleamed.
Lara swallowed hard. What did she really know about him?
He stepped toward Megan. "Where were you last night?"
"We were... in our room..." Megan swayed, her eyes closing.
A strange crackling static echoed in Lara's ears. Beneath the buzz, she thought she detected a low and masculine voice. It sounded like Jack, but she couldn't make out the words. Since his mouth wasn't moving, he must have been communicating telepathically.
"Yes," Megan whispered.
Yes, what? Yes, she would answer his questions truthfully, or yes, she would say whatever he mentally ordered her to say? Unease tickled the back of Lara's neck. Could LaToya be right? Was Jack programming Megan to lie for him?
He placed a hand on top of the girl's head and closed his eyes. "You will remember. Where did you go Saturday night?"
"We were in-" Megan grimaced. "We went to the Student Services building for a seminar. Vanessa wanted to go."
"Who was presenting the seminar?" Jack asked.
"He - " Megan slumped back.
Jack grasped her head, covering her temples. "Who was he?"
"Apollo," she whispered.
Lara wrote the name down on her pad of paper.
"Describe him," Jack ordered.
"Tall, blond, really good-looking." Megan wrinkled her nose. "Really pale."
Lara paused in the middle of taking notes. She'd always thought Jack was a little pale, too.
"What did Apollo tell you?" Jack asked.
"He showed us a PowerPoint presentation with pictures of a fancy resort and spa. We filled out a survey about our favorite spa treatments, and one lucky person was chosen to receive a deluxe spa package. One week, all expenses paid. Vanessa was the lucky one."
Lara shook her head. That kind of luck could get you killed.
"Did he say where the spa is located?" Jack asked.
"I don't know." Megan frowned. "It looked pretty. Classical Greek architecture. White marble buildings. It was in the country somewhere."
"Thank you, Megan. You will go to sleep now, and when you wake in the morning, you will have no memory of us being here. You will not remember answering my questions." Jack released her.
She fell sideways on the bed, and Jack pulled her up to where her head rested on the pillow. The cold air in the room dissipated.
Lara rushed across the room to remove Megan's flip-flops. "Why did you erase her memory of us?"
Jack covered her with a blanket. "As long as she sticks to the story that Apollo programmed her with, she'll be safe. If he ever suspects she's been talking about him, her life could be in danger."
Lara nodded. "I understand." She headed for the door. "I doubt Apollo is his real name."
"I agree." Jack turned off the lights as he exited the room. "He probably thinks it goes well with the Greek architecture of this supposed resort."
"A free spa package would be hard for any woman to resist." Lara motioned down the hall. "Do you want to see the other friends?"
She led him to Carmen and Ramya's room. Ramya was at the library studying, so Jack did his spooky mind tap on Carmen. Like Megan, Carmen reported that Apollo was tall, blond, and handsome, and that he'd chosen Vanessa to win the free spa package. They left Carmen asleep and walked across campus to the Student Services building. There was no record of Apollo filling out any forms to rent a room, and the manager had no memory of him.