Page 37 of Immortal Unveiled

“You’re wasting your time. And apparently not just yours. What did you have Enya do for you?”

“She was supposed to search a storage unit that belonged to Nancy. I was there last night with Kim. Enya arrived just as we were leaving.”

“If you were there yourself, why did you need her?”

“I couldn’t exactly look at everything in detail while I was with Kim. She would have become suspicious.”

“Fair enough.” Pearce turned back to his keyboard. “I’ve got work to do. So, if you’ll excuse me…”

“Uh… about that…” Manus started. “I need you to look into something for me.”

Pearce gave him a sideways glance. “Don’t rope me into this. I’m pulling double-shifts here, I haven’t had a night off in months, and I’m getting a bit cranky.”

“But you’re the best at IT. Come one, it won’t take you long.”

Pearce narrowed his eyes. “That’s what everybody says. You just don’t want to do the legwork yourself.”

True. Sitting at a computer, digging into data wasn’t exactly Manus’s favorite pastime. “I’ll take over one of your shifts anytime you want me to, no questions asked.”

Pearce tilted his head to the side, contemplating the offer. “Tell me first what you want me to do.”

“I need to know what Nancy was working on in the months before her death, which guardians she was in contact with, what kind of information she provided, anything that could give me a clue as to why the demons were after her.”

“If they were after her,” Pearce clarified.

“Whatever. Just do it.”

“You know that kind of assignment has to be authorized by the Council. You can’t just re-open Nancy’s case.”

“It’s already open,” Manus corrected him. “By ordering me to make sure that her daughter stops digging into her mother’s murder, looking for a supernatural explanation, the Council has already given me the authority to work this case.”

Pearce tsked. “That’s a bit of a stretch. You know the Council had no intention of letting you go that far. The order was clear.”

Manus shrugged. He couldn’t give a rat’s ass about what the Council’s order was. He knew better. “So, are you gonna do it?”

“Two shifts. You take over two of my shifts. Whenever I demand it.” Pearce stretched out his hand.

Without hesitation, Manus shook it. “Good. And another thing.”

“Don’t push your luck,” Pearce warned.

“Find out where Enya is. Trace her cell phone.”

Pearce turned his head back to the monitors, his fingers already hovering over the keyboard, when he stopped in mid-motion. “Not necessary.” He pointed to one of the screens: the closed-circuit security system for the compound. One of them showed Enya exiting the portal in the same clothes she’d worn the night before. “Look who’s only just getting home.”

Moments later, Manus rushed down the corridor, meeting Enya just as she came up the stairs from the basement where the portal was located.

“Where have you been?”

“The fuck!” Enya hissed, narrowing her eyes at him. “None of your fucking business. Who are you? Mother Superior? I don’t live in a fucking convent!”

She tried to push past him, but Manus grabbed her by her bicep and stopped her. She ripped free and glared at him.

“You didn’t reply to my messages.”

“Yeah, well, maybe I was busy.”

“Busy with what?” he grunted angrily.