Page 54 of Peacemaker

“You?” I asked. “Is that how you know, because he’d mentioned sending you to arrest me?”

“Yes.”

“And who does he think will fight the attacking vampires if I’m in jail?”

“Like I said, he thinks they’ll be controlled once he controls the master. He’s impulsive and a little crazy, but he’s a smart man. He doesn’t think he’ll face consequences for anything he does because he never has.”

“He’s not the type to get his hands dirty, though.”

“He doesn’t have to. He has people to do that for him.” He took a drink of coffee. “But now, with these new attackers coming, he’s going to see he’s not in control of anything.”

“Can you talk to him? Tell him about the rifters?”

“Absolutely. But I can’t guarantee he’ll believe the story. I can’t guarantee he won’t go ahead with his plan to take you.”

“You should be the mayor,” I said. “The city would be a better place.”

He smiled. “Delaney isn’t going anywhere. We’ll just have to figure out how to handle him.”

The waitress came back with a pot of coffee, but Crawford shook his head. “I’ve had enough coffee, Sue.” He glanced up at her, then frowned. “Are you sure you’re all right? Ed’s okay? Did you know anyone killed in the attack?”

Her hand shook and the coffee sloshed, and she bit her trembling lip. “No. Just a bad dream last night,” she murmured. “That’s all. A bad dream.”

But when she turned her head, jumping a little when a customer noisily entered the diner, I saw a ring of bruises at the side of her throat. Bruises she’d tried to hide with a high neckline and her hair. “Sue, you don’t know me,” I started, “but—”

“I know you,” she interrupted. “Everybody knows you. And I have to get back to work.”

I looked at Frank once she’d left the table. “Someone’s hurting her.”

He pursed his lips, his narrowed gaze following her retreating figure. “She’s married to the nicest man you could ever meet. Her kids are away at college. I’ve been coming into this diner for fifteen years, and she’s worked here very nearly the entire time. I think she’d tell me if she were in trouble.”

“Frank,” I said, firmly. “Someone is hurting that woman.”

“Shit,” he muttered, and shoved away from the table. “I’ll talk to her.”

I stood as well. “I need to get back to Bay Town. Call me after you talk to the mayor.”

“I will. Still, be on guard. Neither I nor my people will be coming for you. But if he wants you, he’ll send someone a little meaner than me.”

“He should hope he doesn’t. For his sake.”

He grinned, and his tired face brightened. “He doesn’t know you or the supernaturals well enough to be scared.”

I returned his smile. “Before this is over, he will.”

The mayor seemed to think he was invincible. That he could do whatever he liked, hurt whomever he chose, and rule supreme.

Poor guy was in for a very rude awakening.

Crawford hesitated, then reached out to squeeze my arm. “Be careful, Sinclair.”

“You too, Captain.”

Then I left him to speak with the bruised waitress and hurried home to my men. I’d had enough of the city.