Page 5 of Peacemaker

“We’ll visit more with you later,” Al told me, smiling slightly. He walked away, then turned back before he reached the bottom of the steps. “I’ll take this one home and scout around a little for Rhys.”

I frowned. “You’re worried?”

He hesitated, then shrugged. “These are worrying times, Trinity. Rhys is never out of reach for long.”

“I’m sure he’s fine.” But I pulled my cell phone out and called Rhys as I watched Alejandro lead Jamie away.

It went to his voicemail. “Rhys, damn it. Call me.” I slid the phone back into my pocket and went reluctantly to meet Captain Crawford.

Frank climbed from his car and leaned against it, watching as Al settled Jamie into the back seat of his car. Al gave the captain a nod before he got into the driver’s side, but Frank simply watched him, impassive, his arms crossed.

He hadn’t called ahead to ask if I could see him, and it pissed me off just a little.

Or maybe I wasn’t pissed off. Maybe I was afraid of what he was there to tell me.

And things had been so weird between us lately.

“Captain.” I leaned against his car with him and both of us looked everywhere but at each other. I was pretty sure neither of us knew why.

“You keep strange company, Sinclair,” he said, as Al tapped his horn and drove away from the way station.

“Yeah, but you keep showing up. What am I going to do?” I shrugged and grinned.

He didn’t so much as crack a smile.

I sighed. “I need to return your car.”

“Keep it.”

“I can’t keep your car, Frank.”

“I don’t need it.”

I studied him. He looked tired, but he always looked tired. There was something else in his eyes. “Bad news?” I asked him.

He blew out a hard breath, then surprised me by reaching out to squeeze my arm. “The mayor is causing trouble for the supernaturals. He wants to begin marking them, Trinity.”

My hands started shaking and I couldn’t figure out what to do with them. Finally, I tucked them under my arms. “Marking them how?”

“Tattoos, mostly.”

“And if they refuse?”

He looked away from me. “They’ll be taken in and put down. He’s convincing the city that it’s the only way, and they’re inclined to listen to him. Especially after the supernats destroyed the prison. He wants a quick way to visually identify them.”

My stomach hurt. Hatred rose inside me so fiercely and quickly that I was overwhelmed by it. I wanted to kill him. Kill the messenger. It wasn’t his fault, really, I guess. But his words…

“Put down,” I snarled. “Like rabid animals.”

“Mayor Delaney is worried because of the escapes and the deaths on Byrd Island. He claims it’s a matter of time before they attack the city with their—”

I waved a hand in disgust and interrupted him. “Their corrupt, dangerous magic. I watch the news. His face is everywhere.”

“The humans trust him.”

“He’s a pig.”

“Maybe,” he said calmly. “But he has his supporters.”