Cronin's Key (15 page)

“I’m sorry,” Alec said quietly. He took Cronin’s hand and waited until he looked him in the eye. “I’m sorry.”

Cronin finally smiled. “Please, use anything you find in here. What is mine is yours.” With a nod, he turned and left Alec alone.

Alec plonked himself in the chair, angry with himself for hurting Cronin’s feelings. He thought Alec considered him naïve when the very opposite was true. Cronin knew more of this world and its histories than Alec could even begin to understand. Cronin understood human behavior
and
vampire behavior.

“Cronin?” Alec called out.

Alec half expected him to leap, appearing right before his eyes, but he didn’t. He walked slowly at a human pace back through the door. “Yes?”

“Will you stay and help me?”

Cronin smiled, slow and beautiful, and walked into the room.

Alec smiled, instantly relieved Cronin was going to help him. “I promise not to interrupt or use sarcasm. Or make any reference to your age.”

Cronin raised one eyebrow. “Was that sarcasm?”

Alec snorted out a laugh. “No. I mean it. I don’t want to hurt your feelings. And I am truly sorry about the whole Shakespeare being popular culture comment.”

“Well,” Cronin said, leaning against the desk. “He had neither popularity nor culture.”

Alec blanched. “No freakin’ way. You knew Shakespeare?”

“He was an odd fellow, but open-minded enough to know humans weren’t the only creatures who ruled the earth.”

Alec couldn’t believe it. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Yes, totally.”

Wait. What?
He was totally kidding
. Alec growled. “I hate you. You really had me going.”

Cronin laughed and nodded toward the computer screen. “Research. Where will you start? I have texts on Egyptian hieroglyphics and histories that predate censorship. They may be of use.”

Oh right. Research
. Alec pointed to the computer. “Well, I thought I’d start with the woman.”

“Queen Keket?” Cronin asked. “I don’t think she would have her own wiki page just yet.”

Alec gaped. “Is that sarcasm? And a sense of a humor?
And
a reference to the twenty-first century?”

Cronin smiled. “Yes. I believe it was.”

Alec laughed and shook his head at him, then turned back to the computer screens. “Wiki pages are good for gossip and college students who want to fail, not fact. Let me show you how a detective does it.”

And for the next few hours, Alec and Cronin worked side by side. Alec searched the Internet, cross-referencing information, double-checking and filling in gaps on the timelines of missing women in Cairo. The more information he uncovered, the more crosses he put through possible suspects. He was down to three remaining names, so he made phone calls both Cairo University and Cairo police, using his detective credentials and claiming to be working on a related case, and when Alec put the phone down he put lines through two other names, leaving only one. He was certain he knew who it was. He grinned proudly, pleased with himself, loving nothing more than doing the detective work, putting the intel puzzle pieces together.

“Tahani Shafiq,” Alec declared. “Twenty-seven years old, parents reported her missing five-and-a-half years ago. She worked at the University of Cairo Medical Research faculty, studies concentrated on stem cell therapy.”

“Regeneration,” Cronin whispered. “That would explain her ability to regenerate the dead.”

“Yes.” Alec nodded. “Funny you should mention that. Her colleagues at the university believed her work bordered on unethical. She lost a sister to cancer, and Tahani spent many years devoting her life to—” Alec looked at what he’d written down. “—self-renewal pathways in normal and malignant stem cells. She did lab work outside of ‘Board protocol’ was what they called it—they wouldn’t elaborate any details—just that she was reprimanded twice.”

“Hmm.” Cronin sighed and closed the book on Egypt mythologies he was reading. “Anything else?”

“Six months before her disappearance, Tahani Shafiq lodged an official complaint to the Faculty board, citing sexual assault by two male colleagues. Her reports to the police were identical, and hospital records support her claims. Charges were never filed. The two men were never even questioned.” Alec shook his head. “Those two men, Nader Tulun and Gamal Mahfouz, were found five years ago, bodies drained and mutilated. According to police reports, both men suffered horrendous injuries to genitalia and the anal cavity while still alive.”

“She must have been very angry,” Cronin said quietly.

Alec nodded. “Eleanor said she saw only anger and rage around her.” He threw his notepad onto the desk. “It would also explain her intention to resurrect the god of the dead. I mean, such anger and rage would fuel the desire to see the end of the human race, would it not?”

“I wouldn’t dare to guess,” Cronin said.

“What did you find?” Alec asked, nodding toward the books Cronin had spread over the desk.

He frowned and his eyebrows almost met. “Accounts of fact vary and much is lost in translation. And of course, what is documented is far from what may have actually happened, even in these early books.”

“Okay,” Alec said. “Then forget the books. Tell me what you know.”

Cronin smiled. “Osiris was a very powerful vampire. He ruled over much of the East around the time of 2400 BC. As lore tells us, he had the power to evade death. He did not just have the immortality of vampirism, but no wooden stake could penetrate his skin and the rays of sunlight did not affect him.”

“How is that possible?”

“No one knows. It was his gift, his talent. He is said to have had unusual skin. Impenetrable.”

Then Alec remembered the pictures of Osiris he’d seen. “He was always drawn in hieroglyphs to have green skin.”

“Yes, that must be why.”

“Why do you think Queen Keket wants him?” Alec asked. “Because he was the most powerful vampire to have lived, I guess.”

Cronin gave a nod. “It is likely. Her exact reason I can only guess at. Though it has to better her cause, so I would guess she wants him returned for his powers. Given her skill at regeneration, maybe she can harvest the talent of others? I simply do not know.”

“Harvest the talent of others?” Alec repeated in a whisper. He shuddered to think what that could mean.

“Maybe she believes she’d be more powerful with him by her side?” Cronin added. “Maybe she’s a megalomaniac who believes all power is victory. Alec, I don’t know what her objectives are, other than what we’ve been told. The rest are merely hypotheticals.”

“Well, hypotheticals can sometimes lead to answers,” Alec said. “And you’re obviously a facts-only kind of guy, you like your information cut and dried, black and white. You don’t care too much for the why or how, but that’s how I think. If we’re to beat this woman, we don’t just need to know the what, where, and how. We need to know why. Because it’s knowing
why
she’s doing this that will bring her undone.”

Cronin smiled at him. “To reveal her weakness?”

“Exactly. The psychology behind it is where the answer is. And you know what I fear the most?”

Cronin tilted his head. “What’s that?”

“Someone with nothing to lose. And right now, she’s all about gaining power, reputation, she’s demanding respect with the self-professed title of Queen. Cronin, she has everything to gain and absolutely nothing to lose.”

Cronin nodded. “I think you’re right.”

“How did Osiris die?” Alec asked.

“He was not immune to the powers of others. There was a vampire with the ability to sedate or put in a state of sleep. According to lore, Osiris was overcome by a deep calm and heavy limbs,” Cronin said, “and he was embalmed.”

“While he was still alive?”

“Yes.”

“Oh good. So he’ll be pleasant and cheerful when he’s brought back to life, won’t he?”

Cronin snorted out a laugh. “Yes. He and Queen Keket make a good pair.”

“A dangerous pair. Revenge is a frightening motive,” Alec said. Then he remembered something. “Hang on a minute. I thought Anubis killed Osiris.”

Cronin gave him a small smile. “Anubis embalmed him, yes.”

“And who was the sedater? The one who can put vampires to sleep?”

“I don’t know,” Cronin answered. “I don’t believe it was ever said. Probably to protect their identity.”

“Is it possible they’re still alive?”

Cronin’s eyes widened, the question was clearly not one he’d considered. “I don’t know. I’ve not heard of such a vampire in my time.”

“Shame,” Alec said. “We could use them to help us.”

Cronin’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and read the text. “Eiji and Jodis need me to collect them.”

“Okay.”

Cronin looked torn. “I don’t want to leave you unattended.”

Alec smiled until he saw that Cronin was serious. “I’m sure I’ll be fine. You left me before when you took them to… wherever. You said it took a whole second?”

Cronin cringed. “You could come with me?”

“And go through two bouts of unnecessary leaping?” Alec scoffed. “No thanks.”

Cronin half turned, but seemed stuck.

“Seriously,” Alec said. “In the time it takes for you to get them and come back, I will sit here and have enough time to blink.”

“I don’t like leaving you,” Cronin said softly.

“Then tell Eiji and Jodis to take a plane.”

“Air travel is not recommended, especially if the flight has daylight duration.”

“I was joking.”

“Oh.”

“Go. Jeez. You could have been there and back three times by now.”

“Are you certain you’ll be okay?”

“I’ll try not to injure myself blinking in the time you’re away.”

“I thought you said you’d refrain from the use of sarcasm.”

“What can I say?” Alec rolled his eyes. “I must be hungry.”

Cronin pulled out his wallet and laid a credit card on the desk. A
black
credit card. Jesus Christ. Alec had heard these existed. Never in his life did he think he’d ever see one.

“Please, order yourself whatever you wish.”

Alec reached out slowly and picked up the card from the table. The name on it was James T. Furst, and Alec snorted. When Alec looked up, Cronin wasn’t there. He blinked, startled at the sudden disappearance and then almost had a goddamn heart attack when Cronin, Jodis, and Eiji suddenly appeared where Cronin had stood just a moment before.

“Jesus H. Christ!” Alec put his hand to his heart. “Can you ring a fucking bell or something?”

Eiji laughed. “Nice to see you too, my friend.”

“Sorry,” Alec apologized, though his heart still pounded in his chest. He looked at Jodis. “Sorry for the language.”

“Ah, don’t apologize,” she said with her usual calm smile. “I am used to such customs.”

“Did you order yourself something to eat?” Cronin asked him.

“I had exactly enough time to pick the card up off the desk,” Alec said, “and blink. Oh, and to have a coronary.” Alec ignored the scowl from Cronin and looked at the time. He didn’t realize that he and Cronin had been in the study for so long. No wonder he was hungry. It was almost five o’clock.

Alec knew there was a ton of pizza left over, but he’d eaten it for dinner last night and breakfast this morning and he couldn’t stomach the idea of eating it again. But before he could think about food, Jodis said, “We have news. And it’s not good, I’m afraid.”

“What is it?” Cronin asked.

“We found out a little about the woman they call Queen Keket,” Jodis said. “She was a research doctor at the Cairo University.”

“Yes, her name was Tahani Shafiq,” Alec told them. “She worked extensively on stem cell development. She was wronged terribly by two men who assaulted her, then wronged again when she tried to report it and was ignored.”

“You know this, how?” Eiji asked. “We’ve just been to Cairo and couldn’t find out that much.”

Cronin smiled a little proudly. “Alec is very good at what he does.”

Alec snorted. “Yeah, it’s called the Internet and being a cop for ten years.”

“But there was something else,” Eiji said. “We spoke to a small coven of vampires who, like Bes said, were fleeing. They told us Queen Keket had sent out Seekers to search for the key.”

Jodis continued. “We told them the Seekers failed. They laughed, Cronin, and said many more had been dispatched. The two who were here in New York earlier were merely scouts. Keket’s first division of Seekers are already on their way, the soldiers are to follow. They knew the key was in New York. The scouts or Seekers must have told them.”

Cronin hissed through clenched teeth. “How long until they get here?”

“We don’t know. We called for you as soon as we heard this,” Eiji said. “Possibly a day or two.”

“They’re coming for me?” Alec asked.

Jodis nodded. “Many.”

“Um, quick question,” Alec said, his mind swimming. “How did they know I was the Key when we’ve not long figured it out?”

“A seer, a tracker, or both,” Eiji answered quietly. He looked to Cronin. “I wish I’d told you of Alec sooner. He is now threatened, and I am sorry.”

Jodis put her hand on Eiji’s arm. “You weren’t to know.”

Right then, with no concept of timing, Alec’s stomach growled. He shrugged. “Sorry.”

Cronin turned to Eiji. “Can you please order him something to eat?”

“I’m capable of ordering myself something, thanks,” Alec said sharply, but Eiji had already nodded and had his phone to his ear. He spoke quickly, a language that was not English, and Alec deduced he was having Japanese for dinner. He threw the credit card he was still holding onto the desk. “Gee. Thanks.”

Eiji walked out, his phone still at his ear, a smile on his face.

“We must meet with our coven to discuss options,” Jodis said. “We are short on time, Cronin.”

Cronin nodded. “Please, see it done. For tonight if we can arrange it.”

She nodded and left the room so quickly Alec barely saw her move. He put his hands in his hair and sighed. “So whatever is happening, is happening now. They’re coming for me?”

“Yes.”

Alec dug the heels of his hands into his eyes, then scrubbed his face. “Even though we still don’t technically know what they want me for.”