“Desperate times,” I said for the second time. “Desperate measures. Do we have a deal?”

“We do.”

Chapter Twenty-five

Twenty-five

First of all, I called to check in with the chief. I reported on what I had and hadn’t learned today, and then I told him I planned to do a little undercover sleuthing at Triton House that evening.

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. “I didn’t mean for you to fly solo on this, Daisy.”

“I won’t be.”

“I can’t spare Fairfax,” he said. “We’re too shorthanded and the town’s restless. I can’t take him off patrol tonight.”

“I didn’t mean Cody. It’s, um, a member of the community.” I cradled the phone against my ear, peeling the lid off a bowl of ramen. “Look, you said to make the Masters of the Universe a priority. And like you said, I can pass for a college student.”

“Not without backup,” he said.

I flashed on the image of Lurine in the river, her splendid coils thrashing the water as she summoned the naiads in a bronze-edged voice. “Oh, I’ll have backup, sir. Trust me? I saw what happened at the funeral. We need to move on this.”

Chief Bryant grunted and ended the call.

I took it as a yes.

While my ramen noodles cooked in the microwave, I called Lurine. “So, how bored are you?”

“On a scale of one to ten?” she asked. “Oh, maybe a seven. What’s up, cupcake?”

I fished out my bowl of noodles and stirred them, then stuck them back in the microwave. “Want to help me play Nancy Drew at a frat house? I need backup, and I could really use the skills of a good actress.”

“Love to,” Lurine said promptly and regretfully. “But, honey—”

“I know,” I said to her. “Outside of certain werewolves on the down-low, college students are probably your biggest audience.” Picking up the chain of Stefan’s pendant, I let it dangle from my hand as I regarded it, the cloudy facets glistening dully. “What if I could guarantee you wouldn’t be recognized?”

There was a brief pause. “I’m listening.”

I told her my plan.

“Okay, cupcake. It sounds like fun.” Her voice was filled with light, playful menace. “Shall I send the car for you?”

I smiled. “Lurine, we can’t take a car and driver. I’ll drive. I’ll pick you up in half an hour, okay?”

She sighed. “I hate Method acting.”

Half an hour later, I pulled up to Lurine’s gated drive. I’d exchanged my pumps for strappy sandals, my linen skirt for a denim mini, and shed my demure little cardigan. After announcing myself, I was buzzed through the gates.