He leaned back in his chair, his deceptively sleepy eyes half-lidded. “At this point? As far as I’m concerned, we have two priorities.” He lifted one finger. “The first is finding the remaining victim in this tragedy. If she’s out there, we need to find her. Fast. Before they decide she’s too big a liability and get rid of her. Cody?”

Cody nodded. “I’m on it, sir.”

“The second is keeping a lid on the tension in town.” His gaze shifted to me. “How did your meeting with Amanda Brooks go?”

Unable to help myself, I made a face. “She wants me to keep vampires off the streets and put pretty, sparkly fairies on them. Preferably at prearranged times suitable for paranormal tourism.”

The implacable weight of his gaze pressed on me. “I’d say that’s a damn fine idea if it’s doable. Is it?”

I sighed. “I’m on it, sir.”

Although it felt like it ought to be nearly time for bed, in fact it was barely past two o’clock in the afternoon yet. Checking my phone as I exited the station, I found a voice mail from Mom, sounding a bit worried. Feeling guilty at having neglected her, I called her on my way to the Fabulous Casimir’s shop.

“Hey, Daisy, baby!” Her voice brightened. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. Just busy. I’ve been working long hours.”

“I know.” She sounded sympathetic. “Lurine told me. She said you stayed at her place last night, and left at the crack of dawn.”

I yawned. “Don’t remind me.”

“But you’re all right?”

“Yeah.” I smiled fondly at the concern in her voice. “Remember Meg Mucklebones? From behind the Cassopolises’ place? She almost got Jen’s little brother, Brandon, this morning.”

She drew a sharp breath. “Oh, Daisy!”

“It’s okay.” Tucking the phone under my chin, I touched dauda-dagr’s hilt. “Honest, I swear. I got her to back down.” I wanted to tell her about my father and the whole temptation scenario, bat wings and fiery whip and all, but with tourists already eyeing the girl with the phone pressed to her ear and the rather large dagger on her hip, I figured it had better wait. “Look, I can’t talk long. I just wanted you to know I was fine. And your reading’s been really, really helpful.”

“Oh?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Pieces are falling into place. Everything but the arrows. Las Jaras, right? Any thoughts?”

“No,” she said apologetically. “I wish I did. Has everything else been as literal as the bottle?”

I thought about La Sirena. “Very much so.”

“Keep it in mind,” she suggested.

“Thanks. I will.” I’d arrived at Casimir’s shop. “Okay, I’ve got to go. Love you!”

“Love you, too, Daisy, baby!” Mom blew a kiss into the phone. “Be careful. Be safe, honey!”

“I will,” I promised before ending the call.