“She believes so. They held you for over a week before you were able to escape.”

“Why didn’t I simply tell these people what had happened, when the evidence would have backed me up?”

“You thought it would implicate your friends. You suffered in order to protect them.” He reached out and then pulled his hand back. “I’m so sorry.”

“That’s why I won’t remember,” I said. “Did Lily tell you that I’m terrified of water?”

Ian nodded.

“I can’t even think about filling a tub for a bath. What are the police doing about these accidental deaths?”

“Your acquaintance who died, Ford Poindexter, was the son of a scientist who works for a military contractor. They’re influential enough to keep the deaths off police records.”

“Will these contractors come after me?”

“They didn’t discover your identity, but that doesn’t mean you’re entirely safe. I believe Mercedes knows more about their location, but she won’t disclose anything else.” He took out a phone and said, “Will you call her and give your permission to tell me anything she knows about where you were held?”

I nodded and he pressed a few buttons on the phone and then said, “Mercedes, I’m here with Milagro. She’d like to speak with you.”

I took the phone and said, “Hi, sweetness.”

“Hey, Mil. So you’re with Ian?”

“Yes, he’s interviewing me about what I know. What did I tell you about where I was held?”

“You weren’t sure of the location. I’ve tried to narrow down the possible neighborhoods from your description.”

“Okay, I give my permission for you to tell whatever you know to Ian.”

“Are you absolutely sure?”

I looked at the dark-haired man. “Yes, I’m absolutely sure. Oh, and guess what? I got engaged to Oswald again!”

“Oh,” she said. “Let’s talk tomorrow, okay?”

“Hokay, love ya.” I returned the phone to Ian who said, “Thank you, darling.”

The term seemed so personal that I was startled and then I realized that Ian was one of those continental smoothies who probably called every coat-check girl “darling.”

“If Mercedes hadn’t seemed so concerned, I wouldn’t have believed any of this,” I said. “I thought I was supposed to be answering your questions.”

“You are. Did you kill Wilcox Spiggott?”

“I frequently say that I want to kill someone, but I hope I would never do anything so unforgivable. I couldn’t stand myself if I took another life.”

“I don’t believe you killed Spiggott. You were fond of him,” Ian said. “Lily’s quite concerned about your answers to word associations and your refusal to accept that we’re vampires.”