Tobias took in the badge and weapon. The dwarf ’s pale blue eyes flicked to the sedan sitting in front of the store. He knew a cop car when he saw one too. “Who are you?”

“Detective Donovan Caine. I’m an old family friend of the Foxes.”

Finn flashed another grin and pointed his finger at the detective. “Maybe you’ve heard of him. He was the one who killed Alexis James, that loopy Air elemental who was stealing from Halo Industries, her own company. Happened about two months ago. It was all over the news. Mayor even gave him a medal for his stellar investigative work.”

Donovan grimaced at Finn’s sly, mocking praise. The detective knew what had really happened. That I’d been the one who’d killed Alexis James and her flunkies in the Ashland Rock Quarry. And that he’d accepted the credit and accolades for something he didn’t even do.

Tobias Dawson knew who the detective was, all right.

The knowledge flashed in his icy eyes. But Caine’s status as a member of the Ashland police force made the dwarf reconsider his options. Ashland might be a dangerous city, and the cops might be as crooked as the surrounding mountain roads, but folks still stopped to think before they took out a member of the po-po. There were payoffs to consider, bribes, chains of command. Not to mention the fact Donovan Caine was something of a folk hero in the city—an honest cop among a sea of corrupt ones. Caine’s death would raise a lot of questions, even for somebody as well connected as Tobias Dawson.

The dwarf ’s eyes went to Donovan, then Finn, then Warren. He didn’t glance at me or Violet. Evidently us mere womenfolk weren’t much of a threat. Sexist bastard.

Still, Tobias could count as well as the next person.

Five of us, six of him and his men. Not great odds, even if we were saddled with an old man and two women.

But Donovan Caine’s badge was the tipping point—for now.

Tobias stared at Warren again. “You have three days to think about my last offer. And it is my last offer. I suggest you think real hard on it. Before I have to come back and ask you to reconsider it.”

The dwarf spit out another stream of dirty tobacco juice, turned on his snakeskin boot heel, and stalked back to the SUV. He made a circle gesture with his hands.

Round up and move out. One by one, his four goons turned and fell in step behind him.

Donovan Caine stayed where he was, face hard, hazel eyes cold and flat, until the vehicle pulled out of the parking lot. The driver took a right at the crossroads and zoomed out of sight. Once it was gone, the detective blew out a breath and rubbed a hand through his black hair.