Bound by Magic (The Baine Chronicles #2)(36)

“Nice,” Lakin murmured as he turned away to help himself to a cup of coffee. “You don’t seem to have any problem being intimidating.”

“It’s a job requirement.” Giving in to temptation, I snagged a chocolate-covered cookie from the platter, then popped the entire thing in my mouth so I wouldn’t risk getting crumbs on my shirt. I wasn’t going to walk into an interview with pieces of cookie on me – that was just unprofessional, especially when the cookies belonged to your suspect.

I turned around just as Aryn returned. “Mr. Danrian will see you now.”

“Excellent,” I quipped, mimicking the Chief Mage’s tone. Lakin choked on his coffee next to me, and I bit back a grin as we followed Aryn to a corner office in the rear of the building. The walls were made entirely of glass, the privacy shades raised so that anyone passing by had a perfect view of the interior – and it was a nice interior, with gold-framed photographs hanging from the cream walls, and honey-wood furniture that glowed beneath the light streaming in through the bay window.

“Good morning,” the manager said coolly, standing up from behind his acre-wide desk. He was wearing a tan-colored suit with a green linen shirt that was a few shades darker than his tie. “I’m Warin Danrian, the regional manager.”

“I’m Shiftertown Inspector Lakin, and this is Enforcer Baine,” Lakin said before I had a chance to respond – guess he was getting tired of me making the introductions. “We’re investigating a crime, and we need to ask you a couple of questions.”

“I see,” Danrian said calmly, but he couldn’t quite wipe the irritation from his expression. “Are they the kind of questions that couldn’t have waited a few more minutes? I was in the middle of helping a client with an important business deal.”

“One of those interest-free loans?” I asked lightly, plucking one of the packets of paperwork from a basket hanging from the wall to my left. “The ones that are so popular in Shiftertown these days?”

Danrian’s eyes narrowed as a crafty gleam entered them. “If you two are interested, we can fill out preliminary paperwork today.” He gestured to the packet in my hands.

“We are interested, but not for ourselves.” Lakin took a seat in one of the visitor’s chairs without invitation, and I followed suit. “Why don’t you sit down, Mr. Danrian, so we can go over it?”

“Alright.” The manager seated himself in the buttery leather chair behind his desk. “Well get on with it, then. What is this all about?”

Lakin pulled a photo from one of the many pockets of his coat. “Do you recognize this man?”

Something flashed in Danrian’s eyes as he glanced down at the photo, a dark skinned, dark haired man with Sandian features. “What about him?”

“His name is Nevin Rindar,” Lakin said. “He’s a reporter for the Shifter Courier. And he came to you for a loan back in January.”

The manager scoffed. “January? Do you have any idea how many shifters we’ve helped with loans over the past six months? You can’t expect me to remember all of them.”

“But you do remember him, don’t you?” I leaned forward to pin the manager with my gaze. “I saw your eyes when you looked at the photo – you recognized the face.”

“It’s vaguely familiar,” the manager said stiffly. “It’s possible that I helped him with a loan, or that any of my staff did so. As I said, we’ve helped out many shifters.”

I scowled – he wasn’t lying, my nose and my hearing told me that much, but I could tell he was dancing around something.

“I’m not sure how much your loan ‘helped’ Nevin Rindar,” Lakin said pointedly. “He’s gone missing in the last two months, vanished without a trace, possibly even dead.”

“And that’s my fault how?” Danrian demanded.

“I haven’t said it is,” Lakin said patiently. “But nevertheless, I would like to know more about these loans you’re offering.”

“And not just what you tell the public either,” I snapped.

“I don’t know what there is to tell,” Danrian said, but sweat had broken out across his upper lip, and I could smell the lie.

“Listen, *.” I slapped my hand on the polished wood of his desk to draw his attention. “I don’t know if anyone’s ever told you this, but it’s not a good idea to lie to shifters. Especially ones who have the ability to throw you in jail for a night or two.”

“Alright, alright!” Danrian cried. He swiped a hand across his square face. “What do you want to know?”

“Why are you offering such favorable terms to shifters specifically?” I demanded. “As far as I can tell you’re not offering interest-free loans to humans or mages, which doesn’t make sense because they have more money. What do you get out of signing shifters up?”

“We get bonuses for every shifter that signs up!” Danrian exclaimed. “Especially if they have houses or property to pledge as security. It’s been a win-win situation on both ends ever since Sandin Federal Bank has started up the program. Hundreds of shifters have been signing up every day across the country!”

“Clearly,” Lakin snapped, impatience burning in his reddish-yellow eyes, “but why? Why are you being offered incentives?”