Steal the Day (Thieves #2)(59)

I’d given an alias for my name, and Dev was incapable of giving them anything. I’d been through processing and had everything taken from me. Knowing the Revelation was in some evidence room was just one more problem I didn’t need. I was going to have to pay a visit to that little room before I left. To top off my trouble, I heard the sheriff calling for someone to take the male to the hospital. I really didn’t want that to happen, hence my wanting Daniel to hurry the hell up. It was time to blow this backwoods town before the feds showed up, and they were going to show up.

“I am looking for Sheriff Jones.” A familiar voice was speaking quietly.

I checked the clock. Three a.m. I was going to kick Daniel’s ass for making me cool my heels this long. Even as it was he hadn’t come in person. He’d sent Chad. I scooted out from under Dev’s now sleeping form and walked to the bars. I had to strain, but I could see Chad looking very professional in a suit. His face was flat, and he looked pissed to be pulled out of bed to have to deal with this shit. There was a man beside him, but he was in sweat pants and a T-shirt. I pegged his age as close to fifty. He yawned as he stood beside Chad.

“I’m the sheriff,” a gruff voice replied.

Chad held up a handful of papers. “Sheriff, these are the three lawsuits I am prepared to file. One is against the county, one against the police department, and the last one names you personally for the wrongful arrest of my clients, Katie Johnson and Devon Finn. They’re the victims of an awful cult, and yet they’re sitting in your jail cell not getting the medical attention they deserve. They were victimized first by your citizens and then again by a corrupt police force.”

“Corrupt?” The sheriff stared at Chad and then looked away. He shook his head as though trying to clear it.

“I’ve already spoken to Judge Laurence who instructed the district attorney’s office to look into the matter.” Chad kept talking but that wasn’t all he was doing.

I could feel the power he was pushing around the room. To the inexperienced, it would feel like the room was getting overheated. It was like a small voice in the back of their head imploring them to do the right thing. It was the very persuasive power of a vampire. It could be used for anything from getting a little blood and a little sex, to persuading a victim to sign over their life savings. Chad was just a baby, but he was already incredibly impressive. He might never be the strongest or the fastest vampire, but he wouldn’t need to be. He could talk people out of what others would take by force. In the vampire world, it was a talent to be highly valued.

“Howard, is this true?” The sheriff looked at the papers, appearing to read them briefly, but even from my vantage point I could see they were blank. They wouldn’t appear that way to the sheriff. He was seeing what Chad wanted him to see.

“I have no idea what you were thinking, Sheriff.” The dude in pajamas seemed to be the district attorney. “It’s obvious those two are the victims. Do you want to make us look like a bunch of small-town idiots? This is going to be a big case. This is going to make the national news, and we’re all going to look like bumpkins.”

Chad nodded. “I’ve already contacted the national news networks. Several major reporters are on their way here even as we speak. This is big news, Sheriff. Two tourists almost become the victims of a local cult. Trust me. Every media outlet in the country is going to cover this story. The question is do you want to be the officer who helped the victims or the one who tossed them in jail?”

The sheriff straightened up, smoothing down his wrinkled shirt. “Really? You mean like CNN?”

Chad nodded. “If you let my clients go now, we’ll do the show from the station with you looking like the hero who rescued them. Otherwise, I’ll be standing outside the station with a protest group talking about the largest lawsuit this county has ever seen. I can make your career, Sheriff, and I promise you I can break it. It’s your choice.”

Dev and I were processed out within fifteen minutes. We were in the van and on our way before anyone thought to ask for credentials.

“You are damn good, Chad,” I said as he steered the car onto the road that would take us to the cemetery.

Chad smiled at me in the rearview mirror, obviously satisfied with a job well done. “You think that was a tough crowd? You should have met my law professors.”

I sat in the back of the van with Dev draped across me. He sighed happily in his sleep. Chad turned into the cemetery. I hated to break it to him, but the job wasn’t over yet. “We have to go back.”

“Not going to happen, Zoey. I have orders. We stay here until Daniel and Neil get back.” Chad got out of the van. He opened the back door so we could talk face to face.

“You don’t understand. I had the item in my hand. It’s in the evidence locker at the jail. I can sneak in and get it. I just need you to pull some vampy mojo on the desk clerk.”

Before Chad could give the multitude of reasons why that was a bad idea, Daniel landed at the edge of the cemetery. He wore all black, from his denims to the duster that billowed around him as he landed with a thud. The ground shook as he hit it. Normally Daniel floated gently, so I knew that sound was meant to get my attention. He looked straight at me as he landed, his mouth a flat line with just the tiniest hint of fangs to let me know he was pissed off. His boots thudded across the dirt, stirring dust in his wake.