Guild Boss (Ghost Hunters #14)(49)

“This is Veronica Star,” Lucy said to Gabriel.

“A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Star,” he said. “You’re the person who got the message Lucy sent just before she disappeared two months ago, aren’t you?”

“That was me,” Veronica said.

“It was very helpful,” Gabriel said. “It gave me a starting point.”

“I know, Lucy told me. Glad the information was helpful. We were all very worried.”

“Gabriel is going to reopen my case,” Lucy said. “He believes my story.”

“Excellent,” Veronica said. “About time someone paid attention.” She looked at Gabriel. “Call me Veronica. Apparently we’re going to be neighbors.”

“For a while,” Gabriel said.

“It’s a professional relationship,” Lucy said quickly. “If you saw the news, you know that I have a contract with the Guild. Gabriel feels I may be in danger until the case he’s investigating is closed.”

“Right, ‘professional.’” Veronica pulled a card out of her leather handbag and handed it to Gabriel. “Welcome to Illusion Town. I’m usually fully booked, but I would be delighted to make room for the director of the Guild. Please feel free to call to make an appointment. By the way, the club will be running a special for members of the Guild. A package of six sessions, half-price. Includes a cocktail. Just our way of welcoming the organization.”

“Thanks.” Gabriel glanced at the card. “The Dungeon Club.”

“That’s right. We specialize in discipline.”

“I see it’s on the Strip in the Amber Zone,” Gabriel said. “You must have witnessed the power outage.”

“Did we ever. Now I know the meaning of the phrase As dark as a dungeon.” Veronica shuddered. “Luckily all of the clients were blindfolded at the time, so they never had a clue. My colleagues and I tried to find the doors so we could evacuate everyone if necessary, but the signs over the emergency exits went out along with everything else. It was really unnerving, and I say that as a true control freak.”

“It’s not just unnerving,” Gabriel said. “It’s potentially catastrophic.”

Veronica watched him with an uneasy expression. “Do you think it could happen again?”

“I don’t see why not,” Gabriel said.

“Okay,” Veronica said, “you just ruined my day. I assume the Guild will be involved in the investigation?”

“It’s on my to-do list,” Gabriel said.

Mad chortling from the kitchen interrupted the discussion. Several thumps and rumbles of dust bunny outrage followed.

“I knew it was a bad idea to give him those handcuffs again,” Lucy said with a sigh.

She hurried down the hall and went into the kitchen. Veronica and Gabriel followed.

The velvet handcuffs were dangling from the refrigerator door handle. The sequined dust bunny was locked inside one of the cuffs. It dangled a couple of feet off the floor. Otis was on the floor, hopping up and down in increasingly alarmed attempts to recover the toy. Every time he bounced up to seize the dust bunny, he succeeded only in batting the cuff, which sent its glittering prisoner swinging out of reach.

“How in the world did he manage to lock his favorite toy inside the cuffs?” Lucy asked. “Never mind.” She looked at Veronica. “Good thing you brought a spare key.”

“You know,” Veronica said, “this gives me an idea for expanding my list of discipline therapies. Thanks, Otis. You’re an inspiration.”





CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO





“I’m not sure this is a good idea,” Brock Roxby said. “There’s a lot of risk involved in your plan.”

Jocelyn Roxby had been pacing the office. She stopped and swung around to glare at her husband. Brock was seated behind his impressive desk, cranked back in an equally impressive chair. The desk and the chair went well with the stylishly decorated office.

Her office was just as imposing. The interiors of Roxby Weather Wizards had been designed by Fortune & Associates, one of the most prestigious design firms in town. The goal had been a CEO suite that could compete with the offices of the top casino moguls. Helen Fortune, the owner of Fortune & Associates, had outdone herself.

“There is very little risk if we handle things carefully,” Jocelyn said. “Don’t be a wimp. This is an incredible opportunity. We can’t let it slip away.”

“But if things go wrong, we could lose everything,” Brock said.

“Here’s the plan, Brock,” Jocelyn said through her teeth. “We don’t let things go wrong. We negotiate. Carefully. We’re good at that, remember?” She swept out a hand to indicate the spacious, expensive headquarters of Roxby Weather Wizards. “Look at the business we’ve built.”

Brock regarded her with a grim expression. She couldn’t deny that he had reason to be apprehensive. She was nervous, too. This was a deal that had to be carefully managed. There was a lot at stake.

“We have to do whatever it takes to make this happen,” she said. “If we pull it off, we’ll be able to expand to the other city-states. We will control the entire weather channeler market. We’ve already got ninety percent of the business down in the Ghost City, and that’s just the beginning. Who knows what will be discovered next in the Underworld? Whatever it is, you can bet weather will be a problem.”