Heidi gaped, and I grabbed her arm. “Oh my goddess!”
I threw my head back and laughed. Of course Will found a way to make sure everyone knew he was a sexy doctor.
An attractive guy in his forties, dressed in a blazer and trim jeans, appeared at Will’s side. My friend dipped his head as the new guy spoke in his ear. His cheeks flushed and he shot me and Heidi a smug look. “Excuse me. I’m going to go dance.”
Heidi and I exchanged impressed looks. Who knew Will was such a hot commodity? I mean, I knew he certainly thought he was, but apparently with good reason.
Heidi grabbed my wrist. “Come on—let’s dance, too.”
I hesitated a moment before letting her drag me through the dense crowd to the flashing dance floor. I half-heartedly swayed from side to side, sipping from my curly straw as Heidi bounced, free arm pumping in the air, head thrown back with abandon.
I mean, I wasn’t sure what I thought I was going to do, going to a club. Maybe just hang off to the side and people watch? But now that I was out on the dance floor, with no one to impress and a couple of days of high anxiety to blow off, I decided to let loose.
I bounced along with Heidi, a little at first, and then pretty soon I was jumping and tossing my long hair. I didn’t care that I spilled bits of my drink or that the wind was probably blowing my hair into an even more tangled mess, or that I probably looked like an idiot. I smiled till my face hurt and worked up a sweat as Heidi and I danced it up.
I grabbed her shoulder as she rolled her head from side to side. “This is fun!”
She nodded, grinning broadly.
I lifted my arms and swayed and closed my eyes. I hadn’t let loose like this in forever. It reminded me of shifting—of spreading my wings and soaring around the night sky above the island, lifted up by gusts of wind, swooping low in a free fall. The freedom of movement, the turning off of my brain. I’d really missed this feeling.
I opened my eyes and looked skyward. A guy half hidden behind one of the pillars on the second story caught my eye. The flashing lights glinted off his silvery tank, but he stood by himself, awkwardly shifting on his feet, keeping in the shadows. He looked familiar. I squinted up, ignoring the other bodies that bumped into me as they danced.
I blinked in surprise when I placed him—Quentin Richards, the archivist from the museum. Huh. So he was into dudes. None of my business, except that it possibly explained why he’d been so distraught over Geoffrey’s death. Had they been together?
I frowned as I watched him. But he seemed so lurky and awkward. I hadn’t known the victim, but from what I’d learned of him, Geoffrey seemed like a cosmopolitan, stylish, confident guy. I had a hard time seeing them together.
His eyes drifted across the dance floor and met mine. Our gazes locked for a couple of moments, then his eyes widened and he stumbled back. I grinned. Oh yeah. He had something to hide.
I leaned close to Heidi. “I’ll be right back.”
She nodded and turned to dance with a new friend. I slid off the dance floor and wove my way through the churning, swaying crowd to the glowing stairs and jogged up to the second story. I rounded the corner and bumped into Quentin, no doubt on his way down.
He stumbled away from me and looked wildly around, as if trying to escape.
I held up my palms. “Hey. Relax.” The music was slightly quieter up here and I didn’t have to shout quite so loudly.
His chest heaved, and I glanced down at his chain mail tank. I frowned. “Is that from the museum?” I cocked my head. “Are you allowed to wear exhibits?”
He laced his hands together, pleading. “Please don’t tell anyone.”
“Uh.” I crossed my arms and stepped closer. “About the chain mail?”
“About being here and—” He lowered his voice. “—being gay.”
I lifted a brow. “Pretty sure you don’t have to worry about that word here.”
He shook his head, his lanky hair flopping. “I’m not out.”
Ah. I leaned into one hip and sighed. “Were you and Geoffrey together?”
His eyes widened. “What? No.” He shook his head. “I—I don’t think he even knew I existed.” He groaned and dragged his hands down his face. When he looked up, tears glistened in his eyes behind his glasses. “I—I think I accidentally killed him.”
21
ARCHIVES
The sky was brightening with the first gray light of dawn when Will, Heidi, and I gathered in the narrow alley and watched Quentin fumble with a key ring.
Heidi yawned deeply and rubbed her goose pimpled arms. Will shrugged out of his white lab coat and hung it around her shoulders. She shot him a bleary-eyed, grateful look.
“Wow. What if all the guys flock to her now?”
Will shot me a flat look. “As if my charisma could be contained in a coat.”
I grinned and lowered my voice. “Thank you, guys, but you didn’t have to come with me.” I jerked my head toward the hunched, trembling Quentin. The keys clattered to the dirty cobblestones and he ducked to grab them, nearly tipping over as he bent forward. “Pretty sure I could take him.”
“Uh!” Heidi let out an indignant huff. “We’re not letting you go into a basement alone with a possible killer.” She looked around and lowered her voice to a whisper. “And you don’t even have powers.”
Will didn’t bother covering a yawn. “Pretty sure the fish is out of the net on that one.”
I shot him a pointed look, then turned back to Heidi. “You guys sound like Peter… but thanks.”
Though I protested, it was nice to have the company. My lack of
