"Do what?" Darius drawled, running his fingertips over the table's pitted surface.
"Get food for me. "
Darius glanced over his shoulder. "My dear boy, it was a request calculated to put the butler at ease. Our presence in this room is a source of great discomfort for him as is the request to question anew his staff. The request for food shall be a relief for him. Now please sit, and when the victuals and libations arrive, you must consume them. I have had my fill prior. "
There was the scraping sound of a chair being dragged back and then a creak as Tohrment's weight settled on the seat.
The steward arrived momentarily.
Which was awkward, as Darius didn't really have anything to ask him. Where was the food--
"Sires," the butler said with pride as he opened the door with a flourish.
Staff filed in with all manner of trays and tankards and provisions, and as the feast was laid out, Darius cocked a brow at Tohrment and then pointedly stared down at the various foodstuffs.
Tohrment, ever the polite male, helped himself.
Darius nodded at the butler. "This is a repast worthy of such a house. Verily your master should be most proud. "
After the butler and the others left, the steward waited patiently and so did Darius until Tohrment had taken all he could. And then Darius got to his feet.
"Verily, may I inquire of you a favor, Steward Fritzgelder?"
"But of course, sire. "
"Will you be so kind as to store my colleague's bag for us during the eve? We shall return after we have made our surveillance. "
"Oh, yes, sires. " Fritzgelder bowed low. "I shall take the best of care of his things. "
"Thank you. Come, Tohrment, we are off. "
As they went outside, he could feel the ire of the boy and was not at all surprised when his arm was caught.
"I can take care of myself. "
Darius stared over his shoulder. "Of that there is no doubt. However, I do not need a partner who is weakened by an empty gut and--"
"But--"
"--if you think this family of great means would begrudge a meal to aid in the search of their daughter, you are vastly mistaken. "
Tohrment dropped his hand. "I shall find lodging. Food. "
"Yes, you will. " Darius nodded to the ring of trees around the neighboring estate. "Now may we proceed?"
When Tohrment nodded, the pair of them dematerialized into the forest and then stalked their way onto the property of the other mansion.
With each forward stride toward their destination, Darius felt upon him a sense of crushing dread which increased until he found it hard to breathe: Time was working against them.
Every night that passed and they didn't find her was another step closer to her death.
And they had so very little to go on.
Chapter Thirty-six
The Caldwell Greyhound terminal was on the far side of down-town, on the edge of the industrial park that stretched south of the city. The old flat-roofed building was ringed by a corral of chain- link fence, as if the buses were flight risks, and its porte cochere had a sag in the middle.
As John took form in the lee of a parked bus, he waited for Xhex and Qhuinn. Xhex was the first to arrive, and man, she was looking much better; the second attempt at eating had stayed down just fine and her color was really good. She was still in the scrub bottoms Doc Jane had given her, but on top she had on one of his black hoodies, and one of his windbreakers.