Bitten (Book 1 - Book 4) novel Chapter 55

Uri kissed her cheek, then rubbed his cheek against hers.

“Good luck,” he said.

“Thanks.”

He left the limo. She watched him enter the bank while Bonnie pulled away from the curb. Suddenly, the limo jerked and swerved back to the curb. The doors unlocked. A door opened.

Natalia wondered what Uri forgot.

Tia slid into a seat and shut the door. The doors locked and Bonnie pulled into traffic.

“Good morning,” Tia said. “I got your message.”

“Thanks. I didn’t know if I could do this alone. I’m glad you could clear your schedule.”

“Not a good day for this, but then no day is good. We’re lucky it’s the cold and flu season. A sudden absence is understood.”

“I’ve seen sniffles here and there, but…“

Natalia realized she hadn’t seen any illness among the Viperians.

Tia smiled.

“No, we don’t catch the cold virus,” she said, answering the question Natalia hadn’t voiced. “And you won’t ever again.”

“Why?”

“Sanguine tea is an excellent antiviral remedy.”

“You could market it to the world and make a fortune,” Natalia said.

“With one problem. Undents can’t tolerate sanguine tea.”

“But I drink it every day.”

“You’re been bitten and you’re pregnant with a Viperian child. Once your daughter is born, you’ll get much less tea. And if Uri doesn’t bite you once in a while, you’ll actually get to the point where you find it distasteful and upsetting to your system.”

“So that means my father isn’t drinking Sanguine tea.”

“If Brianna isn’t biting him, then that is true.”

“She said she hasn’t.”

“Good for her.”

Natalia almost felt like the limo was heading back home until Bonnie made a turn into an unknown neighborhood. The houses were quaint with large yards. After going a few blocks in, the limo pulled up to the curb and parked.

Natalia recognized Kate’s car. No one was in it.

Both Tia and she got out of the limo and followed the front walk to the door. Tia tapped the door. It was a few minutes before the door opened.

Natalia figured this was Trina. Behind her were Mag and Zena, looking a little solemn. Trina looked like the typical Viperian. Her black hair was up in a bun. Her eyes were green and wary. She looked to be in her thirties. She gave them a stern look before she admitted them into the house.

“Morning, Trina,” Tia said. “Sorry to intrude.”

“Mag and Zena said you needed to talk to me.”

Natalia looked beyond Mag and Zena.

“What’s happening?”

There were travel chests and boxes in the living room.

Trina’s lips were pressed together like she was going to need a crowbar to open them.

“Perhaps we should just get to the point of why we’re here. I’m Nattie, Uri’s wife,” she said introducing herself.

She decided she needed to ignore the chests for the moment.

Trina just nodded.

“I’m sorry to have used Mag and Zena. They are my maids, if you didn’t know. I understand the importance of a good maid, confidentiality, and such. They are the best, and I couldn’t manage without them.”

These words did nothing to defrost Trina.

“You must have the same close relationship with Cora. I only know her through the fine work she does at the jail.”

Trina didn’t move or acknowledge any of this.

“I believe Cora is a fine person, but… but we are under the impression that someone is using her.”

“We’ve received confidential information that there will be a jail break tomorrow,” Tia said. “The only person we know who could assist with this is Cora.”

“Ms. Cora would never do such a thing,” Trina said with conviction.

“She would if the right people told her there was to be a drill at the jail and that all prisoners were to be moved.”

“And you’re saying those right people are people we’ve entrusted with the jail?”

“Yes,” Tia said, “But they are not the usual ones. Since Corean will be at the Wednesday meeting, there will be three volunteers.”

There was a very long moment of silence.

“It’s the three volunteers that we can’t trust,” Tia said.

Trina’s eyes moved from Tia to Natalia then back to Tia. Natalia had the feeling she was doing a lot of thinking.

“Cora was asked to be at the jail tomorrow,” Trina said, sounding a little tentative.

Tia gave a patient nod. Natalia knew to not move or make a sound. She found herself hardly breathing.

“She wasn’t happy about it because tomorrow evening is when she and Alfie are leaving on vacation. To get away from the cold and snow.”

Tia nodded again.

“She told me she was asked special since this would allow Corean to attend the Wednesday meeting. She was told it would only take a half-hour of her time.”

“What time is she leaving for vacation?”

“Their ship leaves at nine-thirty. It’s a special cruise put on by some club that Alfie belongs to. I’m not familiar with it.”

“We can’t let Cora go to the jail,” Natalia said while she thought about what would have happened were Kasseen still alive. “Her life may depend on it.”

Trina swallowed hard.

“And I wouldn’t trust Alfie, either,” Tia said.

“He’s been acting strangely,” Trina said.

The stiffness in her body eased, and she almost looked relieved.

“How so?”

“He and Cora have shared this house for a long time, but more like roommates. They don’t share a room. Of late, he’s been very attentive. Wanting to know how she is, where she’s going, and such. She says he rarely ever took her out for lunch and now they go almost every day.”

There was a moment of silence as if Trina was thinking of her words.

“And now there’s this trip. They’ve never taken a trip before. I was always under the impression that Alfie hated to travel.”

“What time were they to leave for the ship?”

“Because Cora needs to go to the jail, he’s going ahead with all the luggage. Then he’ll come back to pick her up.”

“The time?” Tia said with a little urging.

“He’s leaving at six. He’s to pick her up at seven-fifteen.”

“Kasseen will be at the jail,” Tia said. “We know he’s not afraid to kill.”

Tia was also proceeding as if Kasseen were alive.

Natalia nodded, remember the teen’s throat he’d slit. She still felt apprehension, even though she knew Kasseen was dead.

Trina swallowed hard again.

“I don’t like him either. He comes at night after Cora goes to bed and meets with Alfie. A woman knows when men are up to something.”

Tia nodded.

“We need to talk to Cora, but we need to proceed carefully. She can’t let Alfie know.”

Trina nodded.

“Has Alfie been showing any money lately?” Natalia said.

Trina looked a little shocked and nodded.

“He bought her a huge diamond cluster ring, but it was too small. He sent it out to be resized. He is supposed to pick it up tomorrow.”

Too small, Natalia thought, because it was sized to fit Anna.

She looked at Tia who she nodded as if she had come to the same conclusion.

“How can we meet with Cora without cluing her in?” Natalia said.

“Alfie never did sign the papers that would allow me to handle the daily expenses,” Trina said. “He’s very thrifty and always afraid I’m wasting his money.”

“Can Cora sign those papers?” Tia said.

Trina nodded.

“She usually defers to him thus why she hasn’t.”

“Have her call Cora to get the papers signed? Tell her that a maid friend… Mag, volunteered to bring her over to the courthouse so as not to inconvenience her?”

“She would believe that,” Trina said. “I’ve done such things before.”

“We can meet her in the limo and have a chat,” Tia said.

“If that’s okay with you,” Natalia said to Trina.

“If you’re going to save her life, of course, I’m okay with that. Cora is the most gentle good person I’ve ever known.”

“Thank you,” Natalia said.

“I appreciate your cooperation,” Tia said.

“However,” Trina said in a careful voice, “she might not be receptive to you.”

“She’s been wooed in by Alfie?” Natalia said.

Trina nodded.

“She’s been wanting his attention for sometime now. Now that he’s giving it to her, she’s been so happy.”

“And blind,” Tia said. “The worse thing that can happen is she keys in Alfie about our suspicions.”