My name is Inferno Bell. I know my mom had one hell of a sense of humor before she vanished.
My dad did the best he could in trying to raise me even called me by my middle name Katherine to give me a normal life. It wasn’t easy being raised as the executioner’s daughter but he did his best until the day a dead man walking got the needle and ended him.
I spent the next four years following every dead end in the cold case file my dad’s buddy gave me on my mom. I ended up taking a freelance photo gig to stay floating and survived off my dad’s inheritance. It wasn’t easy but I made it work.
So I sat here waiting to meet the man who last saw my mom. He went by the name Puck and I couldn’t tell if it was a hockey thing or fae. I took another long swig of the Smirnoff in front of me and gave weary glance around the run down bar.
Several of the guys gave me a half snarl as my eyes passed but beyond that the only thing that stood out about this dive was the name, Unseelie.
I glanced back at my watch, five minutes to midnight. Puck had left me waiting over an hour. I tipped the bottle back finishing the liquid and gathered my things to leave when the door opened wide.
The man entered and the energy of the bar changed dramatically. His eyes hit mine and held me beneath a dark power. I set down my purse and fought the tension in my spine. Ok definitely not hockey.
His skin was bronzed from the sun, his dark hair lightened to an almost spun gold and his eyes were the same color as climbing ivy.
“Miss Bell,” he smiled holding out a single hand.
I stood from the booth slightly and gave him my hand smiling tightly as pulses of shocks traveled up my arm. I withdrew my hand and motioned for him to sit.
“They tell me your name is Puck,” I admitted when he sat down.
“And that yours is Inferno,” he replied smiling slightly.
“Kat,” I replied absently.
“Inferno Katherine Bell,” he stated formally capturing my gaze. “Kat Bell,” he smirked.
“You are very well informed,” I said smiling a pleasant meaningless grin. “Do you mind if we skip the small talk?” I asked looking at his eyes briefly before studying the bottle in front of me.
“Not at all,” he retorted sounding amused.
“When the police questioned you, you said my mother asked for the meeting here in Tanks, nearly fifty miles from our home in Rosewood.” I recounted and he gave me a single nod.
“Why did she want to meet you here?” I demanded meeting his strange green eyes.
“I believe my answer was recorded,” he stated flatly.
I studied his unyielding form and nodded. “She received your name from a mutual friend regarding a possible divorce from my father,” I continued and he gave another nod. “Is there any reason you would have lied to the police about the reason for the meeting?”
“None,” he said firmly.
“Do you know where she went after your meeting?” I asked.
“No Kat. I don’t know where your mother is,” he replied and my spine stiffened sharply. He was lying every fiber in my body knew it.
“Thank you for your time,” I sighed glancing down at my watch, midnight.
“So this interview is over?” he queried sounding amused again.
“If there is nothing new you’d like to add to the police report . . . then yes this interview is over,” I assured reaching for my purse again.
“Can’t I tempt you to join me for dinner?” he queried. “My last appointment went long and it’s still a drive for me to get here as well.”
I looked over the table at him hesitantly then nodded. He was the last lead to my mom I had to do this. His smile went wide and genuine as he waved the waitress over. He ordered a burger and a fruit plate without breaking my eye contact.
“Anything to drink Puck,” the waitress asked sounding annoyed.
“Two more of what she’s having,” he replied dismissingly and she strutted away without a word.
She came back with the Smirnoff’s and slammed them on the table before retreating away. He lifted the bottle in salute and I raised mine in return.
“Can I ask you something?” Puck questioned and I gave him a nod taking a long drink. “Why the sudden interest in your mom? It’s been twelve years.”
I sighed setting down the bottle eyeing him coldly. Most of the bar flies had left leaving it fairly quiet. “I need some answers only she can give,” I stated flatly.
“What if you can’t find her?” he queried drinking slowly.
“Then its over,” I said looking at him unwilling to share when I knew he was flat lying to me. “I don’t believe my mom sought you for a divorce Puck, she loved my dad.”
His eyes darkened slightly. “People fall out of love Kat.”
“Not my folks,” I grunted taking another long drink. “They had this weird fairy tale love story, couldn’t take their hands off each other.”
Puck let out a long breath and his energy vibrated along my skin sharply. “Your mom was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen,” he stated softly.
“Fairest in the land,” I agreed with a sad smile. He gave me a curious glance, “my dad’s hunting buddies used to tease me all the time that my mom was the fairest in all the land like Snow White, ya know?”
Puck nodded slowly. “When she came here she sat right where you are and asked me for help.”
“What kind of help?” I asked dubiously.
“The kind I provide,” he stated enigmatically. “She was referred to me as a divorce attorney,” he said honestly then hesitated, “but she was looking for someone.”
“Who?” I asked leaning closer to him.
“I’m not sure,” he admitted. “I wasn’t much help and she left.”
I nodded slowly as the waitress brought his meal. “Who was the mutual friend that recommended you?”
“I thought the reports mentioned that,” he said eating his burger and sliding the fruit between us.
“No actually,” I said eyeing the fruit suspiciously.
“Her step brother or half brother I guess was his relation, Drake Snow,” he answered around mouthfuls. “You should eat,” he said motioning to the fruit.
“No thank you,” I replied. “So Drake recommended you?”
He nodded and I cursed softly, “something wrong with that?”
“Nope,” I grunted, “just another dead end.”
“Because it’s not unlikely your mother would go to her half brother for advice?” he offered and I shook my head.
“Because he died last year,” I stated.
“And your father,” Puck asked setting down the burger and picking at the fruit.
“Died four years ago,” I answered keeping my voice neutral.
“So you are alone?” he asked sympathetically.
“No.”
His eyes widened and I let out a long breath. I debated my words not wanting to share my life with this stranger.
“I’ve got six guys back home who watch my ass, have since I was born. They’re like my uncles and I’ve got a boss breathin’ down my neck to be in my pants,” I answered finishing the drink and leaving the fruit untouched.
“Won’t you try a bite?” he teased and I shook my head firmly.
“I won’t eat in any bar called Unseelie, no offense,” I retorted.
He sat back crossing his arms eyeing me interestedly. “Superstitious?” he queried darkly.
“Not stupid,” I replied.
“Just try a piece,” he insisted pushing the tray closer.
“Won’t happen,” I grunted waiving the waitress back over but Puck held up a halting hand and she stood still watching the debate. I glanced at his darkening eyes and sat still pushing the energy off of me easily.
I reached into my purse and pulled out a twenty setting on the table.
I reached into my purse and pulled out a twenty setting on the table.
“Thanks for the meeting Puck but I don’t believe there is anything else truthful you are going to tell me, enjoy the dinner,” I said sliding out of the booth and sliding the purse on over my neck securely.
He moved with me standing and blocking the path. I glared at him glancing around at the suddenly too interested remaining flies. One guy stood up from the bar stepping towards us.
“’S there a problem?” he slurred studying us.
Puck’s dark eyes flicked to the tall man irritably. “What are you doing?” he demanded.
“Da lady seems to be given ya da kiss off,” he replied and I caught his dark crimson eyes hidden beneath the thick sable bushy hair. “I reckon you should move on little lady. Dis ain’t a place for lingering.”
I gave him a single nod going wide around him as he kept Puck in place by his sheer size. “You will regret this,” Puck promised to my retreating back and I wasn’t sure if he meant me or the man that aided me.
At that point I really didn’t care. I grabbed my keys and ran across the parking lot to my truck. I got in and started it shakily. My eyes flicked up and I saw Puck standing in the bar doorway. His ivy eyes were illuminated beneath the overhead halogen. I backed up fast and took off down the dark road back to the motel I was staying in.
I breathed out raggedly turning the radio on loud drowning out my lingering anxiety. “What a creep,” I sighed navigating through the small town turning down the down the dirt road and into the derelict motel. I killed the engine and sat in the dark breathing slowly calming the burning rage in my veins.
I glanced around making sure it was safe and got out key in hand as I entered the motel. The old man glanced up from his TV giving me a dark look as I passed by the desk. “In late,” he grunted.
“The lawyer kept me waiting,” I stated and he gave a nod.
“Lawyers are soul stealing leeches feeding off the ass of society,” he grumbled flicking his eyes back to his program. I smirked walking away. “Miss,” he called and I stopped glancing back at him. “I forget you had a message left,” he said holding out a paper.
I took it eyeing the chicken scratch. “Was this a phone call?” I asked reading the single line again.
“Nope,” he muttered wearily. “Some punk came in asking ‘bout cha.”
“Punk,” I repeated rereading the sentence. The little lost kitten was looking for her mama, here kitty, kitty. “What did he look like?”
“A punk,” he snapped irritably, “ya know those idiot kids with their freaky two tone skunk heads,” he went off in a rant and I walked away. I walked down the hall and saw a man unlocking the door across from mine.
He lifted his eyes and smiled warmly. “Howdy,” he greeted.
“Hi,” I murmured walking towards him. He entered his room giving me a wave and closing the door. I unlocked my door and slid in closing and locking it. I tossed my purse and the note on the bed and went to the phone.
I dialed the number by heart. “’Ello,” a deep voice murmured.
“Hey it’s me,” I breathed.
“Kat,” he sighed. “What’s going on? Did Puck tell you anything?”
“No but he definitely knows where she is,” I said sitting down heavily rubbing my weary eyes. “I don’t think he’s the only one in town who does either.”
“What do you mean? What happened?” he asked and I could hear him sitting up in bed.
I told him about the note and the description of two-toned skunk headed punk. “What do you think it means Gabe?”
“I’m not sure kid,” he grunted. “Do you want us to come there?”
“No,” I breathed. “Someone in this town knows what happened to my mom and I don’t think they’ll talk if you guys show up again.”
“So you’re going to use your feminine wiles,” he chuckled.
“Something like that,” I agreed.
“I wish you’d let one of us come up there and at least keep an eye on you,” he rumbled.
“I know Gabe but if they spot you, any of you it will be twelve years ago all over again,” I stated lying back on the bed. “This whole damn town is covering up what happened to my mom. I can see it in every face I pass by. It’s like some damn unspoken whisper. I know she’s here. I can feel her.”
“Then you’ll find her,” he agreed softly, “just promise me you’ll watch your ass.”
“Always,” I promised, “tell the guys I’ll check in when I can.”
“Will do sprite,” he murmured.
“Night,” I breathed.
“Night,” he repeated disconnecting the phone.
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