Myrddin's Magic - Book One of the Magic Trilogy

Chapter Twenty

Gabriel slipped into Amalie's apartment, moving aside the yellow tape as he unlocked the door. Her dirty clothes were in the hamper, and he picked out the top she had been wearing the day before. He tucked it into his pocket and left the apartment again. "What are you doing with Amalie's favorite shirt?" asked Chloe. She stopped outside the neighboring apartment door as she took a bag of garbage over to the garbage chute.

"I need it for my investigation", he said. He tried to move past her to the stairs, all the while grumbling mentally about the fact that Killian had not yet mesmerized Chloe and made her fall asleep. "Aren't you tired after just flying in from...Tuscany, was it?"

"Yes, it was, and you know it. I don't think you forget anything with that brain of yours. I make snap judgments on people, but I have only gotten one wrong ever."

"While this is fascinating, I have work to do." There was something about Chloe that rubbed him the wrong way. She wasn't sweet like Amalie, and he wondered how they had become such good friends.

"Won't you ask me when I got it wrong?" She stuck her hand on her waist and jutted a hip out, and just dared Gabriel to argue with her.

"No." He almost smiled at her look of frustration. She wasn't used to not getting a lot of attention.

"It was with Amalie's ex-boyfriend. I thought he was a good guy until I found out what a creep he was. What are you doing in your search for Amalie? From what I can see, you are just getting some cheap thrills from stealing women's clothes. Do you have some of mine in there as well?" She moved to look in Gabriel's pockets.

He stopped her. "I just have Amalie's top in here. We'll use the dogs to see if we can get some help in finding her. We know that she was carried from the ground outside your apartment to a car. It's a long shot to see if the dogs can pick up the scent from the car, but you never know. These dogs are special and can find almost anything at any time."

"I'd like to see that. Can I come see?"

"No."

She stuck her lip out. "She's my friend. I'd like to be there."

"No."

Her face became mulish. "I'm coming."

"No. Have you seen Killian lately?"

"He's inside. If I don't get to go, Killian shouldn't get to go either."

"I didn't say he would go. I was just wondering where he was."

"He's watching TV, although he can't be concentrating on it very hard. He keeps looking at his watch."

"Perhaps he has plans for tonight."

"What could be more important than learning where Amalie is?"

"I don't know. Why don't you ask him?"

"Maybe I will." She marched into the apartment and brushed past Brandon. Gabriel followed behind, smiling to himself as she worked her way into a full head of lather.

"What do you have to do that is so important tonight?" she demanded belligerently.

"What do I have to do?" asked Killian, momentarily nonplussed.

"Yes. You keep looking at your watch as if you are waiting for something." She stood in front of him, her hands on her hips, as she tapped her foot.

"I can see why you are upset. I'm worried. We haven't had a ransom call yet, and the FBI always says that the more time that goes past a kidnapping, the less likely the kidnapping victim will be found alive", said Killian.