The Tracker's Mate: Sunderverse (Mate Tracker Book 1) by Ingrid Seymour (book recommendations website TXT) 📕

“Then why you look so worried?”

“Well, I haven’t told anyone, but I was there when Jake found him, and I got a good look at two of the people there, including one of Bernadetta Fiore’s men.”

Tom cocked his head to one side, and without saying a word, listened to my story. It wasn’t the entire thing. I had to leave out my blackout and the fact that I woke up naked on my agency’s rooftop. I didn’t want him to worry about me, or start asking questions I couldn’t answer, so I thought it best to leave all the inexplicable bits out. Basically, my story amounted to how Bertram cornered me in the alley and how Prince Kalyll showed up to remove the female Fae from the premises. Of course, I didn’t mention how I’d manhandled her as if she were a child—especially since I still hadn’t decided whether or not I’d gone temporarily insane and had imagined the whole thing.

When I finished, Tom considered quietly for a long moment. I wondered if he’d spotted my lies, but I really couldn’t tell.

Finally, he said, “I’ll make a few phone calls. You need to go in and make a statement, then we can bring Bernadetta’s driver up for questioning. Also, we’ll get a sketch artist to make a likeness of this Gonira character in case she shows up here again.”

“Sounds good. I hope something comes out of it.”

“Me too. Me too.” He nodded thoughtfully. “We need a break. They found the body of the woman who planted the bomb, so that led nowhere. Whoever sent her took care to silence her.”

I couldn’t help but feel that she deserved it.

A knock came at the door, and to my surprise, Father Vincent walked in dressed in casual clothing, jeans, oxfords, and a dress shirt rolled up to the elbows. He looked different without his clerical collar and dark clothes. Relaxed and more handsome.

“I was starting to worry you wouldn’t show,” Tom said.

Father Vincent checked his wristwatch. “Um, I’m two minutes late.”

“Exactly.”

The priest chuckled, shook his head, and turned his attention to me. “Toni, it’s good to see you.” His cheeks colored as if he were embarrassed for some reason.

“Me, too.” I gave him a warm smile, sensing, by their banter, that the two had become friends.

“You... look different.” I gestured toward his clothes.

“Yeah, about that...” He held a finger up, opened the door, and stuck his head out. “Hey, come on in.”

I frowned and exchanged a glance with Tom, giving him a “what is going on?” expression. He shrugged. A moment later, I almost fell out of my chair when Celina Morelli walked into the room. My mouth opened and closed as a squeak of shock got stuck in my throat.

“Celina, look who’s here.” Father Vincent inclined his head in my direction.

“Oh, hello, Toni.” She gave me a wide smile. Her brown eyes sparkled as if stars had gotten stuck inside them. In fact, an angelic glow seemed to surround her entire face.

“How... did you two...?”

“Your partner,” Celina said.

“What?!” I couldn’t believe it. Rosalina had gone against my decision? She had betrayed me?

Celina took a step closer. “Oh, please, don’t be mad at her. It’s not her fault. After our telephone conversation, I was angry, so I went by your office to reclaim my deposit and get the truth about your supposed failure. As you can see, I got it out of her.”

“Got it out of her? How?” And why in the hell hadn’t Rosalina told me anything about this?

“I might have... threatened to sue your agency.”

“You what?!”

“I wouldn’t have, of course.”

Somehow, I didn’t believe her. My eyes drifted to Father Vincent. Should I even call him that anymore? He stood with his hand stuffed in his pockets, rocking on his heels. Tom, for his part, sat quietly on the bed, observing the situation with rabid interest, as if he were watching a soap opera.

Celina locked arms with... Vincent. “After your partner told me, I went and found him and explained everything. It’s just as you promised. We’re perfect for each other.”

“But... what about his job?” I felt mortified. This was all my fault. He had abandoned his calling, and all those people he could have helped now had one less angel on their side. “Oh, God, I feel horrible.”

“Please, don’t,” Vincent said, glancing shyly at Celina. “I must confess... nothing has ever felt this right in my entire life. Besides, there is more than one way to be happy and serve the Lord.”

The what?! He must be really having a religious experience, a truly ecstatic one, to change his tune so drastically.

Damn, Toni, get your mind out of the gutter.

“Am I correct to assume that you’ve quit the church?” Tom asked, folding his arms over his chest.

“I have,” Vincent confirmed.

“All for some skirt?”

I winced. Tom wasn’t always tactful with his choice of words.

“Mm-hmm.” Vincent looked like he was holding back a smile, like he and Tom were sharing an inside joke. “Yes.”

“Well, hot damn, congratulations!” Tom exclaimed.

I did a double-take. Tom was supposed to be a devout Catholic, and he approved of this? What was going on here? And why did I suddenly feel like the oldest person in the room when I was the youngest?

Tom and Vincent shook hands, the latter smiling like an idiot.

“Sunder’s Mate Tracker Agency,” Tom said in a jovial tone, “bringing happiness to lost souls everywhere. Maybe I’ll have to take you up on your offer to find me someone.” He shook a finger at me, smiling, happy to be alive—like Stephen.

“Well,” I stood, “it seems my work is done here.”

Unexpectedly, Celina wrapped me tightly in her arms. “Thank you. You’re amazing.” She pulled away and held me at arms’ length.  “I was skeptical, to say the least, but you have made a believer out of me. I paid your partner, and a few of my friends are eager to talk to you.”

“Really?” I blinked repeatedly, the dreams of keeping the agency and securing my new