Greywalker - Kat Richardson [82]
Colleen glared at both of us and directed us in. Cam, the coward, let me go first. She led us into a stiff, formal room. I shot a glance at Cameron and he made a grimace. This must have been the child-free zone of his youth, approached only on formal occasions or under parental indictment. We were being called onto the antique Chinese carpet.
Cameron’s mother sat down on the pale cream sofa and pointed us at narrow-backed chairs without armrests. I sat on the love seat across from her instead. After a second’s pause, Cameron sat next to me.
Colleen reined in a scowl, but didn’t comment. “I would like an explanation out of both of you. Now.”
Cameron started to answer, “Mo—”
I cut him off with a hand gesture, presenting his mother a bland face. “Of what, Colleen?”
“Of this phone call I had from Cameron this evening. Of what is really going on. Now, please.”
“I think we need some clarification first,” I suggested, sitting back and stretching out my legs to their full, space-hogging length. I crossed my booted feet at the ankle, heels pointing at her in insouciant despite. “You hired me to find your son and I have, unless you claim that this young man is not your son. Is he?”
“Yes, of course he is,” she replied. “But—”
“Then you agree that I’ve supplied the service you contracted for.”
She hedged. “Up to a point.”
“There was no other point agreed on in the contract or our discussion, Colleen. As his mother, you were concerned for your son. As the executrix of his trust fund, you were concerned for your trustee. Here he is—son and trustee, whole and sound. I’m willing to discuss the case with you insofar as it doesn’t intrude on Cameron’s privacy—even further with his permission. But, professionally and ethically, that’s all I will do.”
She glowered, but she also knew I had her, as far as contracts were concerned. “Very well, then. You can send me your bill and go now.”
Cameron was vibrating with tension, his flickering making me dizzy. “I want her to stay. Mom, I’m sorry I tried to run away from my problem and that I didn’t get in touch with you a lot earlier, but I knew you would have a hard time with this. I had a hard time with it, and I’m still having a hard time. I wish you’d cut me some slack.”
“Slack? You sound just like your sister. You think you’ll be handled with kid gloves if you just whine enough.”
“I’m not whining. I’m trying to explain,” he said, shooting his arms out to the side and nearly smacking me. I refused to flinch.
She snapped back at him. “Evading and lying is more to the point. You can’t imagine how disappointed I am in you.”
“Actually, Mom, I’ve got a pretty good idea. I got in over my head. I did some stupid things. I’m disappointed in me, too. But that doesn’t change the situation. I’m still . . . what I am,” he finished, dropping his hands between his knees.
“A vampire? Cameron, really!”
“Smile, Cameron,” I suggested.
He rolled his eyes at me and made an ugly grimace. His lips peeled back from his teeth and his too-sharp canines glinted in the light. Colleen recoiled and stared.
“Andrew Cameron! Stop that. Who did you persuade to mutilate your teeth like that?”
“They’re not fake, Mom,” he said. “They came with the outfit, so to speak. So did this.” He shimmered a little and became Grey. I spotted him right off this time, and grinned.
Ignoring me, Colleen jerked forward. “Cameron! Cameron! Stop that! Stop it!” she yelled. She turned her glare on me again.
I shook my head, stone-faced again. “No smoke and mirrors here.”
She reached out and flailed at what seemed to her thin air. She slapped her son on the shoulder.
“Ow!” he yelped and shimmered back into the normal.
She grabbed on to him with both hands, which pulled her off the sofa. She crouched on the floor in front of him and held on tight to his upper arms.
“What did you do? Where did you go?” she demanded.
“I was right here, Mom. You just couldn’t see me. I don’t know how it works. I just concentrate on being gone and I disappear.” He tried to shrug, but she held him too hard. “It just comes with the job, I