Gabriel looked at Otis and visibly relaxed. “Okay.”
Lucy opened the door. A tall, stunning redhead dressed in tight-fitting leather from her low-cut, corset top to her spike-heeled leather boots stood in the hallway. A leather whip was clipped to her wide leather belt. She was in the process of peeling off gauntlet-length leather gloves. She smiled a weary smile.
“Good morning,” she said. Her voice was throaty and sensual. “I knew you would be up.”
“Hi, Veronica,” Lucy said. “Busy night at the Dungeon?”
“The usual. I’m exhausted. Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if I could borrow some eggs. I realized on my way home that I’m out. You know me. After a long night’s work I am absolutely ravenous.”
“Sure, come on in.” Lucy stood back.
Otis chortled and waved his toy dust bunny.
“Good morning, little guy.” Veronica removed a set of velvet handcuffs from her belt and leaned down to give them to Otis. “There you go. Have fun.”
Otis could barely contain himself. He rushed back to the kitchen with his treasure.
“Don’t lose the key this time,” Lucy called after him.
Veronica chuckled. “No worries, I’ve got an extra key.”
“Good to know. The last time he used your handcuffs to make a trapeze swing, it took us twenty minutes to extricate him.”
“I remember.”
Gabriel appeared. He inclined his head politely. “Good morning.”
Veronica gave him a glowing smile. “Mr. Jones. I recognize you from your pictures in the press. I couldn’t help but notice the vehicle parked out front. Nice little ghost you’ve got attached to the plates, by the way. Slick.”
“This is Veronica Star,” Lucy said to Gabriel.
“A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Star,” he said. “You’re the person who got the message Lucy sent just before she disappeared two months ago, aren’t you?”
“That was me,” Veronica said.
“It was very helpful,” Gabriel said. “It gave me a starting point.”
“I know, Lucy told me. Glad the information was helpful. We were all very worried.”
“Gabriel is going to reopen my case,” Lucy said. “He believes my story.”
“Excellent,” Veronica said. “About time someone paid attention.” She looked at Gabriel. “Call me Veronica. Apparently we’re going to be neighbors.”
“For a while,” Gabriel said.
“It’s a professional relationship,” Lucy said quickly. “If you saw the news, you know that I have a contract with the Guild. Gabriel feels I may be in danger until the case he’s investigating is closed.”
“Right, ‘professional.’” Veronica pulled a card out of her leather handbag and handed it to Gabriel. “Welcome to Illusion Town. I’m usually fully booked, but I would be delighted to make room for the director of the Guild. Please feel free to call to make an appointment. By the way, the club will be running a special for members of the Guild. A package of six sessions, half-price. Includes a cocktail. Just our way of welcoming the organization.”
“Thanks.” Gabriel glanced at the card. “The Dungeon Club.”
“That’s right. We specialize in discipline.”
“I see it’s on the Strip in the Amber Zone,” Gabriel said. “You must have witnessed the power outage.”
“Did we ever. Now I know the meaning of the phrase As dark as a dungeon.” Veronica shuddered. “Luckily all of the clients were blindfolded at the time, so they never had a clue. My colleagues and I tried to find the doors so we could evacuate everyone if necessary, but the signs over the emergency exits went out along with everything else. It was really unnerving, and I say that as a true control freak.”
“It’s not just unnerving,” Gabriel said. “It’s potentially catastrophic.”
Veronica watched him with an uneasy expression. “Do you think it could happen again?”
“I don’t see why not,” Gabriel said.
“Okay,” Veronica said, “you just ruined my day. I assume the Guild will be involved in the investigation?”
“It’s on my to-do list,” Gabriel said.
Mad chortling from the kitchen interrupted the discussion. Several thumps and rumbles of dust bunny outrage followed.
“I knew it was a bad idea to give him those handcuffs again,” Lucy said with a sigh.
She hurried down the hall and went into the kitchen. Veronica and Gabriel followed.