Chapter 5

      Shayla got to Broken Chains early, before the place had even begun to fill up. The band hadn’t even arrived yet. Johnny, the bartender, looked up when she entered, his expression surprised. “You’re really early,” he commented.

      “I rented a private room,” she told him, smiling. “Can I get a ginger ale?” The soft drink had become a favorite. And it was far too early in the day to drink.

      “Of course,” he said, pouring the beverage into a glass without ice, just the way she liked it. He checked a clipboard. “You’ve got room three. I’ll start a tab.”

      “Thank you.” Carrying her drink with her, she headed toward the back of the bar, where bright red double doors separated the main area from the private rooms. Rumor had it that all kinds of deals were conducted in those four windowless spaces. Shayla didn’t know for certain, as she’d never rented one before.

      Lately, every time she set foot in Broken Chains she marveled at how this place—a bar, for shark’s sake—felt so much like home. But here was truly the first place she’d ever been where no one was judged for any reason. Talk about diversity—Shifters and Vampires and Merfolk, and who knew what else, all coexisted in harmony. The knowledge, as well as the experience of finally feeling as if she belonged somewhere, made Broken Chains her home away from home.

      Once she stepped through the double doors, she stood in a short hallway that ended with a full-length mirror decorating the wall and reflecting her image back at her. There were two doors on each side, numbered. Number three was the last door on the right.

      She went to it, grasping the knob. Giddy with anticipation, she opened the door and stepped inside.

      The perfectly square room looked like a conference room. Beige walls, boring artwork framed in walnut, dark hardwood floors and a large round mahogany conference table with six upholstered chairs.

      At first disappointed, she shook her head and laughed. What had she expected really? Red upholstered couches and gilt coated lamps? This wasn’t a whorehouse, after all.

      For whatever reason, she thought of Zach. It had been a long time since she’d battled such a fierce attraction to a man. Of course, since he was her client, this was not only inappropriate, but dangerous. She needed to keep her full attention on the investigation.

      Setting her tote bag down on the table, she pulled out her laptop and powered it up. Might as well check the internet connection before the meeting. Maddie had also promised to be there early so they could get everything set up. Carmen, too, though, like Maddie she’d had to work so would have to come straight from her job. As long as they were here before Zach and his family.

      Shayla opened a thick manila folder. She’d printed out all of the research she’d done on virgin sacrifices, both in human history and Merfolk. She’d been tempted to ask her father to speak to Poseidon, but she knew all kinds of trouble came from getting the Sea God involved.

      She slipped off her high heels, rubbing her aching feet together before taking a seat. While she loved the way the red-soled, spike-heeled shoes looked, she still hadn’t gotten used to walking in them. That hadn’t stopped her from buying several pairs. She figured she might as well build up her collection.

      Now to deal with the business at hand. Time to make notes and see if she—along with Maddie and Carmen—could come up with any sort of plausible theory as to who might be holding Nantha. All before meeting with the young Mermaid’s parents and Zach at eight.

      Maddie arrived thirty minutes later, when Shayla had just gotten into the research. Distracted, Shayla looked up when the door opened, slightly disoriented.

      “Hey,” Maddie said, by way of greeting. “You seem really lost in thought.”

      Shayla indicated the papers scattered all around her on the table. “Research.” She glanced at her watch, surprised to see thirty minutes had already passed. She’d also just about drained her ginger ale.

      “Great.” Maddie pulled out a chair. “Fill me in.”

      Shayla told her what she knew about the note and the follow-up phone call that Zach had received.

      “Virgins?” Maddie asked, her tone incredulous. “So are we to infer from this that young Nantha is not?”

      “Apparently.” Shayla shrugged. “She’s seventeen, after all.” And her people were known to have a very casual attitude toward pleasures of the flesh.

      Maddie grinned. “I know what you mean.” She indicated the stack of articles. “What have you found out?”

      “I don’t have anything but folklore.”

      “Ah. The old virgin sacrifice trope?”

      Shayla nodded. “Yes. For all I know, that could be nonsense inserted just to cause a smoke screen and throw off searchers. I just hope whoever has this young Mermaid understands how badly she has to be in water every so often.”

      Maddie nodded, her gaze troubled. “We’ve got to find her,” she said. “It’s not only our first case, but I can’t help but think of my own little sister. I can’t imagine how I’d feel if something like this happened to her.”

      “Agreed.” Shayla thought of Zach, of the way his hard features softened when he spoke of his stepsister. Seeing a man like him, so strong and rugged, at such a loss, made her feel as if she’d do anything to wipe that look of pain from his face.

      “Since we don’t know if the demand for virgins thing is real or a smoke screen, we’ve got to find out if there are any other missing Mermaids,” Shayla continued. “I’ve already left word with the Pod—our Mer-council. Surely they’ll have records if anything like that has happened.”

      “Right. And both you