The Vampire of Tinkerfall (Elysium #3)

Chapter Thirty-One

 Theo looked like she was going to cry. Her entire body trembled, and her eyes darted from Booker to Trinket, growing wider with every second.

"Trinket, my dear, would you mind giving me a hand with this lock?" Booker asked as he tried to elbow it into place.

Sighing, Trinket pushed herself away from the desk and turned the lock while Booker moved further into the room with Theo. "Booker, look at her. She's terrified," she said, motioning to the girl. "Was it really necessary to go about it like this?"

"How else was I supposed to gain an audience with her?" he asked, stationing himself by the bed. "She's proven to be very elusive and evasive."

Theo's eyes flickered to the bed. She burst into sobs, the sound muffled by Booker's hand.

"Oh, no, Theo, it's not as bad as that, really," Trinket said, rushing over and sitting on the edge of the bed. She offered the girl a sympathetic smile and tried to wipe away her tears, but her touch was met with a violent flinch. "Theo, I promise, we only want to talk. We aren't going to hurt you."

Her reassurances did no good, and the girl's legs gave out beneath her. Booker kept her upright, but he rolled his eyes at her hysterics. "Theo, I assure you, my intentions are not depraved," he said. "I simply have some questions for you concerning a subject that you seem less than eager to discuss, which is why we had to resort to this deceitfulness. I apologize for putting you out so, but if you would promise not to scream and to at least hear us out, I would release you and swear to do you no harm."

Theo's wet eyes wandered about the room, perhaps searching for some means of escape. But after a while, she let out a sigh and nodded. Booker dipped his head down to peer at her face.

"You promise? No screaming?"

She nodded again.

He exchanged a look with Trinket before moving Theo over to the writing desk. He eased her into the chair, his hand still clamped over her mouth. Kneeling before her, he met her eyes with a stern expression.

"Remember, no screaming. All right?"

After another nod from Theo, he took a deep breath and released his hold on her. She sat still in the chair, gripping the seat as her chest heaved from what Trinket was sure was an attempt to keep back tears.

"Better?" Booker asked.

Theo nodded.

"All right then," he said, rising slowly to his feet as Trinket joined him. "I have some questions about someone I think you may know. Someone named Victoria?"

Theo's eyes flickered to Trinket. "I know Victoria is not your cat, Theo," Trinket said as kindly as she could.

"Is Victoria a friend of yours?" Booker asked, drawing the girl's attention back to him.

"Not exactly a friend," she said at last, a tremor in her voice.

"A roommate, then?"

"Yes, something like that."

"Is she living with you?"

She shook her head. "No. She was only with me for a week or so. Maybe less."

"When did you last see her?"

Theo squirmed in her chair and met Trinket's eyes once more. Trinket tried to give her a reassuring smile, but it didn't seem to do anything to quell the girl's trepidation. Taking a shuddering breath, Theo looked down at her feet.

"I don't remember," she said softly.

"I don't need an exact day," Booker said. "Just a guess. An estimate."