Free Hell's Belle by Karen Greco Page B

books. I could sense the smirk even if I couldn't see it.
    I thought to pick up where I left off with the coffee idea. A full pot would be good. "Anything interesting in there?" I called to Frankie over my shoulder as I headed towards the kitchen to finish the coffee.
    "Actually, yes," he said, tilting the book towards me. I squinted at the page.
    "Holy shit," I crossed back to the living room, picked up the book, and promptly dropped it on Frankie's toe. It was heavy.
    "Sorry!" I said, as he winced. I picked up the book again and held it out to him. He flipped through the pages, to the one he was reading.
    There was the dagger. And below it was loads of writing. In a language that looked familiar but not really.
    "This isn't vampiric tongue, right?" I asked.
    Frankie shook his head, "No. The ancient vampiric is different from today, but there are usually enough similarities between them that we can decipher ancient texts. I can't place this, though."
    "What about the book?" I closed the volume and looked at the cover. "Where'd you get it?"
    "After I lost Marcello's track, I went back to Babe's and I was mucking about in her attic. I found them in some sealed boxes." Frankie shrugged. "They were with your parents’ stuff. She said she forgot they were there or she would have given them to you."
    "Anything else in those boxes I'd be interested in seeing?" I was a little pissed that he didn't bring the whole haul with him. But you can't exactly transport moving boxes on a motorcycle. Besides, I had enough unpacked boxes in my apartment anyway.
    "You'll need to see yourself." He shrugged again, clearly wanting to stay out of the family drama. "What did the G-Man want?"
    "A knife just like my dad's was dropped at a crime scene," I was trying to push past my annoyance. Babe didn't forget about those boxes. I knew she was only trying to protect me. And I loved her and knew she had her reasons, and Frankie shouldn't be caught in the middle. But the five-year-old me wanted to pinch him.
    "One doesn't just drop a dagger like that at a crime scene," Frankie said incredulously.
    "And a dagger just like it did this to me last night, too." I pointed at my neck.
    Frankie cocked an eyebrow.
    "Any chance there are more out there than the five we know about?" I asked. For all we knew, this could have been the top-selling item at the Wal-Mart of ancient times. Although I seriously doubted it.
    "There's always a chance," Frankie said. "But I'd say the chance was slim."
    I yawned and got up off the couch to head to the kitchen again. Maybe this time I would actually get the coffee started.
    "How far were you able to track Marcello?" I asked. The dagger was leading us down a dead end.
    "A bit, but then he vanished," Frankie said. He looked worried.
    "How far did you get?" I filled the coffee carafe with water, raising my voice of the running faucet.
    "To downtown, and then I lost him by that big hotel." Frankie was clearly frustrated. He rarely lost someone's trail.
    "Which hotel?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
    "The one with the old glass elevator that's stuck between floors."
    I knew it. "The Biltmore. They have been seeing some seriously supernatural activity since I arrived, and it feels stronger every time I pass by."
    "Coincidence, then?" Frankie winked.
    I snorted. Neither of us believed in coincidences. I turned the pot on.
    The Biltmore Hotel still had a hint of elegance hidden beneath the shabby exterior. The historic old hotel sat in the center of downtown Providence. Built in the Roaring 1920s, it made headlines for installing a grand glass elevator that offered breathtaking views of the Capitol building. For decades, it was the toniest spot in town. A post-work cocktail at the Biltmore was de rigueur for the moneyed set that ran the City and the politicians they ensconced into office.
    But even something as grand as the Biltmore can fall apart. Buildings collect memories, and as the city of Providence fell further and further