Chapter 86

86

After pausing a minute on Olympia’s doorstep, Persephone finally rang the doorbell. With the sound still chiming throughout the large row house, she pounded on the door for good measure.

The heavy door opened and the mistress of the house herself opened the front door. Olympia wore a tight red leather top and black skirt. Barefoot, she still had enough height to look down her nose at Persephone.

“Mrs. Ubeli. Do you need something? I’m getting ready and need to be on my way to court.”

“I need to speak with your guest. Andrea Doria.” Persephone kept her backbone ramrod straight. At this point, she had everything and nothing to lose.

“What business do you have with her?” Olympia’s tone was borderline rude.

“Personal business. I mean her no harm. I just want to talk.” Then Persephone tilted her head. “Although I do wonder what would happen to a lawyer if they found a fugitive hiding in her home…”

Olympia’s nostril’s flared at the threat but she opened the door.

Persephone stalked past her into the house, straight down the hall and into the large living/dining room that had been the scene of an orgy the last time she’d been here.

“Darling, do you have anything besides dairy milk?” A voice called from the kitchen. A pleasant tenor voice that could be modified either up or down.

The voice of Poseidon.

The person who appeared in the doorway had a bald head, but full makeup. Andrea Doria, halfway to her full persona.

The drag queen stopped when she saw Persephone approaching.

“Hello, Ms. Doria. Or do you prefer Poseidon?”

Olympia had followed Persephone into the room. “I told you not to shit where you eat,” Olympia said to the tall crossdresser, then glared again at Persephone. “I need to get to court. Flax milk’s in the fridge.” She stalked away.

“I’m not here to hurt you,” Persephone said to Poseidon/Andrea Doria. “You paid me the same courtesy.”

Poseidon/Andrea asked, “How could you have known who I was?”

“Your ring. The one with the large onyx stone. You wore it the night of the party. There was a lot going on, but I never forget a statement accessory.”

Poseidon/Andrea raised one perfectly penciled eyebrow. “Are you mocking me?”

“Not at all. I don’t mock people, especially if I’m planning to ask them for makeup tips.” Persephone smiled.

A small smile appeared on the fabulously contoured face. “So why are you here?”

“You said it yourself when you kidnapped me. I’m easy to talk to. I’m here to lay some things out in the open and see if we can come to an agreement.”

The smile disappeared. “Your husband sent you.”

“No, he didn’t. We are very much separated, and I am very much alone.” She held up a printout of the picture of Hades and Lucinda and handed it over. “This was taken yesterday. I haven’t seen my husband in a couple of weeks.”

The queen studied the picture and flashed Persephone a look of pity. “Very well. Let’s talk. Coffee?”

“Please.” Persephone followed the cross-dresser into Olympia’s kitchen, and leaned on the beautiful quartz countertop of the large island as her former kidnapper went to the cabinet and took down two mugs.

“For the time being, I’d appreciate it if we kept to my disguise. I never thought my recreational activities would serve a serious purpose, but then I found myself hunted by my allies and wanted for double homicide.” Poseidon/Andrea poured the coffee and winked at Persephone. “So call me Andrea.”

“Pleased to meet you, Andrea.”

“You’re rather brave to come here, after the last time.” Andrea placed a steaming mug on the island close enough for Persephone to reach it.

Persephone studied Andrea. “I don’t think you ever meant to hurt me. Although, FYI, kidnapping me didn’t give you any points with Hades. He killed the last guy who did that.”

“I’ll keep it in mind.”

“So, you’re wanted by the police.” Persephone took her mug and fixed it with flax milk and honey.

“You going to turn me in?”

Persephone shook her head, tested her impromptu flax-milk latte, and then added more honey. “Turn you in, Ms. Doria? For what? They want Poseidon.”

“So this is a game.” Andrea paced along the long island, keeping it between them.

“The more I thought about it…I don’t think you did it. Poisoning the mayor, threatening Hades—any of it. I think someone’s setting you up.” Persephone sipped her creation again and smiled. “Perfect.”

Andrea fixed her with an intense stare. “Who do you think did it?”

“Someone who stands to gain from Hades and the mayor fighting with you.”

“That could be any number of players.”

“Who stands to gain the most from Hades and Zeus cutting ties with you?”

“Who would you guess?” Andrea didn’t touch her drink, but folded her long arms across her chest.

“My mother.”

Andrea did a double take. “Fuck the Fates, how did I not see it? Apart from the blonde hair…” She shook her head. “I assumed she died along with Karl. They always send Ivan as their contact when they try to negotiate with me.”

“She didn’t die. She took me into hiding. When I came out, Hades found me.”

Andrea’s sculpted eyebrows all but hit her hairline as she took a drink from her mug. “And you ended up married to him? I bet that’s some story.”

“For another day,” Persephone said. “What’s important now is that my mother is back. She’s the brains behind the Titans, she hates Hades, and she wants to regain control of the New Olympus rackets.”

“Well, young lady, you’ve figured it all out. You a gangster now?”

“Nope, just married to one.” Persephone shrugged. “And the daughter of another. But I’m neutral ground. No one expects anything from me. That is my weakness, and my strength.” She watched Andrea ponder this. “Why didn’t you tell us you found the rest of the shipment?”

“I found it Thursday night, at Olympia’s party. She’d recovered it for me. By morning, I was a wanted fugitive.”

Andrea sighed. “And now Ubeli is pressing me on all sides, not to mention the mayor’s legal arm. Our only hope of holding New Olympus from the Titans is to align our interests. Yet I am stuck here. I can’t return to my ships.”

Her eyes glittered and Persephone was reminded of how dangerous this person was. Andrea/Poseidon owned the seas and had for decades. “It’s been too long already. If things don’t break, I will give my men orders to extract me with whatever level of violence is necessary. Lives will be lost on both sides, and your husband and Zeus will hold me responsible. Then I will be forced to deal with the Titans.”

“Which is exactly what my mother wants.”

Andrea nodded. “At the same time, I’m prevented from extending an olive branch to Ubeli, because then the Titans will know I’ve chosen sides.”

Persephone thought about this. “Is that why you’re snatching Shades and going through the motions of war? To look like you’re fighting with Hades, when you’re really not hurting anyone, just keeping his men prisoner somewhere?”

Andrea’s face was scarily blank. “How do you know I didn’t kill them?”

“I don’t. Except that Slim’s body hasn’t been found anywhere. And if I were you and wanted to threaten Hades, I’d leave a body. So…” Persephone met Andrea’s stare head-on with one of her own. “Where is he?”

Andrea laughed. “You’re certainly giving new meaning to the phrase, ‘Out of the mouth of babes.’” She leaned forward on the island opposite Persephone. “I suspect you only look like a babe, though.”

“My aura of innocence helps. And it’ll work to your favor. I can be a bridge between you and Hades, and I’m here to tell you that’s what I’m willing to do.”

“Your husband has broken ties with you.”

“I still have his ear. And I have it on good authority that he prefers an alliance with you to all-out war. He will listen to reason.” At least, she hoped he would. At this point, Persephone thought more of dealing with Charon than Hades, the lying two-faced SOB.

“Very well.” Andrea drummed her fingers against the quartz countertop. “If you were me, how would you go about breaching the gap between you and Ubeli, as well as the mayor, when we can hardly be in the same room together without killing each other or our enemies finding out?”

Persephone put down her mug and smiled. “I thought you’d never ask.”