Chapter 5 SOMETHING'S WRONG

Eliza was ready to go. There was no point in wasting more time with words.

"I have to get back to my car ," she told him as she started for the door.

"It is being taken care of. My people are making repairs to it so that you have it when you are ready to return home."

So she wasn't going to be permitted to have her car until she left. Eliza didn't know why she was surprised. Noah was going to go to whatever lengths necessary to ensure the Changing came about smoothly.

Giving her a means to get away and mess that up wasn't a chance he was willing to take. Eliza decided it was best to avoid arguing with him , at least for now.

"I need to get to my uncle."

"He is also being taken care of ," he assured her.

This was another way to ensure her cooperation. If Uncle Jimmy were with the Sinapu , there would be little reason for her to be running off.

"Then I have to go to Howlingwater and talk to Coppola."

Noah shrugged. "If you insist , but I think you are wasting your time."

"I guess it really doesn't matter what I waste my time on."

Eliza turned away and stalked out the door without giving him a chance to reply. Maybe she had to accept fate , but she sure didn't have to be happy about it.

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With the light so faint , it was difficult to make out Trevor's features , but from what she could see , he hadn't changed a bit. He still had the same startling - almost hypnotic blue eyes. His dark brown hair was a little longer now , and he was still as good looking as ever.

NThe only hint of his Navajo ancestry was his olive complexion , but at the moment he seemed much paler than what she remembered. He appeared stressed, and maybe even a little ill , but who wouldn't after being accused of murder?

Getting in to see him hadn't been easy. It was only her association with Jimmy Brent that finally persuaded the sergeant on duty to allow her to visit.

The jail's visiting room seemed darker than it should have. Not only had the light been dimmed , but heavy curtains covered the small window.

"What's with the dark room?" It was the first thing she asked him after sitting at the small table.

"I asked them to block out the light. It's the only way I could come in here."

Eliza's face clearly expressed her confusion.

Trevor forced a smile. "I have a splitting headache that won't go away. The light makes it worse."

"Strange that they would be so accommodating ," she commented.

He shrugged. "I guess they don't want their prize inmate screaming about human rights violations."

"I guess." Eliza smiled weakly.

"I wasn't sure you would come."

"I almost didn't ," she told him without elaborating.

There was no sense in causing even more tension between Trevor and Noah.

"So tell me about this. What happened?"

Though it was clear Trevor was in pain , he seemed relatively calm , considering the circumstances.

"They found the body of a Navajo woman in one of the caves near my property. I've never met the girl , but they tell me her name was Rose Hart"

Eliza drew her brows together. "So how are they connecting you to the crime then?"

Trevor looked pained , but provided the information she was asking for.

"They found a piece of paper in her pocket with my phone number. I did receive a call from a girl that asked if she could meet me that day. She wouldn't give me her name, but claimed she had information about Lilian ... your mother."

"Did you agree to meet her?" Eliza asked.

"I did ," he nodded , "but it was arranged for that night. We were to meet in Howlingwater."

"So there's something about my mother they don't want us to know." Eliza was thoughtful.

"It would seem so."

Noah's words came back to her.

"Or maybe they were just using you to get me back here ," Eliza suggested.

Trevor lifted his shoulders. "I don't know , but since you seem to be the only friend I have at the moment ... do you think you could do me a favor and get me out of here?"

"I'm not sure how to do that. Uncle Jimmy's sick. Noah thinks it is corpse sickness."

Eliza was convinced that without her uncle's help , she'd have no sway with the tribal police.

Trevor frowned. "What about Noah? The judge might listen to him."

Though Noah was waiting for her just outside , somehow Eliza didn't think it would be too easy to recruit his help.

Eliza shook her head. "I don't know if that's a good idea."

"If I don't get out of here ... they're going to kill me."

Eliza was shocked by the desperation in his voice.The Trevor she'd come to know was many things , but desperate was not one of them.

She gave him a faint smile. "Don't be crazy Trevor. They are not going to kill you ... and besides , they'll figure out you didn't kill that girl."

At least she hoped they would. The justice system was good , but it did have flaws.

"There has to be DNA evidence to link someone else to the crime ," she added.

"The murder is not why they'll kill me."

Eliza lifted her hands in the air. "Then why would they kill you?"

Trevor leaned closer until he was mere inches from her face. "I haven't told you everything."

Eliza was startled by the luminous appearance of his eyes. There was something different about them , but she couldn't put her finger on what. The intensity of his gaze began pulling at her - tempting her to lose herself within their swirling blue depths.

For a fraction of a moment , she couldn't think. She had to force herself to look away in order to regain her train of thought. Trevor placed his hand over hers.

Eliza jerked away , shocked by his icy touch. Vampire eyes! The thought struck her out of nowhere. That's what his eyes reminded her of.

"Trevor ... what's wrong with you?"

"Haven't you guessed? Come on Eliza. I know you're smarter than you are letting on."

The wicked grin on his lips was unnerving.

It was impossible!Her interpretation of reality had been stretched to its limits over the last year , but she couldn't accept vampires. That was going a little too far.