“Yeah, no shit. But I’m not going to pussyfoot around it just because it’s something they don’t want to hear. A good chunk of their coven is dead.”
“Listen, you want me to wait outside the room?”
I glanced at her as we got into the elevator. “Are you scared of the witches?”
She shot me a look. “Just because most of their magic doesn’t work on me doesn’t mean I want to piss off some of the most powerful witches in Durham. Besides, they’re less likely to cooperate if I’m in there.”
She had a point. “Fine. Wait outside and be ready to come in armed if you hear me screaming.”
Her eyes widened and I grinned at her.
Freya opened the door when I arrived. She hadn’t been here earlier, but I was guessing most of the witches who didn’t live in the main house were spending as much time with the rest of the coven as they could.
“You got anything?” her voice was low and her eyes widened when I nodded.
She stood back to let me in. Gail, Gemma, Ainsley, and Caroline were sitting around a coffee table, cups in their hands.
Gemma nodded at me.
“I have some news,” I said, and Gemma got to her feet, reaching for her cane.
“Well, don’t keep us in suspense,” she snapped.
“I’d like to speak to you alone.”
She glanced around at her witches, and I saw the moment she realized I was about to point the finger at one of them.
“Fine.”
I followed her into the bedroom and closed the door behind us.
“I have no clear evidence,” I began. “But I’m about to head out of town, so I needed to bring this to you. I spent some time looking at the structure of the coven. To attempt to figure out who would benefit the most from murdering everyone in that house.”
“You assumed it was Willow.”
“Yes. And then I looked at the next in line.”
Gemma scoffed. “Gail? She told me she said a few harsh words to you while you were investigating the demon murders. If this is some kind of sick revenge…”
I stiffened. The last time Gail and I had actually spoken, I’d been sitting in my car, staking out a witch’s house. Gail had told me I didn’t belong in the neighborhood, ordered me to leave, and followed it up with a reminder that my sister didn’t want me there.
Did I think she’d been a dick? For sure. Did that mean I’d incriminate her for no reason? I rolled my eyes.
“You clearly don’t know me at all,” I said softly. Gemma’s eyes glinted with what could have been unshed tears and I gave her a moment as she turned away. Then she glanced back over her shoulder, her eyes dry.
“I won’t believe it.”
“I’m not expecting you to. I’m in the process of gathering more evidence. All I’m asking is that you stay aware. Gail has been transferring ten thousand dollars to an off-shore account for the past seven months.”
Gemma’s face paled but she waved her hand. That hand shook. “What Gail does with her money is none of my business.”
“You know better than that, Gemma. Seven months. You can’t ignore that timing.”
I turned to go, cursing as I met Gail’s eyes. She’d stepped into the bathroom from the other door, and was now standing in the doorway staring at us, her face gray.
“You think I did this?”
“Someone let them in. Someone adjusted the wards. We have to look at who would’ve had the most motive. Gemma was supposed to stay behind, and you would’ve conveniently been out of the state and alibied.”
