“Because I’ve seen some weird ass shadows creepin’ around my house. I thought I was just bein’ paranoid but tonight, when the dogs got upset…I coulda sworn I saw something dark dart out toward Jet. It swiped at his paw, and he yelped somethin’ fierce. I have no idea what this jackass wants with me, but you know how I feel about my dogs, Boone. If he does anything to hurt them…” Leander didn’t finish that sentence. Maybe he didn’t know how to finish it. After all, that seemed to be the universal problem… What could any of us do?
I swallowed against the lump in my throat. “I’m sorry, Leander. I don’t know wh—”
“I know you don’t. All I’m sayin’ is that you need to figure this shit out and do it damn fast. I don’t care if I’m bein’ fair or not. This asshole is messin’ with my dogs, my family. I can’t… Nothin’ can happen to them. You hear me?”
I heard loud and clear. “We’ll figure this out.”
Leander huffed. “You’re a shit liar. You know that?”
“I—” The line quieted as Leander ended the call. My phone screen darkened, my horrified reflection staring back at me.
“Boone? Erasmus?” Franklin’s voice was soft and cajoling. His hand on my thigh should have been a comforting weight. Neither his presence nor his touch could ease the nausea creeping up my throat.
“What is he after?” I had no idea who I was asking. “Leander can’t… I mean, Leander isn’t really all that powerful. He’s just trying to fly under the radar. He’s carved out not just an existence, but a life. I…” I had no idea what to say.
“Come on.” Franklin stood, pulling me up with him. “Neither one of us is going to solve anything more at this hour. We’re both exhausted.” Franklin’s palm was warm against mine. “Leon. Agent Frost, I—”
“Phlox. Please, call me Phlox.”
Franklin hesitated but finally relented. “I hate to be a poor host, but—”
“Rest,” Leon said. “Phlox and I will keep watch.”
Leon’s words should have reassured me. They didn’t. Somehow, I doubted their vigilance would do a lot good. It was like having a security system that only warned you of a break-in but didn’t have the ability to do anything to the intruders.
I mindlessly followed Franklin down the hall. He stripped me and settled me under the covers, his strong arms pulling me tight, spooning my back to his front. Franklin’s fingers combed through my hair, teasing out the tangles. “We’ll figure this out,” Franklin tried to reassure me. In that moment, I realized Franklin wasn’t any better of a liar than I was.
Chapter
Eighteen
Franklin
I felt like the walking dead. Not that I knew what that really felt like, nor was I itching to find out. The sidelong glances I got from the officers I passed when I walked into the precinct spoke volumes. The wide eyes and pinched expression pulling at Captain Cicely’s face let me know she didn’t think any more highly of my lacking self-care routine than the rest of the police force.
“Sit down before you fall down, O’Hare.” Captain Cicely pointed to the chair across from her desk. When we were both seated, the captain magically opened one of her desk drawers and pulled out a charmed potion. “Put this in your coffee.”
When I hesitated, she reached across the desk, grabbed my cup, activated the charm, and poured it into my cup before sliding it back to me. “It’s not a miracle, but it will help with the fatigue.” Pointing a finger at my chest, the captain became serious. “This is only a temporary pick-me-up. You need proper sleep, O’Hare. There’s not a charm in the world that can compensate for a good night’s rest. Do you hear me?”
I nodded before picking up my mug and downing half in one go. The potion was tasteless and immediately took effect. I couldfeel my brain clearing. The headache I’d been nursing eased and the tension in my shoulders subsided. “Are you sure it’s not a wonder drug?” I rolled my shoulders, reveling in the ease with which they moved.
“Positive. Now, tell me what’s going on. Becks was beating down my door first thing this morning asking if you were in yet.”
I took a deep breath before regurgitating what happened last night. I included the events of earlier this morning—including Leander Dunn’s phone call.
Captain Cicely’s expression ran the gamut. She was shocked and confused by the possible connection between the female and male dump sites. Those emotions quickly switched to alarmed dismay by the possibility that Huxley was keeping tabs on Leander.
Quiet filled the small office as Captain Cicely took in the information dump I’d just thrown her way. Leaning back into her too-large chair, Captain Cicely’s eyes took on a faraway look. I let her stew, knowing my captain would speak when she’d gathered her thoughts. Captain Cicely didn’t disappoint. She never did.
“Okay. Let’s break this down. First of all, of course you have my permission to bring Necromancer Boone in to interview the male victims. We need to find out if they’re truly murderers themselves or if they are as much a victim as the women who’ve accused them. Tell Boone not to push himself. Don’t think I didn’t notice how fatigued he was after bringing back the six women’s souls.” Captain Cicely shook her head. “Boone makes it look so effortless that it’s easy to forget he’s the exception, not the rule, where necromancers are concerned.
“As for the second bit, witches, as a whole, aren’t clairvoyant. There is precedence. It’s been tried and hasn’t gone well.” Captain Cicely cringed. “Seeing the future isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The witches who tried did not remain psychologicallystable. Understandably, that type of magic was outlawed. I can’t guarantee someone isn’t dabbling, but given past experience, I don’t think they’d remain sane enough to act upon what they see.”
“Sounds like what happens with oracles.”
“In a way. The difference is that oracles are born that way and don’t have a choice. Witches know better, and if they fall into that trap, it’s their own doing, and they don’t deserve an ounce of sympathy. The point is, I can’t see a witch or warlock being responsible. With that said, I’ll put out some feelers and see if anyone else in my community has any other ideas. I suggest you speak with Warlock Holland as well.”
While that wasn’t as daunting of a prospect as it once was, it also wasn’t something I looked forward to. “I’ll try and reach out today.”
