Aurelia didn’t seem nearly as disturbed as I felt. “He is gone. As are two objects he holds dear.”
“Objects?” All I could do was parrot words back.
Aurelia’s eyes narrowed, and several tattoos along her neck and arms flared to life. The scuttlebutt resting on her head finally stirred, opening its giant maw and yawning, teeth glinting. “A rock with a single red line and an inkpot.”
I was baffled. “Why would he take those two things with him? What…” My brain came to a full stop as did my heart. When both started again, their rhythms were scattered and frantic. “Dear Gaia. Are you telling me what I think you’re telling me?”
Phlox came in from the kitchen, a turkey sandwich in one hand and a glass of sweet tea in the other. “What’s she telling you?”
Aurelia didn’t take her eyes off me when she said, “Tenzen Huxley has acquired two objects of attachment. He is in control of two djinn.”
I barely heard the glass of sweet tea shatter on the floor through the blood pounding in my ears.Two djinn. How had Huxley found them? And more importantly, what did he plan on doing with them?
A new type of unease slithered through my soul. What could I do that no other necromancer could do? At least that we knew of. I could destroy a djinn. Is that why Huxley was so interested in me? Did he want me to shove their souls back into their bodies, making the djinn mortal again? If that was it, then why hadn’t he just asked? Then again, would I be willing to do it? What ifthey were like Aurelia? What if they just needed a chance and a master like Peaches? What if…? That was the problem. There were just too many damn what-ifs floating through my head.
Chapter
Twenty-Two
Franklin
Can you come home soon?
I stared at Boone’s text. Taken at face value, there was nothing inflammatory or concerning. They were just typed words on an unfeeling electrical device. And yet somehow, those words screamed at me.
“Something wrong?” Dr. Stowe asked. I was down in the morgue, going through our latest findings. She’d gotten dental records on all the male and female victims and had officially identified them, backing up Boone’s necromancy with proven facts.
“I’m not sure.” I fiddled with my phone. I had a lot of work to do but… “Give me a minute?”
“Of course. It’ll give me a chance to get a snack and suck down half a can of soda.”
“Thanks, Doc.” I walked a small distance away and texted back,Is something wrong?
I watched those three little dots flicker until Boone’s response finally came through.We’ll discuss it when you get home. Please make that soon. Love you.
Love you too. I’ll be there as soon as possible.It was the best I could offer.
Text before you leave?
I often did, but not always.Will do.
Boone placed a heart emoji over my last text. I stared at that final message a few moments longer before turning my attention back to Dr. Stowe. The sooner we wrapped this up, the sooner I could get home to Boone.
Dr. Stowe was finishing up her last cheese cracker when I stepped up to her desk. I waited for her to finish chewing and then wash it down with what was left in her soda. “I wouldn’t have complained if you’d taken more time,” Dr. Stowe said before opening a paper folder filled with information on our twelve victims.
“Sorry. I’ll try and drag it out longer next time.” I sat heavily in the seat opposite Dr. Stowe. She still looked like twenty-four hours of straight sleep wouldn’t be enough to reenergize her.
“You’re good people, O’Hare.”
I didn’t know about that but figured we were both too tired to argue. “Got anything else besides positive IDs?”
Dr. Stowe gave a hesitant nod. “A little, but I’d wager it’s not what you’re looking for. I can forensically back up the victims’ statements regarding how they died—at least with our male victims. Their deaths left more evidence. As for the ladies… All I can say is that I can’t contradict how they said they died.”
“Suffocated.”
Dr. Stowe nodded. “I can tell you that none of them have broken hyoid bones, so I doubt it was strangulation.”
“Our female victims didn’t make it sound like they were strangled.”
