Alec chuckled. “While I’m sorry you’re having such a rocky start to your promotion, I am grateful I’m not handcuffed to one of the other detectives. Ignoring that we’re not technically handcuffed right this moment. Hands are useful things.”
They really were. “It’ll be a little annoying when we have to go out, but I think we’ll be able to cope. But if I have to drive, we will not be cuffed. It’s too dangerous.”
“That is reasonable. I wouldn’t want you driving while cuffed, either. But if we were to get into a car crash, I’d be at a high risk of death right along with you. Maybe we should avoid cars altogether for a while? How much of this investigation can we do from this hotel room?”
That was a good question, and I eyed Jacobson with interest. “How muchcanwe accomplish from here?”
“A surprising amount. We have the transcriptions of all the witness questioning, so unless we find something unusual with the work already done, we won’t need to question anyone for a while. It’s a matter of piecing together what we do have and figuring out how this potential curse ticks. Once we figure out how it ticks, it might be possible to identify who created the curse, and why.”
“I really can’t think of anyone I’ve angeredthatbadly,” Alec muttered. “I try to fly under the radar. I mean, I’ve annoyed members of my family over the holidays, but that’s normal, isn’t it?”
“Unless you have a major rivalry or are loathed by a family member, it’s unlikely they cursed you,” Jacobson replied. “Now, it’s possible there is someone in your personal life behind it, but everything I’ve heard in my briefings implies that your family or closer associates lack the general resources or power to accomplish this sort of curse. The chiefs believe it is strong enough to on par with the divine, so unless you know some divines or have pissed one off, it’s unlikely. We’ll look into it, of course, but it’s unlikely. You can interview your witness extensively if you wish, however.”
Somehow, I’d landed in a precinct filled with matchmakers. While I read into Jacobson’s comment, Alec seemed oblivious or immune. Either worked for me.
The last thing I needed was to break whatever ethical rules there were about becoming involved with a witness. If the curse broke and he proved available and interested, I could see myself diving over the line, especially after rejecting an incubus.
“But why the variety of deaths? What is the point of cursing someone so they witness the various ways someone can die? What’s the point? That’s what I don’t understand.” While Jacobson worked at inputting his information into my spreadsheet, I shuffled through the most recent papers, organizing them based on their general cause of death. “And why multiple deaths of the same type in one incident?”
“Collateral damage,” Jacobson suggested. “Or perhaps making certain us investigators are aware it’s intentional. Someone getting flattened by a steamroller could, in theory, be an accident. Multiple people dying the same way is intentional. It removes the possibility of people interpreting it as a freak accident.”
“That seems overly generous for someone laying a curse meant to make their victim miserable.”
Alec chuckled. “I wouldn’t call myself miserable, really. Concerned, baffled, and traumatized, certainly. But while I am saddened by the death around me, it also forces me to appreciate life more, I think. The therapy has helped.” He handed me a notebook. “This is my journal, and it has notes on what my therapists helped me with. I don’t know if it’s useful, but I started it at their suggestion. I show it to them every session, too. I think I concern them because of how well I’ve adapted to my reality. I won’t lie, however. I’ve grown almost numb to the death.”
“It’s not uncommon with people who see death often,” Jacobson said. “It’s common with cops, too, especially the homicide detectives. It’s very common in hospitals. Nobody is truly immune to death—at least not somebody who is mentally sound. But people learn to adapt as a survival method.”
I frowned, narrowing my eyes. “But that’s another angle we should look at. Let’s assume the curse isn’t meant to harm but to help him adapt to death through exposing him to the many ways people might die. Why would he need that level of preparation?”
Jacobson blinked and stared at me. Alec raised a brow.
“You know,” my co-worker said, and he fell silent, his expression puzzled. “I really don’t know. Whywoulda forensic accountant need to be prepared to accept and cope with the realities of death?”
I stared at Alec, who shrugged. “Don’t ask me. I never wanted to become a doctor or a nurse. Who else would need that sort of preparation?”
I had no idea, but if it meant getting to the bottom of the case sooner than later, I would find out.
ChapterEight
Who would needto be prepared for the realities of death outside of those in the medical field? While law enforcement had some need of resilience, especially among homicide detectives and medical examiners, Alec hadn’t expressed any interest in joining those fields.
He enjoyed numbers. He appreciated the thrill of the chase, too. Those traits made him ideal for law enforcement. Working with financials would become a daily part of my life in the near future, once I learned more tricks of my trade and dealt with an investigation requiring me to examine every element of a victim’s life—or a suspect’s life.
Alec’s financials might be in my future if I couldn’t find the missing link in his case.
I hadn’t even been promoted for a week, and I already understood the haggard appearance of the detectives in my former precinct. An easier case, one with fewer moving parts, possessed the potential to drive me insane. The requirement to keep company with our witness, who stood a high chance of witnessing even more death in the upcoming days, tested my patience, forced me to question my profession, and resulted in a rather strong dislike of the Devil’s meddling ways.
A knock at the door offered a welcome distraction from the relentless papers also waging war against my sanity. Jacobson got up and answered it, and when he opened the door, the Devil strode in wearing a suit and masquerading as a human—mostly.
The diminutive horns peeking out of his flaming hair gave him away.
“You’re not going to lose your virginity if you don’t stay cuffed to your witness and get rid of the sidekick,” Lucifer announced.
“If my virginity was of any importance to this case, I might be concerned, but as it isn’t, I’m not,” I replied, making a mental note to never again welcome distractions during a busy and stressful day.
The Devil might show up.
“She’s already ahead of the game,” the Devil informed Jacobson. “Imagine if I had said that to Bailey.”
