I froze, my hand hovering over the ornament box. His words hit me like a punch to the gut, and it must have shown on my face because he frowned.
“What?” he asked. “You look like I just offered to join a circus.”
I forced a laugh, but it felt thin. “It’s just… I’ve got my system, you know? And things in Ravenholde are—” I paused, searching for the right word, “different. The clients are… particular.”
Particular. That was one way to describe supernaturalbounties that could tear a human apart without breaking a sweat. The thought of Liam walking into that world, oblivious to the danger, made my blood run cold.
He grinned, clearly misinterpreting my reaction. “I’m serious, Mom. I’ve got the skills. You’ve always said I’m a quick learner. And with the volume of work you’re pulling in?—”
“You’re doing great in Cincinnati,” I cut in, my tone more abrasive than intended. “And Max needs you there.”
Liam tilted his head, studying me with a look that said he wasn’t entirely convinced. But he let it drop, for now. I turned back to the tree, pretending to be focused on finding the perfect spot for a glittery snowflake.
Inside, though, I was unraveling. Liam’s desire to help came from a good place, but he had no idea what he was asking for. And I had to make sure he never found out.
My phone rang, and I practically lunged for it, desperate for the distraction. When I saw Carnell’s name flash across the screen, I couldn’t hit the answer button fast enough. “Hey,” I said, trying to keep my voice casual.
“There’s been a murder at the Christmas Village,” Carnell said without preamble, his tone grim.
I blinked, my grip tightening on the phone. “And you’re calling me because…?”
“Because,” he said, his voice dropping into that deep, ominous tone that meant trouble, “the victim was chained and whipped. With birch branches.”
The room seemed to freeze around me, the cheerful warmth of the holiday decorations suddenly feeling too bright, too loud. “That’s… specific,” I managed. “Anything else?”
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this one,” Carnell admitted, and that stopped me cold. Carnell didn’t get bad feelingsoften, but when he did, they usually came with a hefty dose of supernatural trouble.
I rubbed at my temple, glancing at Liam, who was laughing with Nishi about something I couldn’t quite catch. “Carnell,” I said carefully, lowering my voice, “Liam’s here.”
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line. “How long?”
“He just showed up with a coffeemaker.”
Carnell’s sigh carried a heaviness I could feel through the phone. “You’ll have to handle this one carefully, then.”
I turned away from the group, my heart thudding in my chest. Carefully was putting it lightly. Investigating a murder, especially one with the hallmarks of something supernatural, while Liam was here would require the kind of juggling act I wasn’t sure I was ready for.
“Send me the details,” I said quietly, already shifting into problem-solving mode.
“You sure?” Carnell asked, his voice edged with concern.
“I’ll figure it out,” I promised, even as my mind raced. Liam couldn’t know. He couldn’t be anywhere near this. I’d just have to keep him distracted long enough to handle whatever nightmare had landed in the Christmas Village.
“Be careful,” Carnell said, and then the line went dead.
I slipped the phone into my pocket, plastering on a smile as I turned back to the group. “Everything okay?” Liam asked, his brow furrowing slightly.
“Yeah,” I lied, grabbing another ornament. “Just Carnell. Nothing to worry about.”
But inside, the worry was all I could feel.
CHAPTER 2
Icleared my throat, trying to sound casual. “Liam, Carnell wants me to check on something over at Mystic Falls. Can you hold down the fort here? I’m sure we won’t have any calls this close to Christmas, but you never know.”
Tegan and Salima chimed in almost immediately. “We’ll stay with Liam and finish up the decorations,” Tegan said, her tone light but her eyes darting to mine, catching the undercurrent I was trying to hide.
Salima nodded, already picking up a strand of tinsel. “Plenty to do here. Don’t worry about us.”
