“Yes, we do.”
“You're already watching him?” I lowered my spoon. “Why?”
“You,” Jake said.
I took a breath, got over that (because it wasn't all that surprising), and said, “Well? Have you seen him go anywhere other than work?”
“To you,” Jake growled.
“Or to me?”
“No. But we haven't been watching him as closely as we have you,” Lex said. “Now, we will.” He handed Cyrus his ice cream and pulled out his phone. After messing with it for a while, he nodded. “Ace is home. We only have a view of the front, but his car is there.”
“That doesn't mean he's there.” Cyrus handed Lex his ice cream back. “We need to rectify this.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means setting up more cameras around Ace's house and anywhere else he frequents. Hopefully, we'll get lucky and Silas hasn't warded Ace's home. Then we can bug his house too.”
“Be careful of Bruno.”
“We're good with dogs.” Lex winked at me.
I took a bite of ice cream, enjoying the cool sweetness with the beautiful view of Lex's eyes, the irises made molten by the sun. I was so against these men just a short time ago, but now, I couldn't remember why. And it was that thought that shook me out of my Lex reverie. They were getting to me. Their damn abduction plan was working. I was becoming a statistic!
A traitorous part of my mind whispered,But are you a statistic if this is your destiny?
Then the image of a tarot card came to me—a dog howling at the moon. It didn't seem so desperate or ferocious anymore. Now, the dog seemed sad—as mournful as his cries. And with that thought came the memory of howling hounds outside my house. Terrifying but also heartbreaking. The hair on my arms rose and shivers ran down my spine. I had the strangest urge tothrow away my ice cream and hug Lex. Just hold him and tell him everything would be all right. Shine my light on him and stop the howling.
“Salina?” Lex broke into my thoughts.
“Do what you have to do,” I said and walked away. “So will I.”
Chapter Thirty
We were headed back to Hellhound Plantation when a crow flew across our path.
I jerked back in the seat and tracked its flight—directly into the cemetery. I don't have to specify which cemetery, do I? It was the one. Literally. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1—the acreage known for housing the remains of the Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau. A bunch of rich white people, too, but who cares about them? She's the one who gets the most visitors. And her body may not even be buried there.
“Stop,” I whispered.
Jake heard me and pulled over when he found a space. That close to the cemetery, it took some time. But he didn't give up, and he didn't question me. As soon as we were parked, I got out of the car and stared down the street at the little stone structures peering over the cemetery walls.
My legs carried me without my bidding, taking me to the dead. So silly, really. There's nothing in a cemetery to fear. Nothing dead, I mean. No ghost with any sense would haunt a graveyard. How boring would that be? Even the crazy ones don't want to hang around a bunch of old bones and rotting meat. No, cemeteries were for the living. And yet, I didn't feel alive. I didn'tfeel dead either. Something in between. A nebulous form waiting to take shape.
Like one of those absentee ghosts, I glided past the cemetery gates. There, perched atop the roof of some dead guy, was the crow. Was it the same crow? No. Couldn't be. But it stared at me as if we had a relationship. I stared back. The crow cocked its head and one beady black eye caught the sunlight.
“What the fuck is with that bird?” Cyrus asked.
Jake stepped between me and the crow.
The crow flew away, cawing.
I followed it.
“Salina?” Lex called after me.
I ignored them. Something told me that crow was no ordinary bird. It was a messenger. Sent from who? I dunno. Many gods had birds associated with them and often used them as portents or messengers. Like Athena and her owls. Crows seemed like a Hades thing. Had to be Hades. Crows were creepy and annoyed people. What Greek god was creepier or more annoying than Hades?
