“As far as I know it is.” I write down Rachel’s name and address, then get an officer to go to her house and make sure she’s okay. I need to question her if she is.
“How long has Josh worked here?” I ask Betty, sitting down across from her again.
“A couple of months.”
“Has he ever given you any trouble?”
“No.” She takes a minute to collect herself and go on. “He was a great kid. Hard worker and everyone liked him. We always said he could make anyone laugh.”
“You’re his boss, but did he ever say anything about his personal life?”
“Yeah, he did. We’re all pretty close here. He talked about his friends and his girlfriend. But he never said anything concerning.”
Neither had Lily.
* * *
I sit heavilyat my desk and reach for my coffee. It’s cold, but I still swallow a mouthful down. I just got done briefing my team on the cases, and my frustration is growing. The killer is the same, which I was sure of before the partial prints we got from Lily’s crime scene matched the print on Josh’s watch.
But how he’s choosing his victims…I can’t see any connection. Not yet. I pick up my pen and tap it against my desk and close my eyes, thinking. The image of the ghost from outside the bloody basement flashes before me and the same whispering voices echo in the back of my mind.
Dammit. I need to concentrate. We have two young victims here, and are dealing with a serial killer. The FBI will jump all over this case if it gets media attention, and I’m not losing it.
The end of the day is nearing, but I don’t think I’ll be home by sunset. I spoke with Josh’s family already and still need to question his girlfriend. Rubbing my forehead, I pull out my phone and text Jacques. Once they wake up and realize I’m not home, he’ll check the phone.
Pushing thoughts about the ghost aside, I focus back on my case. Only a few days passed between Lily’s murder and Josh’s. The killer could already have his sights set on his newest victim.
But how the fuck is he choosing people? The setups at the crime scenes make me feel like it’s not random. Lily was a quiet girl who lived in the city her whole life. She was attending a local community college, and from what I could gather today, no one in her friend circle had even heard of Josh, who was outspoken and loud.
Two years older than Lily, he was back in town after wanting a break from college because he couldn’t pick a major. His mother told me he intended on going back in the fall to study psychology.
I spend a good hour filling out paperwork and discussing the case further with a blood splatter analyst, who confirms the direction the pentagram was smeared onto the wall. A dull headache is forming by the time I finally leave, and I get into my car with my mind swimming in thoughts about murder. There’s something obvious I’m missing, and I can’t put my finger on it.
The sun has already set, and Jacques texted me back to let me know they were all inside away from prying eyes. Starting the car and opening the windows to let in fresh air, I call Jacques. He answers but doesn’t say hello.
“Jac? Are you there?”
“I am in the house,” he replies. “Acelina?”
“Yeah, it’s me. I’m headed home. Is everything still good over there?”
“Yes.” Pots and pans clank in the background.
“Are you cooking?”
“I’m attempting to make dinner.”
I smile, remembering him telling me how he wanted to help me more. Knowing how much he cares about me loosens the knot in my chest. “Thank you. I can try breaking—weakening—the curse again tonight.”
“Only if you feel up to it,” he says, and I’m able to sense his hesitation. His concern is endearing though foreign. I can’t blame him, or any of the guys, for worrying about me. I worry about them too. “Though you should get more sage if you do.”
“Oh, right. Mine burned up. I can swing by a place and pick some up. See you guys soon.”
Hanging up, I put my car in drive and head to Lyra’s Magic Shoppe.
* * *
The wind chimesding when I open the door, but Lyra isn’t at the counter. Hopefully, I can make it in, grab my shit, and pay before she has a chance to talk to me. The store is messy, unlike the first time I was in here. Boxes are haphazardly strewn about, and the display of herbs I need to sort through to find the sage is discarded on the floor, looking as if someone started putting inventory away and stopped halfway through.
