“Zane was surprisingly forthcoming with telling me the type of spell used to create a glamour like the one probably used in the prison. He implied you’d need to be a strong level two to perform it with any accuracy.”
I nodded. “I’d agree.” Which is why Tombs probably sought out Zane in the first place.
“Surprisingly, there aren’t all that many in the surrounding areas. Of course, someone could have travelled from anywhere, but for now we’re keeping our search to this and the neighbouring counties.” He leant back and picked up a folder from his desk. “Which is where you come in.” Setting the folder in front of me, he tapped the cover. “Inside are photos of all the level two witches within our radius. I’d like you to take a look and see if you remember seeing any of them with Zane.”
I sat back in my chair. “You do realise that if Zane wiped my memory once, then it’s possible he did it multiple times. I might have seen some of these in here but not remember.”
Max shrugged. “That’s a possibility. But until we have more to go on, I’d still like you to have a look.”
“Fine.” I opened the folder and took out the photos.
I’m sure Max didn’t need me to point out that hundreds of non-humans came through Midnight’s doors, and it wasn’t as though I personally greeted all of them. The people in the photos might well have visited Zane, but that didn’t mean I’d seen them do it. I stared hard at the pictures, willing some kind of recognition to spark, but there was nothing.
I sat back with a frustrated sigh. “I’m sorry.” I gestured to the file. “They seem familiar-ish, but that might be because I’ve seen them around, or at Midnight. I have no idea. I don’t remember ever seeing them with Zane specifically, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.” I looked up at him. “I take it you showed these to Zane?”
Max nodded. “He said he knows who they are, but they have nothing to do with Tombs or Blue Alhuirn. As far as he’s aware, anyway.”
“You don’t believe him?” I tapped my nose. “I thought you could sense if he was lying?”
“I normally have a good idea when people are telling the truth or not, but it’s not fool proof.” He scooped up the photos and walked over to add them to the photoboard.
“Will you interview them?” I asked, getting up to join him.
“Yes, eventually. I have another couple of leads to look into first.”
A photo on the bottom of the board caught my eye. He definitely had a look of fae about him. “Who’s that?”
Max looked at the photo, then at me, brow furrowed, and I wondered if he’d answer or tell me it was none of my business.
After a lengthy pause, he said, “Gren Melhak. A member of the fae guard.”
Like Dathal.
My curiosity ramped up considerably. “Why is he on your photoboard?”
Max folded his arms. “Strictly speaking I shouldn’t tell you. You’ve done what I asked you to come in for, and this is police business.” That wry smile was back, reaching his eyes this time. “But with Mase away and this investigation being kept on a need-to-know basis for the moment…” He uncrossed his arms and walked back over to the board and tapped the photo of Melhak. “Gren Melhak used to be a prison guard at the fae prison just outside of Anyath, until he transferred to work for the high court.”
“Okay.” Interesting, but I failed to see a connection.
Max smirked. “Part of his duties included gateway guard duty.”
It took me a second before it clicked. “He got Blake through the gateway?”
“Apparently.”
“How do you know this?”
“Nathan Calder came through the gateway yesterday to see CI Thornton.”
“How did he get through if Axel is still in the Fae Realm?”
Max snorted. “I didn’t ask. I’m assuming the high court have their ways. Anyway, I don’t know all the facts, but they’ve brought Melhak in for questioning.”
I glanced back at the board, flitting between the photos, looking for a connection. Now Max had involved me, I wanted to help.
I also wanted to know when the others were coming back. “Did Rys’s dad give an indication how long Mase and the others would be over there?”
Max’s eye-roll told me I wasn’t as subtle as I thought I was being. “No, he didn’t. But he did say they were staying overnight at least.”
