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I don’t remember that creature being covered in my training for the Join Task Force of Paranormal Investigations. “What’s a black dog?”
“In myth, they’re omens of death or disaster.” Darius’s gaze searches the garage for further signs of danger. “In practice, they’re created by dark magic, trapping a spirit within the body of a dead dog.”
A frown tugs at my brow. “Why would it kill Vicki?”
Pen collapses her baton and attaches it to her belt. “Without more information, it’s hard to say, but if I were to hazard a guess? Vicki got her giggles either playing with or harassing the wrong person, and this is revenge.”
Anger surges through me. “So we’re dealing with an evil witch?”
Pen turns to me, her tone firm. “We’re not dealing with anything. This isn’t our jurisdiction.”
Frustration joins the seething burn inside. This is my precinct. This woman died right at my door, and thanks to Bailey and Lynch, the JTFPI can’t help. My authority ends at the entrance to the Yard.
I rub my temples as a headache forms. “Did the fire at least kill it?”
Displeasure twists Darius’s lips. “No, it vanished before I could destroy it.”
My gaze returns to Vicki’s lifeless form, guilt gnawing at me. When Lynch offered me back my badge, I threw it in his corrupt face. Pride cost me my JTFPI captaincy, along with an entire forensics team at my beck and call.
Pen pulls out her phone to take pictures of the body and the surroundings. “We have to report this to the Clearhelm Police.”
“Make it an anonymous tip,” Darius advises. “We should get out of here before they arrive.”
My head snaps toward him. “We have to stay and figure out who did this.”
Sympathy flickers in Darius’s fiery eyes. “Ga’Vine, we’re powerless here. No license means no control over investigations outside the Yard. We need to play it smart.”
“It’s illegal to leave the scene of a crime. We may not have any authority here, but that doesn’t mean we’re criminals.” A tinge of bitterness creeps into my words.
Pen, still engrossed in documenting what she can while not touching anything, doesn’t look up. “We have to be strategic. The Clearhelm Police can handle this without our input.”
“No, they can’t.” I grind my teeth together. “They’re not equipped to even process what happened here.”
“They aren’t, but that’s no longer our problem.” Darius grips my arm. “It’s a bitter pill to swallow, Ga’Vine, but we’re playing by new rules now.”
“Besides, if we stay, they’ll just try to pin it on us.” Pen snaps a picture of the side of the car. “You know how Bailey runs his people. The easiest person to point the finger at takes the fall, and right now, that’s us.”
“What about the street cameras?” I desperately cling to any semblance of justice.
Pen pauses her documentation, her gaze meeting mine. “I’ll call Meredith. She’ll be bored by now and looking for something fun to do. She can wipe out any evidence of us being here.”
After The Cleaners closed shop, their secretary took off on our yacht for a much-needed vacation while things settled down. The tech genius must be going stir-crazy by now.
Jaw clenched, I nod in agreement. The old dynamics of our roles have shifted. I thought I had come to terms with that, but this is the first time the powerlessness of our situation has been shoved in my face.
Since Pen already has her phone out, she dials and puts it on speaker.
“Well, if it isn’t my favorite employer.” Meredith’s perky words echo in the garage. “I hope you’re calling because you’ve opened shop again. A woman can only get so tan.”
“Sorry to disappoint, but it’s not about that.” Pen explains what happened to Vicki.
Boredom fills Meredith’s voice. “So you’re ringing up little old me to wipe the street cams? That’s not worth getting off my lounge chair.”
Pen’s lips tighten, but she holds back her frustration. “Please, Meredith.”
“Oh, honey, I’m already on it. I never go anywhere without my laptop.” The click of keys underscores her words. “I’m just saying it’s not complicated enough to go below deck for the heavy-duty equipment.”
The rhythmic tap of her keyboard echoes in the garage for a minute before Meredith returns. “Should be clear to leave now. I’ll make the call to the Clearhelm Police, too, so there’s no way the tip can be traced back to you.”
