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Flustered, Chase shuffled through some papers, and I decided to take the reins of the conversation and steer it someplace a bit more relevant.
“Let’s talk about what Sean told us, shall we? But first, let me put in a quick call to Beth at Mystic Charms. I just want to verify something.” I pulled out my cell phone and dialed her number. She answered within two rings. “Beth, it’s Camille. You know that guy this morning? Jake? Can you tell me what his last name is?”
After a brief pause, she let out a little huff. “Evans. Jake Evans. I know because he bounced a check in here a few months ago, and I told him from that moment on, it was cash only if he wanted something. That’s how I got his address to send him those invoices—off the check. I also have a feeling he’s been plundering stuff from the store, though.”
“Shoplifting?”
“Well, he’s not paying for those books I think he hides under his coat and walks out with—the ones he doesn’t trash. But I haven’t been quick enough to stop him. I’m considering putting a hex on the section he frequents or something.”
I realized we’d forgotten to get the address for the Aleksais Psychic Network from Lindsey, if she even knew where it was. “Do you know where he’s currently living? Apparently he’s not at his old home, since he packed it up and moved to the Aleksais Psychic Network’s commune.”
“Just the address that was on the check. I still have it somewhere.” After a moment she came back on. “Sorry, PO box in Seattle. No home address. And about the Aleksais Psychic Network…they’re bad news, Camille. Don’t get involved with them.” Apparently another customer came into the shop. “Gotta go—customer up front.”
As I punched the End Call button, I glanced up. “Well, that confirms it—the guy in Mystic Charms this morning was Jake Evans. If he was out at the Wedgewood Cemetery early, and then at Mystic Charms this morning, he probably lives nearby. Which means the APN is somewhere in the area.”
“Unless he’s just hanging out in the city for the day.” Delilah shrugged. “We don’t know that the Aleksais Psychic Network is headquartered in the city. Could be they’re a ways out.”
“True. At least we know that Jake Evans is connected with them now. We know that he was in the graveyard with Halcon Davis, who was reading a scroll, and there were zombies there. They either instigated a murder or witnessed it and did nothing to stop it or report it.”
“So he’s a loser who has no power of his own, but he’s easily manipulated by others. Great. And now he’s digging up graves with a man who sounds like a librarian.” Chase let out a disgruntled snort. “Can’t we ever just get a run-of-the-mill break-and-enter, or maybe a bar brawl?”
“Be careful what you ask for, or you might get it. Want to break up a brawl between a couple of moonstruck werewolves, perhaps?” Delilah snickered, then sobered quickly.
“I was hoping that you guys could figure out if…the spirits were sucked out. Like last night?” Chase tossed his pen on the table. “If you told me five years ago I’d be asking questions like that, I would have carted you off to the loony bin.”
“We can,” I said. “Or at least, we can try. So, what’s our next step?”
Chase pulled up his computer. “Before we do anything else, let’s look up Jake in the records. See if he’s been…oh my. Jake Evans, is this him?” He turned the monitor so we could see it.
That was him, short, balding, a little pudgy, and snide looking. I nodded. “What’s he been up to?”
“Jake’s been a busy boy over the past few years. I wonder if Lindsey knows about his record…”
“What did he do?” Delilah asked.
“It seems that our friend Jake has played the con man fast and loose. He tried to pull off several pyramid schemes and managed to plea-bargain his way out of all the charges in return for information on his partners. He’s been arrested four times for shoplifting. He’s been arrested twice for brawling—in a bar no less, so maybe I will get what I was asking for.”
I frowned. What was a petty thug like Jake doing in the Temple to begin with? They usually watched the ethics of their members carefully, and stealing wasn’t high on the good-behavior list. “Find anything else?”
“Yeah. Two DUIs, a host of unpaid parking tickets, and he’s suspected in an attempt at insurance fraud. Apparently wasn’t enough proof to make an arrest on that one.” Chase frowned and sat back. “He’s a small-time con artist—why the hell is he robbing graves?”
“Because he’s easily influenced, and he has the potential to wreak havoc if he’s being used as a vessel. Remember, Gulakah was trying to control those with magical power using bhouts. Now that the bhouts have been scattered and his Demon Gate shattered, he’s looking for other ways to extend his influence. Halcon must have found him.”
“But wouldn’t it make more sense if Jake had power or influence?” Chase looked confused.
“Not necessarily. If Jake has the potential to be a good vessel, then it’s actually better for Gulakah that the guy’s a loser. He won’t have that much confidence, and that will make it easier to control him.”
“But why the grave robbing?” Chase looked confused.
“Well, they were sucking up spirits last night. Maybe they’re trying to find a way to replace the bhouts? Maybe the spirits are dislodged when the bodies are reanimated? Maybe the zombies are for some freakshow army and the spirits are for something else. I don’t know. But maybe Ivana can tell us what uses spirits have, seeing how she loves her garden of ghosts so dearly?” I glanced over at Delilah. “Menolly’s asleep. Tonight, I won’t be able to go with her if she visits Ivana because I’m due at Talamh Lonrach Oll for training. So I think we should pay a visit to the Maiden of Karask now.”
Delilah’s eyes grew wide. “Shit. You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“Hell, yes. Menolly might be Ivana’s special buddy, but we need to talk to her today.” I punched in Ivana’s number—we’d gotten it from Menolly, just in case we ever needed the wingnut army on our side.
One ring…five rings…and then on the sixth, she picked up.
“What do you want, Witch Girl?”
