Page 15 of Investigation of a Quest

“Everyone, move!” Eamon roared, his monster emerging in his voice, and the crowd parted for the king and queen of hell to reveal the quaint town square… and the reason for the gossip.

At first, Bel didn’t understand what she was seeing. A Halloween sculpture stood on the grass, a man made of metal, not flesh, but as they finally settled before the morbid art, the reality of the horror punched her in the gut.

“It’s a tin man,” she whispered, her hand instinctively grabbing Eamon’s for reassurance, for standing rigid and unseeing before them was a man encased in a tin exoskeleton. The metal had been fused with his skin, creating a seamless creation of human and statue. It was almost more impressive than the chandelier that Violet’s old boss had been built into, but both men shared one overwhelming similarity in their deaths.

“The tin man is missing his heart.” Bel gagged on the words. “One was without his brain. One without his heart. Witches use organs for black magic.”

“We don’t know witches are responsible for these kills,” Eamon said, falling silent at her glare.

“Alcina is dead, isn’t she?” Bel asked.

“With absolute certainty.”

“And witches can’t resurrect from the grave?”

“No. Dead is dead, no matter the power.”

“I have to call Griffin.” Bel’s fingers shook as she pulled out her phone and dialed her old boss.

“Everything okay?” he asked the minute he picked up.

“No,” she whispered. “Town square. Now.” She didn’t say body. She didn’t need to. He knew, and she didn’t want to cause a stampede before adequate reinforcements arrived. Most people assumed this heartless tin man was an elaborate decoration, just like the Hansel and Gretel house.

“Okay, I’m on my⁠—”

“Hey! Stop!” Eamon took off running. “Stop!” he repeated, and realizing he was chasing a woman, Bel hung up on the sheriff mid-sentence and bolted after her boyfriend. The stranger wove through the crowd, too fast to be an ordinary citizen, and despite Eamon’s superior speed, she vanished.

“What was that about?” Bel panted when she finally caught up with him.

“You were right,” Eamon said, and her stomach fell through her body. “That was a witch.”

“Oh my god.” Lina paused beside Bel as Griffin attempted to wrangle in the local sheriff, who fit every comedy stereotype known to their profession. This pin-dot of a town boasted only three officers, so the Bajka Police Department was taking the lead, especially since this heartless tin man seemed related to the brainless scarecrow, but Griffin had promised to keep the local deputies in the loop. A fender bender was the worst 911 call this sheriff had ever dealt with, though, so this gruesome murder scene was the highlight of his career… and he was a bumbling idiot testing Griffin’s patience.

“This is too…” Lina trailed off.

“Familiar,” Bel finished for her.

“It’s like seeing Lumen for the first time,” Lina said. “Before that case, I’d never seen a body so desecrated, but now? I don’t want to get used to sights like this. What is wrong with this town? Well, this isn’t Bajka, but you know what I mean. When will all this death end?” She paused as she remembered who she was talking to and wrapped an arm around Bel’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. This can’t be easy for you.”

“It’s not.”

“If you ever need to talk, I’m here,” the medical examiner said. “Just know you’re missed… especially on nights like this.” She gestured to the overstuffed sheriff pretending he knew better than Griffin. “We could use you on this case.”

“I…” Bel couldn’t defend her fear to yet another person. Lina didn’t know the details of her departure, and she couldn’t rehash it. Not here. Not when a witch had escaped Eamon’s clutches, for anything that could easily evade a dhampir heralded death for those with fragile mortality.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. You’re just missed.” Lina pulled her into a hug. “I have to go, but seriously, call me if you need to. I’m here for you.”

“Thank you.” Bel kissed the woman’s cheek and watched her duck under the tape. Did she belong inside that perimeter with them? Would she ever return to the life she loved so dearly, yet stood deathly afraid of? She didn’t know if she’d ever wear the detective’s badge again, but she knew one thing. The local sheriff, whose name she hadn’t bothered to learn, certainly didn’t belong at a scene of this magnitude.

A short brunette deputy emerged from one of the buildings lining the street, and since Bel didn’t recognize her, she must work in this neighboring town’s almost nonexistent station. She seemed the most adept of the three officers as well, since she bypassed her fumbling boss to address Griffin himself.

“Cameras are of no use,” Bel overheard the deputy say. “A delivery truck parked in front of this camera for an hour yesterday afternoon, completely blocking the street from view, but the square was empty when it arrived. When it left, though, the victim was posed where we found it.”

“Could you tell if the truck was used to transport the body?” Griffin asked, and the fact that Bel wasn’t straining to hear him over the crowd made her wonder if he was projecting for her benefit.

“No clue,” the woman said. “All you see is the side. Not the driver or the cab. Not the license plate… which probably means it was involved, right? The parking seemed almost deliberate.”

“It could be. Was there a logo?” Griffin asked.