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“Why?” I said, even as I rose.
“Because the only thing we’re able to read is your name. Everything else looks like gibberish.”
I glanced at Belle. “Some sort of spell, perhaps?”
“It’s certainly possible.” She smiled at Zak as he returned with our drinks. “But it’s unlikely he would have had the time for anything too intricate.”
“Meaning your business partner is a witch, despite your protestations,” Aiden commented. “Doesn’t this just get better and better?”
“Look,” I said, somewhat testily. “No matter what grief some witch caused you in the past, neither of us deserve to be the target of your hatred—especially when you’re here to ask for our goddamn help.”
“True enough,” he said, after a slight pause, “and again, I’m sorry.”
I couldn’t help suspecting he was sorrier about being forced to ask for our help rather than for his hatred, even if his voice held an edge of sincerity. “Has the message been placed on the inside or the outside of the building?”
“Inside. Why?”
“Was the outside of the building patrolled?” I continued.
“Of course—there were three people, in fact, all specifically hired for that purpose. They were all wolves so should have sensed the vampire well before he had the chance to attack.”
“Unless the vampire was using some form of magic to conceal his presence.”
He frowned. “I didn’t think that was possible.”
“If a vampire is capable of magic before he turned, what makes you think he would be
incapable after?”
“Nothing more than myths and legend, which—as a werewolf—I should know better than to trust.” He shrugged. “But my people are all over the crime scene—nothing untoward has happened so far.”
“Which might just mean it is a simple message, as you suspect.” I glanced at Belle. “But in case it isn’t, would you mind coming along?”
“It’s not the way I’d hoped the evening would end, but I can hardly let you face this alone.” And the fact he’s addressed this note or spell to you specifically suggests he might be aware that you were with Karen in her final moments. If he’s capable of that, he’s probably stronger than we’ve been presuming.
That connection was immersive, Belle. All he should have sensed was Karen’s thoughts and feelings.
Just because he shouldn’t have felt you doesn’t mean he didn’t.
She motioned for the bill and, once Zak had bought it over, signed it and then leaned forward, whispering something in his ear. He grinned, pulled a business card out of his pocket, and handed it to her.
“If your social life is all sorted, can we go now?” Aiden said, voice holding an edge.
“Totally,” Belle said. “After you, handsome.”
He raised an eyebrow but did as bid. We collected our coats on the way out and followed Aiden over to his vehicle—an unmarked blue Ford Ranger rather than the green-striped white SUVs that were commonly used within the reservation.
The morgue was situated within the grounds of the region’s hospital, and though it was housed in a separate building, it could be accessed from the hospital by a glass-covered walkway between the two and also via the doors set within the walkway. Ranger vehicles and—rather weirdly, given the hospital was little more than a few hundred meters away—ambulances were parked everywhere, and there was a myriad of medical staff and rangers moving around.
I climbed out and took a deep breath. The air was fresh, filled with the fading electricity of the storm that had passed by. There was no immediate sense of magic, dark or otherwise.
There wouldn’t be if the spell lies within the building, Belle said.
“This way, ladies.” Aiden walked toward the walkway’s entry doors.
I shivered, and it wasn’t entirely because of the cold. I might not be able to sense any magic, but it was here, somewhere, of that I was sure.
“Where exactly was the note left?” I asked. “Inside the refrigeration room or somewhere else?”
