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“Possibly, yes.”
“Which means you could find him if we found something bearing his life force?” Eli asked. “I rather suspect that even if he is alive, time is of the essence.”
“I’m well aware of that point, trust me.” My gaze swept the disintegrating ashes of the house again. “Where’s his car? There’s no carport or garage here, and I doubt he’d keep his precious Mustang in the street.”
“He keeps it in a storage facility several streets away.” Aiden came running up. “I’ll ring the facility’s owner now, and get him over there to open it up.”
“His car keys won’t be there, though, and believe me when I say he will not be impressed if you break into it.”
“There’s no spell to magic car doors open?” Aiden asked. “I find that surprising.”
“There is,” Eli said. “But there are also quicker ways to get into a car—especially the older ones.”
Aiden’s eyebrows rose. “Indeed there are, but I’m surprised you know them.”
Ashworth’s grin flashed. “He doesn’t. I do. I’m a car nut who broke the occasional rule when I was a down-on-my-luck teenager needing parts.”
“You’re an Ashworth,” I said dryly. “None of them could ever be classified as poor.”
“Except my father did not approve of my car habit and cut my allowance.” He shrugged. “Let’s just say I played in the shade for a few years before sense reasserted itself.”
“Don’t you get more and more interesting,” Belle said, amusement evident.
“I’m old, but I’m certainly not boring, lass.”
“That’s the one thing no one will ever accuse you of being.”
The fire brigade and a couple of ranger vehicles appeared in the street, their lights flashing as they screamed toward us.
“I’ll go update Tala,” Aiden said, “and then we’ll head over to the storage unit.”
I nodded and returned my gaze to the fire. “We know salted water works on soucouyants—Belle used it to destroy the younger one. What we need is a better means of applying it than the water pistols and weed killer dispenser we currently have.”
“A couple of high-pressure backpack sprayers will give us wiggle room when it comes to distance,” Ashworth said, “but that bitch will burn us all the minute she sees or hears any of us.”
“The thing I don’t get,” Eli said, “is her taking Monty. Why not just kill him straight away?”
“What if she wants revenge first?” Belle’s voice was grim. “I killed her offspring, remember?”
I scrubbed a hand through my tangled hair. “That’s more than possible.”
“It still doesn’t explain why she went after Monty,” Eli said.
“Monty lodged the tail of his tracking spell into the younger soucouyant’s fire, so it’s possible the older one got a feel for his magic once our containment spells started breaking down,” I said. “And Belle was in the water by the time the older one blew up Aiden’s truck. She might be aware Monty didn’t kill her offspring, but not really sure who did.”
“Which means she’ll either have to steal another skin,” Belle said, “or find a means of contacting us.”
I rubbed my arms, cold despite the heat still rolling from the fireball. “I have a bad feeling it’s going to be the latter.”
Ashworth grunted and gently squeezed my shoulder. “There’s four of us, lass. We’ll figure out a way to beat this bitch—believe that if nothing else.”
A smile tugged my lips; it very much seemed that in becoming a person of interest to Ashworth, I’d also gained something of a pseudo-grandfather. Which, considering my real grandfather was long gone, was all right by me.
Jaz stopped beside us, her expression grim as she studied the house remains. “Aiden wants you to head down to the rear ranger’s SUV, and he’ll meet you all there.” She hesitated and then added, “How safe is it for anyone to approach the house?”
“I wouldn’t be going anywhere near it until the fire dies down,” Ashworth said. “I’m afraid it’s not a natural fire and will attack anyone who approaches.”
Jaz nodded. “I’ll tell Tala and we’ll set up a perimeter. Good luck out there.”
