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“Are we ready to get this shit over with?” I asked, the nerves I always got when dealing with spirits putting a rough edge on my voice.
Getz’s eyebrows rose, but he didn’t say anything, simply nodding.
“Agent Parikh,” Doc shook Raj’s hand.
Raj introduced Ezra, Doc introduced Ward, who now had on his glittery black gaiter mask, everybody insisted on first names, and all the usual bullshit. Then Doc asked us all to sit down.
I picked up Taavi and put him on a chair so he could watch, then sat myself as everyone else settled themselves.
Ezra Getz smiled at Ward, the corners of his eyes turning up. “Would you like me to take the lead?”
Ward offered a smile back, although there was a little hardness to the creases around his eyes and forehead that wasn’t typical. “Whatever you want,” he answered.
I shot a look at Doc, but the orc’s face—as usual—was placid.
Raj handed Ward a file folder on the first victim. “Here’s who we’re looking for.”
Ward nodded once, glancing briefly at the name and photograph.
“That’s all you need?” Ezra asked, surprise clear in his tone.
I snorted. I couldn’t help it. But I’d seen Ward find people with no photograph at all, with a photo and no name, and with nothing more than a goddamn ribbon. Give the man both a name and a picture, and it’ll take you longer to ask him if he needs anything else than it will for him to find them.
Ward’s expression hardened even more, muscle tight at his temples and in his neck.
Ezra Getz had made the mistake—a pretty classic one, at that—of underestimating Ward Campion. It wasn’t a mistake anyone made more than once.
And then a chill tingled its way down my spine, and I saw Ezra’s mild brown eyes widen. And Ward hadn’t so much as twitched or taken a breath.
I stifled the snicker that threatened at the back of my throat. I really did enjoy it when he put people in their place. And he wasn’t even showing off. Yet.
“Who do we have?” I asked.
I saw Ward’s eyes skip over to Doc, who shrugged.
“Daniel Park,” Ward answered. “How… helpful would you like me to be?”
I saw confusion on both Ezra’s and Raj’s faces, then I saw Raj figure out what he was asking.
The tiger shifter leaned forward. “As helpful as you can,” he answered.
When Ward’s eyes settled on me, I nodded.
He inclined his head, exhaled, and then a youngish Asian man shimmered into visibility. Raj sucked in a breath, and Ezra breathed out a “Holy shit.” Beside me, Taavi whined a little in the back of his throat. I somehow managed not to smirk. Smirking wouldn’t be professional.
The ghost held out his hands, his eyes almost as wide as Raj’s and Ezra’s.“I—”
“Oh,shit,” Ezra gasped.
Doc was totally smirking. I grinned at Raj.
The tiger shifter swallowed. “That is—impressive, Edward.”
Ward inclined his head, acknowledging the compliment. “Mr. Park,” he said, his voice gentle. “Would you mind telling us what happened to you when you died?”
The ghost looked over at him.“Um. Yes, of course. Are—are you going to stop them?”
“We’re sure as shit going to try,” I said.
