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Ezra nods. “You need to be careful, Azrael. The Disciples are dangerous, no matter what you think of them.”
“Oh, I know that.”
“And you have a target on your back.”
“Any news on Caleb Church’s whereabouts?” I ask, ignoring his last comment.
“No, but I’ll keep searching. I will advise one thing. The man in the hospital, do you have him guarded?”
I nod.
“He’s the only one who can tell Noyes the truth about what happened. I assume Caleb will not want him to wake up.”
I stand, consider the folder. I almost don’t take it, but then I do. I pull it toward me and tuck it under my arm.
“Thank you, Ezra.” I extend my hand and we shake.
“I’ll keep working. Caleb Church will turn up. He’s obsessed with your wife. He will risk his own life to get to her. I want to be very clear on that.”
I study the man. He’s earnest. “I am very clear, thank you.”
“I’ll be in touch as soon as I can.”
With that I walk toward the door but stop and turn back. “One more question. Church wasn’t close to parole. Do you know why he was released early?”
He shakes his head. “No, but I can look into it.”
“Do.”
I walk out of his office, set that envelope on the seat beside me and drive home, noting every set of headlights behind me, more aware of my surroundings than usual.
The lock at the gates of the house has been upgraded and I decide to call in more security both here and also at the Wildblood house. I pull the Jaguar through the gates and park in front of the entrance. It’s late, and all the lights are out. I head up the stairs toward my bedroom, quietly opening Bec’s door on my way to check on her. I’m surprised when I find her at her window rather than in bed.
“Bec?”
She turns to me, startled. She puts her hand to her chest. “You scared me.”
“What is it?” I ask, crossing the room to look out the window. Her bedroom also overlooks the backyard but from hers, she can see a part of the pool house. Although the light in the pool house is out, she can see inside it from the lights in the garden.
“Willow,” she says, pointing. “She’s been out there a while, and I’m worried about her.”
I peer around to see the distant figure of Willow floating on her back in the calm water and for a moment, my mind conjures up the photograph in the backseat of that car. Willow with the carving in her forehead. I blink to dispel it, but it’s happened, hasn’t it? He managed to get to her. To carve that cross into her forehead.
“Azrael? You okay?” Bec asks.
I shake my head, force the thoughts away, glad to catch a glimpse of Emmanuel on a chair in the pool house. “Did something happen? Did she say anything?” Because she won’t talk to me, not really.
“I don’t know. She just feels off to me. Sad. I mean, it makes sense. I think she’s trying to act normal, but she’s scared. Like really scared. What happened to her, that man, what he did to her, Azrael, it was terrifying. That kind of violence… I’ve never…” Her eyes tear up and I pull her in for a hug.
“You’re safe now. You’re all safe now. I’ll go down there. I’ll talk to her. Make her talk to me.”
She pulls back to look up at me. “I think that’s a good idea.”
“Come on. Get back in bed.”
I walk her over, noticing one of those shakes on the nightstand. As she climbs in, I pick it up. It’s open, the cap lying beside it, but still full.
“You drinking these again?”
“Grandmother says I need to to keep up my strength.” She makes a show of holding her nose with one hand and reaches to take it from me.
“Leave it,” I say. “You’re doing well. Keep doing what you’re doing for now, okay?”
If she finds it strange, she doesn’t comment but nods. “Are you going to flush it?” she asks me as I get up to leave. “She always checks that I drank it all.”
“Yeah, I’m going to flush it.”
“Even Benedict won’t drink those. They’re awful.”
I pause at that, because Benedict will eat or drink pretty much anything.
“Goodnight, Az.”
“Night, Bec.”
I walk out and take the shake to the library, sniffing it. It smells like vanilla. I twist the lid back on, unlock the drawer of my desk and place the bottle inside then text Ezra to ask him if he knows of a lab where I can have something tested discreetly. He responds that he’ll send details in the morning.
Satisfied, I walk down to the pool. The shake can wait. Seeing Willow can’t. I need her to talk to me. That’s happening tonight, whatever it takes.
