“Yeah.” She handed me a picture. “This person jimmied open the hood and took the battery.”
I looked at the picture. “Hey, I know her. She was at Loraine’s Doll shop, or now rather Annabella’s shop. I saw her when I went to grab coffee.”
“That’s good to know. We’ll ask her about it when we get down there.” She motioned to the desk. “Sit down.” She glanced behind her. “Door’s shut, O’Donald won’t come in, Nick is MIA.”
“You know, maybe PIB should think about putting trackers on their people,” I mused out loud.
“That would be funny if it wasn’t true.” She sighed. “You know you can say no to this.”
“I can, but then Simon and Nick might show up dead.”
“You said they have Merick’s sister as well.”
I nodded. “Oliver and I believe that they let him free to bring me in. So, if we can work with the Cult and have it look like Merick arranged it, then it looks less suspicious.”
Liz looked around. “Your house clear?”
I nodded.
“Then we talk there tonight. I don’t like being out in the open when there’s a witch in your head.”
I frowned. “I don’t think she’s there all the time. It’s almost like she checks in.”
“And if she checks in at the wrong time, this is all ruined. As soon as we get a car, we head down to the shop.”
Chances were if it was Annabella Louis that was popping in and out of my head, she’d know we were on the way. Now it was just a game of who knew our next step and how we were going to do it without the enemy knowing.
I pressed my fingers together. “I’m going to die, aren’t I?”
“Eventually, but I don’t think it’ll be this case that kills you.”
I hoped she was right. The case had already tried to kill me once, and that was enough for me.
#
AAA had finally showed up to replace Liz’s battery and now we were standing across from the shop that used to be Loraine’s Doll House, but now it had a new sign on it. “Bella’s Apothecary, Spells, and Potions.” The font resembled Old English letters with black and white flowers around them. Liz and I stood across the road with our coffee and just observed for a few minutes. Nothing moved inside, and no one looked like they were tearing down old fixtures left behind by Loraine. No demo trucks were on the road. It was all super quiet.
“I feel like this is pointless.” Liz sipped her coffee. “And we look suspicious as hell just standing here.”
I shrugged. “Typically when I just stand here, it’s a few stores down, staring at Clarissa’s shop.”
Liz didn’t say anything about it. Levi had once asked me about why I did it, and I told him to leave me alone in my grief. Maybe Liz knew she’d get the same answer.
“Interesting that Levi would let you out of his sight.”
Liz and I both froze at the voice and turned to look to our left. Samuel stood there, looking more casual than I’d ever seen him.
He’d traded his fancy slacks for tight jeans and a t-shirt. The only thing that was the same was the red ribbon that tied his long hair back.
My heart skipped a couple beats as I tried to figure out how to react.
“Don’t worry, Abigail, I don’t plan on harming you here. I know better.” He chuckled, and a shiver went down my spine. “I was just surprised to see you out and about without one of Levi’s people attached to your side. He’s so very protective of his daughter.”
So he didn’t know that Liz worked for Levi as well. That was good.
“You haven’t learned yet that Levi doesn’t control me. I’m not scared of you.”
“Your heartbeat says otherwise, Abigail. I love the smell of your fear. Ira was stupid not to keep you under his thumb. My fledgling must have been growing weak. Maybe your mother corrupted him.”
“I shot him in the face a few times. He wasn’t weak, he was insane.” I kept my voice even. “If you’re done trying to rile me up, you can leave now. I have a job to do.”
Samuel put a hand on my shoulder, and I saw Liz go for her gun. He leaned down and whispered in my ear. “The only reason I have not taken you from this miserable place is because I want my territory back, and I know if I hurt Levi’s daughter, there is no chance for me to get it. Rest assured, Princess, you are not safe. Levi’s confidence is false. He can’t protect you from me, or himself.”
And with that, he was gone.
I let out a shaky breath.
“Well, I think that’s our cue to go back home,” Liz said. “My coffee is empty.”
I took a moment to allow myself to catch my breath. My heart calmed down, and I took the last sip of my coffee. “Yeah, let’s go.” We walked down the block, passing Clarissa’s store. I tried not to look at it, but my heart ached at the thought that I could very well lose more people before this case was over.
Liz and I walked to the car in silence. We got in, and the moment she shut the door, she stared at me. “You know I have to tell Levi that Samuel made an appearance, right?”
“Yeah, if you could do that after I get back safely from whatever trap I’m walking into, I’d appreciate it. There’s no promise he won’t put me under house arrest.” Though I had hoped I’d gotten through to Levi about why that was a bad idea. “Or a safe house.” I rubbed my eyes.
“Deal. One issue at a time,” she promised. “What did Samuel say to you when he whispered in your ear?”
“Sweet nothings about how he wants to hurt me,” I muttered. “Just a threat right now.”
She nodded and started the SUV. “I hope so.” She pulled the SUV on to the road and headed toward my house. “Samuel scares you.”
“Oh, he scares the shit out of me, more so than Ira does… did.” I shook my head. “But I can’t let him think that just because I’m scared of him, he controls me and what I do. My biggest issue right now is that he’s a day walker, and it’s just you and me against him if it comes down to it right now.”
She nodded. “And he’s powerful. I can’t promise I can take him down with you.”
“Seeing as it took Oliver’s help for me to take down Ira, I’m not sure if two of us would do for Samuel either.” I leaned my head back. “One problem at a time.”
She snorted. “Keep pushing him to the back burner and deal with him later?”
“Well, it’s not like I can just shoot him next time I see him. He doesn’t have enough in the PIB database to justify it.”
She glanced at me.
“Yes, I looked. I’ve looked at so many angles to see if I could kill him without getting in trouble with anyone.”
“Does Levi know?”
“Nope, why would he? I’m not sure how much information Samuel can gleam from Levi. I don’t share a lot of things for that reason.”
“And Mario?”
“Fuck if I know.” I laughed. “All he does is lecture me and talk about how things would be better if Levi would just change me.”
“Mmm yeah, he’s brought that up in security meetings. It starts a fight every time.” She shook her head as she pulled the SUV on the highway. “Every, fucking, time.”
#
Liz and I pulled up to my house. The driveway was empty of any cars since Oliver and Merick both popped themselves in and out. We found Merick sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee and Oliver sitting in a chair nursing a cup of tea.
“You two look exhausted,” Merick said in a way of greeting.
I shrugged. “I could use a nap. It’s been a long day, and it’s just now getting to be evening.”
“That’s what happens when you start your day at five AM. How are you doing?” Oliver leaned back in his chair.
“Well, Simon’s fur was in a box, Nick disappeared in a pop of magic, O’Donald wants to use me as live bait, and Samuel stopped by for a visit. That’s a lot for one person.” I flopped on the couch. “This is the only place where the witch’s voice and magic don’t seem to touch. So Liz and I came her
e to discuss a plan. Instead of risking being overheard.”
Merick sat forward a little. “Oliver and I have also been discussing. In order to save my sister, I have to bring you in. The witch wants you specifically. She never said why. She asked questions about your cases, your parents, your magic.” Merick swallowed. “Magical torture, physical torture. She tried a lot to pull the answers out. I’m sorry, Abigail.”
“Don’t be. I never asked you to go through that for me. I never want anyone to go through torture for me.” I bowed my head. This entire case was way too personal. “O’Donald wants to put a tracker on me and let the witch take me like she did Nick. The witch seems to know that I’m able to push her magic away because she said that she wasn’t able to take me.”
“Spells like that are very dark magic.” Merick shook his head. “I don’t know who or what we’re dealing with, but it’s dangerous. With the issues you’ve had with your magic recently, I’m not sure sending you in is a good idea.”
“My magic has been stable and fine as of late. I’ll be okay because I know I’ll have back up when you guys track me. Liz and I talked about it. We want you to take me in so you can get Raina back. You need to take care of her.”
Oliver nodded. “And the issue with Samuel?”
“Will be pushed off until I know I’m going to survive this case.”
“And Levi? He won’t like this plan.” Merick shook his head. “We’re putting you into a case that the Cult should solve, but they made less headway than you did.”
They didn’t have the PIB resources. “Levi’s not going to find out. We’re going to do it without his knowledge, and we’ll deal with the aftermath later.”
Oliver snorted. “You’re as bad as your mother, but I love seeing her spirit in you.”
“I have just a couple things I want to figure out before I let you take me in. Do you think that is okay?” I looked at Merick. “Just a little more research so I can be as prepared as I can.”
“Anything I can help with?”
“Liz, do you have the picture of Annabella Louise and the chick that stole your car battery?”
She nodded and showed Merick and Oliver.
Merick shook his head. “Neither one looks familiar to me.”
Oliver swiped to the picture of the woman stealing the battery. “That’s Melisandra’s sister.”
We all looked at him. “What?” I asked.
“She’s supposed to be dead.”
That was news to me. “She’s clearly not.”
“The Cult has her listed as deceased.” Oliver sat his tea down. “She dies in a raid by witch hunters a few years ago.”
I raised a brow. “Witch hunters aren’t typically a problem anymore.”
“No, they aren’t, but there are still some factions left.” Merick shook his head. “If she died, why is she hanging out stealing batteries?”
“And at our top suspect’s new shop?” I added.
Liz sat back. “You don’t think it’s possible that this witch is using life magic to bring back the dead, do you?”
“Well, we have four dead, including the vampire, and one person who’s supposedly dead walking around.” I looked at Oliver. “You don’t think one of those people had the rest of the spell, do you?”
Oliver held his hands up. “I know very little of Lizzy’s work and those she worked with. She tried to keep me shielded from it all.”
Merick pressed his lips together. “Let me ask my team if they know the other person. Maybe the Cult has an answer you don’t.”
That would help us a lot. “Thanks, I know this can’t be easy for you.”
“I want justice for my father, and if they kill Raina, there will be justice for her. Cult or otherwise.”
The amount of anger in his voice made me pause, but I understood it. I’d been there before too. “Ask your people. Levi is bringing me what he still has on the tablet.” Hopefully he came through with that.
Merick bowed his head and stood. “I’ll make the phone call now.” He headed up the stairs, and I looked at Oliver.
“How’s he hanging in there?”
“He’s worried. He doesn’t like the idea of trading one life for another. I tried to explain to him you’re better suited for the situation than Raina is. You’ve been in tough situations before and you’re more likely to walk away because you have the backup and the skill to handle it.”
It was the same reasoning Oliver had given me when he traded me for his daughter’s life. On a couple of occasions.
“Do you trust Melisandra?” I asked him, changing the subject to talk about our newest fact on the case.
He nodded. “I do. Melisandra has been thrown a few curves in her life, and she remains on the lighter side of magic, focusing on healing the damage done by dark magic or magical attacks. Like the hole in your aura. She’s an amazing woman.”
“You knew her sister on sight and that she was supposed to be dead. Melisandra share that with you?”
“Kind of. She had a picture of her on her alter at the house. I questioned who the person was, and that’s when she told me. She didn’t give me any details, and I hadn’t realized that her sister was part of the Cult as well. I don’t want to call her and tell her that her sister is involved.” He sounded sad, worried.
“I can call her.”
Oliver nodded. “Thank you.” He pulled out his phone, and a moment later I got a text from him with Melisandra’s number.
This wasn’t something PIB prepared me for. In the Academy we had classes on how to handle grieving families, either grieving from death or grieving the fact that their kin committed a crime. But nothing could prepare me to ask someone about their dead sister walking in the land of the living.
I didn’t have the sixth sense, so I knew that the woman wasn’t a ghost. I took a deep breath and called Melisandra.
“Abigail, please don’t tell me someone ripped your aura again.” Her voice was teasing and light, and a pit formed in my stomach.
“No, unfortunately, I’m calling about a case. We have witnesses that place your sister in Manitou.”
“My sister is dead, Agent Collins. Witch hunters killed her in her apartment.” Her voice became cold. “This is cruel to bring up.”
“I’m sorry. I know how much losing a family member hurts and for someone to bring it up. Had I not been the witness and had we not caught her on camera and had two people confirm who it was, I wouldn’t have called. If I send you an image, would you be able to confirm it for me?”
She took a shaky breath, and I imagined that she was trying to pull herself back together. “Yes. I’m sorry, Agent Collins. I miss her dearly and the hurt is still raw sometimes.”
“I understand, there’s no need to apologize. We’re just as confused as you are. I’ll text you the image in just a moment. Our PIB security footage shot it.”
“Thank you.” She disconnected the call, and a moment later, Oliver’s phone rang. He sighed. “It’s Melisandra. I’ll take it outside.” He stood and let himself out of the house.
Liz looked at me. “This is insane.”
“Yeah, it is. I have no idea what to expect. Is Melisandra’s sister in on it? Is she just an innocent bystander?”
“Or is she a successful raised from the dead person?” Liz cringed. “I don’t like where this could be going.”
I paused, a connection happening in my head. “Oliver has been obsessed with finding a way to bring my mother back.”
“Melisandra’s sister is back from the dead. Oliver is involved with Melisandra.” Liz added on to my thought. “You don’t think?”
“I don’t think Oliver has the answer to raising people from the dead or he would have brought my mother back by now.”
“Unless he was using Melisandra’s sister for practice?”
“No, I wouldn’t.” Oliver’s voice froze us both. “I have learned that there is no safe way to bring Lizzy back. I never planned on using black magic. I was always weighing m
y options to see if it was possible.” Oliver sat at the table. “Abigail, your mother was the only family I had in my life. When she was killed, it ripped me apart. When I wasn’t able to take you in, it furthered that rip because you were the last thing I could hold on to. Yes, I would do almost anything to bring Lizzy back, and I walk on the darker part of magic like she did, but I wouldn’t use it to bring her back.”
I paused at the emotion in his voice. “Then why do you think Melisandra’s sister is walking around alive?”
“Melisandra believes that it might be glamour. She cremated her sister and returned her to the earth. She’s really upset about the idea that someone is using her sister’s likeness.”
My phone chimed with Melisandra’s answer to the photo. “This looks similar, but there’s something off that I cannot put a finger on.”
“What if it’s not glamour, but a simple disguise? Like good old fashion look-alike with makeup and clothing? How long has her sister been dead?”
“Five years? I think.” Oliver paused. “So some things, little details, might be hazy. And since none of us know her personally, we assumed that it was the same person.”
I nodded. “Something to throw us off. Throw guilt toward the Cult?”
Liz leaned back in her chair. “Because honestly, that’s what we’d look at next if Annabella doesn’t pan out. We’d go to the Cult. We all know that the Cult doesn’t want PIB knocking at its door, so what a better way to throw us off?”
Merick came back into the kitchen. “The woman’s name is Annabella Louis Averin.”
We all looked at him. “I’m sorry, what’s her last name?” I asked, hoping I miss heard.
“Averin. Well, more accurately, Annabella Louise Bantam-Averin. She’s not Cult. The only reason we have anything on her is because she came and attacked Devon about a year before he went AWOL.” Merick sat down. “I also was able to confirm that Melisandra’s sister is listed as deceased and cremated, so it’s impossible that she’s back.”
“We think it’s a look-alike trying to throw our trail off and lead us to the Cult. However, when Balin pulled Annabella in, she had dropped the last name Averin.” I paused. “Merick, was Devon’s dad part of the Cult?”
Something Wicked (Here Witchy Witchy Book 11) Page 16
