Winter's Reckoning: (A Witch Detective Urban Fantasy Novel) (Seasons of Magic Book 4)

by Sarah Biglow

  “Gone after the most likely suspect. Maybe even made him pay for what he took from you,” I answered.

  She jutted one hip out to the side. “And what suspect would that be? Because all I saw on that recording was you failing to save the man I love.”

  “I did everything I could,” I spat back at her. She’d sat there the day after he died and told me not to blame myself. I guess she’d reached the anger stage of grieving.

  Her mouth opened and closed in rapid succession as I stood there across from her before her shoulders sunk and her entire posture deflated. She sunk into one of the chairs on the far side of the table and dragged her hands through her hair. “I know you did,” she whispered.

  I sat opposite her. “I know this is hard for you and really I’m sorry to have made you watch that. But I am trying everything I can possibly think of to get Des the justice he deserves. I thought I had found some proof of who was involved, but it may have just led to a dead end and more questions.”

  She looked up, blinking back tears behind her glasses. “What do you mean?”

  “I went back into my memory. I picked up on a particular magical signature. But when I went to confront that person, their magic was gone—vanished. And not just their magic, their memory of ever having magic.”

  “How is that possible?”

  “I’m not sure. I suppose if someone is powerful enough, they could affect someone in that way. But I don’t’ know anyone with that much ability.” Not even my own ancestors could have done that.

  “The magic was completely erased? That doesn’t sound right. Not with what you said about the stolen magic three months ago.”

  “I know, but it’s what I saw. I felt the absence of magic. And he didn’t react when I name dropped the Order or even my own name.”

  Just what I needed, another mystery to solve when the world was about to go to shit. Avery studied her hands in silence for a minute and I didn’t push her. I understood the anger she’d been feeling and the sense of helplessness at being left behind. It was a feeling I battled every day for years with losing my mother. A feeling that still tried to grab hold of me now.

  “Are you sure he wasn’t just playing you about the Order?” She finally posed.

  “I could be wrong, but he sounded sincere when I asked him. But I know for a fact I sensed his magic at the scene. He did something to the bullet.”

  “So, what happens now?”

  “I keep digging. I know that he’s got some shady business practices going on. I need to look into that and see if I can at least connect him to those.”

  I could tell by the way her face fell that it wasn’t the answer she was hoping for. “I can try to do a little digging, too,” she offered.

  “There isn’t any video footage that needs reviewing,” I commented before I realized what she was really offering. “Please don’t do anything illegal or that can be traced back to us. We want this to stick and for him to go down for his part in Des’ murder.”

  She crossed her heart. “You have my word.”

  “And for the love of all that is good, don’t you dare put yourself in danger. Des may be dead already, but he would kill me if anything happened to you.”

  She gave me a watery smile. “I can’t make any promises.”

  Someone knocked on the door, making both Avery and I jump. The door opened and I positioned myself to spring into action if needed. I relaxed when Jacquie stuck her head in. “Sorry to interrupt, but I need to borrow my partner.”

  I exhaled, my shoulders visibly relaxing as I stood and ushered Avery from the interview room. I waited until she was out of earshot before I turned to Jacquie “What’s going on?’

  “Reuben Wickham is here, with his lawyer.”

  Seven

  I fought to hold in my laugh of disbelief at the fact he’d actually turned up to talk to us. This was the last place he’d ever be caught showing up voluntarily, which made the thought of his memory being wiped all the more terrifying. I tried not to get my hopes up as we walked into the interview room down the hall. Reuben sat there looking stone-faced. His lawyer, a slender man with a hooked nose and short-cropped brown hair, sat beside him. He focused in on me the moment I sat down.

  “I want to go on record saying I find it deplorable that the police have been harassing my client.”

  “With all due respect, Counselor, we paid your client a visit this morning and all he did was request to speak to us with you present. Which we gladly agreed to,” Jacquie answered coolly before I could speak and most likely insult the man.

  “But now that we’re all here, how about we talk about where your client was on September 21, mid-afternoon?” I inquired, gripping my pen tight enough to drain the color from my knuckles.

  “I honestly don’t remember,” Reuben answered.

  “I think you ought to try harder,” I replied.

  “My client recently suffered a traumatic brain injury that has affected his memory,” the lawyer said.

  Convenient. I studied the man in his dark navy suit and tie. The collar and shirt sleeves were just high and long enough to cover any potential Order brand. I gathered a tiny bit of will and put it out in the world, directed at the attorney. It was just enough of a push to disrupt the placement of his shirt. I caught the barest hint of something dark on the man’s left wrist. It could easily be the swirl of the triple spiral and scythe that marked the Order.

  “So, was this accident which resulted in this injury recent?” I probed.

  Reburn shook his head. “No. It was a … car accident …”

  “Three months ago,” the lawyer filled in. “The details are still a bit hazy for my client.”

  “I see. I’m assuming there’s an accident report or 9-1-1 logs to verify the accident?” I gave the lawyer my best just-doing-my-job smile.

  “I’m sure we can find something to satisfy you, Detective,” the lawyer answered.

  “What is it that you think I did?” Reuben asked unprompted.

  “Reuben, keep your mouth shut.” His lawyer stood up and tugged on Rueben’s arm to bring him along with him.

  “We’re investigating a murder,” I offered.

  There was no recognition in Reuben’s eyes as his lawyer led him away. I was about to lament the pointlessness of the exchange to Jacquie when the interview room vanished, replaced by a field covered in dirty snow.

  “I don’t have time for whatever mind games you’re playing.”

  “I merely wanted to applaud you, Savior. You are relentless in your pursuit, even if you will fail in the end. We both know our destiny is a mere two days away and yet you spend your time chasing ghosts while I prepare for battle.” The figure stood just out of view behind a grove of barren trees. It almost looked like it could be the Common.

  “What makes you think I’m not preparing?” I replied.

  The figure stepped into view and tapped its cloaked head. The sleeve slid back to reveal scarred flesh. “I see your mind, Savior. I see all of its preoccupations with the loss you suffered. It will be your downfall. Just as I will be your undoing.”

  “You took Reuben Wickham’s magic, didn’t you? And his memories. Why?”

  The figure laughed and disappeared.

  “I’ll see what I can pull,” Jacquie said as the room came rushing back around me. “What just happened?”

  “That thing, the monster or whatever it is I’m supposed to stop. It keeps head hopping, paying me visits.”

  “What did it say”?

  I wiped the sweat from my upper lip and exhaled slowly. “That I’m wasting my time trying to find Desmond’s killer when I should be preparing for our fight to come.”

  “It’s just trying to mess with your head,” she said.

  I nodded. “Except, it’s not wrong. I don’t want to face what’s coming, because honestly I’m scared of what it means, Jacquie. Magic has asked so much of me and I did it all, because I figured I had no choice. But this Death’s child creature is power
ful. And if it in fact took Rueben’s magic and his memory of magic, then it’s way more powerful than I am. Solving Des’ murder seems so much easier in comparison.”

  “You are a strong woman, Ezri. You have endured far more than anyone in your position should have to and still you kept fighting. Do not let this thing make you second-guess yourself. Besides, you aren’t alone. You’ve got allies and we will all be there fighting by your side.”

  I forced a smile. “Thanks, partner.”

  “Now, how about we go figure out if Reuben’s telling the truth about this car accident?”

  I wanted to focus on poking holes in Wickham’s story, but I couldn’t shake the latest visit from that creature. Also, as much as Avery was still mad at me, I worried she’d take matters into her own hands.

  “Anything?” Jacquie prodded, pulling me out of my own head.

  “I’ve got nothing,” I reported to her half an hour later as I slumped back in my seat.

  Before Jacquie could answer, my phone rang with an incoming call, the ring tone the one I’d assigned Avery.

  “Hey, so I may have kind of broken that promise. But I think there’s something you might find helpful,” she said.

  “I’ll take whatever you’ve got.”

  “So, I might have taken a peek at Wickham’s bank and credit card statements. It looks like he had dinner a few months ago at a pricey steakhouse in the city not far from the bank. One of those places with a private event space. Someone may have called the place and pretended to be his assistant. They said that it had been a big work event. Lots of people in suits.”

  “Okay, so he had a business meeting three months ago.”

  “It was the day before Desmond’s murder,” Avery said. Her voice hitched on the last word.

  “It could be Order related.”

  “The woman I spoke to said that it had been a standing reservation until then. They stopped coming after that day.”

  Had Avery just stumbled onto the Order’s meeting spot? I’d been trying to cut the head off the snake for months, but hadn’t had any luck tracking them down. If she was right and they’d been holding meetings at a swanky restaurant right under my nose, well, I was pissed. It also seemed overly flashy of them to hold secretive meetings there about magic.

  “Thanks for the info. I’ll check it out.’

  “There’s one other thing.” Her voice trailed off.

  “Yeah?”

  “I had a thought and it’s probably crazy, but just hear me out. That woman you met a few months back, Adrian’s cousin.”

  “The necromancer?” I whispered the last word.

  “Yes, what if we paid her a visit? She can communicate with the dead. Maybe we could talk to him that way?”

  Her browsing history about seances made sense now. I wasn’t exactly Natalia’s favorite person, but I was desperate for answers, too, so I’d give anything a try. “I’ll call you when I’m done here and we can check it out together.”

  I ended the call and turned to find Jacquie staring at me. “What have we got?”

  “A possible lead on where Wickham was the day before the murder.” I rolled my chair around the desk to sit beside her. “Apparently, he and a lot of other very powerful people met monthly at one of those high-end steak places in the city. They were there the day before Des was shot. And they haven’t been back there since.”

  “So, you think that whatever happened to him could have happened there?”

  “Very possible. I may know how to find out, but it will have to wait until tonight.”

  “Why?”

  “Because his associates don’t go day drinking at magical bars.”

  “I thought you said Jonathan kicked you out last time.”

  “No, he just very forcefully asked me to leave his niece alone. It’s not my fault she followed me and wanted to chat.”

  “So, he has a niece now?”

  My brow furrowed. “I didn’t mention that? Sorry.”

  Her glare softened. “I’ll meet you there at eight. I have some things to take care of.”

  I opened my mouth to ask her what she could possibly be doing, but stopped short. There were plenty of non-suspicious things my partner could be doing. Besides, it gave me plenty of time to meet up with Avery and pay Natalia Baptiste a visit.

  Eight

  Approaching Natalia’s shop made my stomach hurt. Not because the thought of dealing with someone who communicates with the dead worried me. No, it was because the last time I’d been here, she’d lied to me. She’d come to me saying she thought her cousin was dead before he’d actually died. So, I didn’t trust her.

  Avery stood outside the shop and she raced toward me as I approached. “I know you don’t have the greatest history with her, so thank you for agreeing to try anyway.”

  “If she’s willing to help, I’ll let her.” I wrapped my fingers around the sandalwood charm at my throat and inhaled deeply. Washing away the lingering bits of magic I’d done earlier in the day and to prepare myself for the blend of magics within the shop.

  When I opened my eyes, the door was already swinging shut behind Avery. I followed her inside. For a moment the memory of Jacquie standing beside me, ready to question this woman about her connection to the kidnappings that led to her cousin’s death washed over me.

  “Can I help … you?” Natalia’s voice hitched when our gazes met.

  “You might be the only one who can,” I replied and stepped up to the counter. I’m sure there were other necromancers in the city, but she was the only one I had any sort of rapport with, tenuous as it may be.

  “I don’t know what you think I’ve done this time. Detective, I assure you; I’ve been staying away from surprise relatives.”

  “I’m not here in an official capacity. We need your help.”

  Her shoulders lowered an inch and she exhaled. “You’re looking to commune with a passed loved one?”

  “Yes. My husband,” Avery chimed in.

  “And you’re here because?” She prompted, looking back to me.

  “Because he was my cousin and he was murdered. I’ll be damned if I let whoever did it get away.”

  Natalia sucked in her lower lip, studying me and then Avery. “If he was murdered, whatever I find out could be upsetting. Are you prepared for that?’

  “I was there when he died. I’ve lived it,” I answered, ice trickling into my tone.

  “Oh ... I’m so sorry, Detective.”

  “Our family has something of a special connection to each other, even in death. Except it isn’t working, and I need to know if there’s anything he can tell me about the moments right before it happened.”

  “I can try, but sometimes when someone has died in such a brutal way, they don’t want to talk. They’re scared to share that with the ones they left behind.”

  “Desmond won’t be,” Avery interjected.

  Natalia nodded slowly. She then gestured for us to step around the edge of the counter and follow her back into the heart of the shop. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t the comfortable set of chairs and sofa in a warmly lit room.

  “Have a seat. Do either of you have something that belonged to Desmond?”

  Avery handed over his wedding ring. Before I realized it, I was twisting my own engagement ring around my finger. Natalia cupped the ring in both of her palms and sat on the sofa. She settled back against the plush maroon cushions and closed her eyes.

  “I’m going to need you both to be as relaxed as possible. And try not to do any magic.”

  Easier said than done. My own magic flared in response as soon as it sensed Natalia’s power reaching out into the ether. I gripped the arms of the chair and focused on the feel of the material beneath my fingers as a way to distract myself from trying to decipher and unravel the spell she was weaving.

  Without warning, she sat up and the ring fell from her hands, landing without a sound on the rug at her feet. “I’m sorry, I can’t.”

 
“He’s been dead for three months. Maybe you just have to try harder,” Avery said.

  Natalia shook her head, her eyes glittering with unshed tears. “No, I mean, I can’t find him.”

  “What does that mean?” My hands dug into the arms of the chair to keep me seated.

  “Usually, when I reach out to the spirit realm, they come running. Even the ones who are reluctant to speak at least show up, because the object calls to them. But it’s like he’s not even in the spirit realm.”

  “Is that even possible? I know he’s dead. I felt the life go out of him,” I snapped.

  She bent over and picked up the ring again. “Let me try one more thing.” This time she pressed the ring between her palms before swaying back and forth. Her magic, the earthy scent of thyme, leapt out, butting up against my own defenses. The pendant around my neck grew warm and I clutched at it, strawberries blossoming all around to protect it.

  Natalia inhaled sharply and her eyes flew open. “This may not make sense to you, but I felt him, or at least his magic, within you.”

  “Is that a thing?” Avery prompted.

  “No.” Not exactly, anyway. Only Desmond had bound his magic to an object right before his death and poured the rest of his power into the pendant as he was dying. So, maybe because his magic was still bound here, he wasn’t in the spirit realm yet.

  “All I can do is tell you what I sense and he’s not in a place where I could reach him. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you. Truly I am. I know the pain of losing someone you love unexpectedly.”

  “Have you ever had that happen before? Someone dead who isn’t in the spirit realm?” Avery prodded.

  Natalia shook her head. “No. never. I’ve had reluctant souls, sure. But they’ve always been there, somewhere. Your husband just isn’t.”

  I tried not to let the anger bubbling beneath the surface erupt. Part of me wanted to blame her for not trying hard enough, but I could also tell that she was telling the truth. Something deep inside me, or maybe it was the pendant, confirmed her statements. I was angrier with Desmond for making all of this so damn complicated. Didn’t he want to be at peace?