Dazielle stared at me, and her eyes narrowed. “Is everything okay with you?”
“Not really.” I gestured for Suki to sit. “Just give me a second.” Frank kicked inside me, feeding off the panic in the room.
Dazielle continued to study me, suspicion in her eyes as she fanned a hand in front of her face. “It’s really warm in here.”
That was Frank’s fault. I slid my tongue over my dry teeth. I had to get a grip on him, or this could get messy.
Suki peered at me. “Tempest, you look like you have a fever. You’re glowing.”
“I can’t do this.” I backed away from the table and bumped into Dazielle, who’d moved to block the door.
Her hand gripped my shoulder. “You have to. It’s the only way we can get Suki to talk.”
“You don’t understand. I need to get out of here.”
Frank’s laugh echoed inside my head. “This should be fun, making friends in a building full of angels,” he whispered.
“We’re not having fun with any angels.” I pivoted around and tried to duck past Dazielle, but she stepped into my path.
“Do your job,” she said to me.
I resisted the urge to thump her. How could she not sense the problem? Frank’s energy prickled up the back of my neck. I was so close to losing control.
“I must get out.” My fingers clawed at the handle of the door as Frank continued to slide through me, gaining in strength with every second I was trapped in this room with a panicked wood nymph.
Dazielle finally seemed to twig what was going on. She shoved me backward and pointed a finger at me. “Stay right there.” She moved so fast I didn’t see her leave the room.
“Tempest, what’s wrong?” Suki whispered.
I raised a hand but couldn’t speak as an enormous unwelcome burp threatened to come out as Frank inched his control over me.
Dazielle reappeared with the same dizzying amount of speed she’d used to leave the room. She shoved a stale doughnut in my mouth. “Eat.”
I tried to spit out the doughnut. Dazielle held on tight and rammed it farther into my mouth. “Eat the doughnut and drink this coffee.” She lifted a huge mug of black coffee. “There’s plenty of sugar in it. It will help you get your control back.”
A flicker of surprise ran through me as I stopped resisting and swallowed the doughnut. I didn’t know Dazielle cared enough to help me with my demon issues. Maybe it was just that she wanted to ensure Angel Force wasn’t blown apart when Frank came out to play. Whatever her motives, I didn’t care. Sugar always calmed Frank, and it was working this time, even though the doughnut was past its best.
“Feeling better?” Dazielle asked as I swallowed the last of the doughnut, grabbed the mug of coffee, and took a huge drink.
“Getting there.” Frank had been temporarily placated by the doughnut, and Suki’s panic had receded enough that it no longer filled the room and made me twitchy.
I glanced at Suki to see a puzzled look on her face. Maybe she didn’t know about Frank. It was probably best if she didn’t.
I wiped sugar from my lips and drank more coffee. “Let’s do this interview. The sooner it’s over, the sooner Suki can go home.”
Dazielle stared at me hard before giving a quick nod. The three of us settled at the table. I sat next to Suki, and Dazielle sat on the other side.
“Tell me what you saw the night Nick was murdered,” Dazielle asked Suki.
She glanced at me, and I nodded. “Well, it was dark and late. Almost everyone had gone home from the celebration.”
“But not Nick?”
Suki shook her head. “He came back with a camera. He was looking around the stones and taking pictures. I could hear him muttering to himself, but I couldn’t hear what he said. I stayed in the forest, so he wouldn’t see me.”
“You weren’t that well-concealed,” I said. “Several people spotted you during solstice celebrations.”
Suki ducked her head. “I got curious. I love solstice.”
“What did you do when you saw Nick?”
“Nothing bad.” Suki blinked rapidly, and I felt her panic step up. “I wanted to know what he was interested in. I needed to make sure he wouldn’t harm the forest. He was digging small holes around the stones as if looking for something he might have dropped.”
“Did he find what he was looking for?”
“Not that I know of.”
“How long was Nick there?”
“At least twenty minutes. I’d convinced myself he was nothing to worry about when someone ran out from the shadow of a standing stone. They were dressed in black and had a hood covering their head. They held a rock in their hand. They hit Nick with it, and he went down.”
Dazielle nodded slowly. “Why didn’t you come forward with this information as soon as you knew what was going on?”
“I was scared this would happen.” Suki gestured around the room. “I couldn’t risk being taken from the forest and didn’t want my home discovered. It’s not that far from the stones, and the thought of all those non-magicals lurking around is horrifying. What if they’d discovered where I live? I’d have to move, and it’s taken me years to get it how I want it.”
“Are you aware that withholding evidence is a crime?” Dazielle said.
“I hoped you’d figure it out without me,” Suki said.
“You have a violent temper,” Dazielle said. “I’m going to have two angels off work for days because you can’t control your temper.”
Suki ducked her head. “I am sorry. I didn’t mean to attack anybody. It’s one of the reasons I stay out of the way. My temper can get the better of me, and I’d hate for anyone to be injured.” She looked at her large brown hands before tucking them onto her lap. “I don’t know my own strength.”
“You’re unusually strong for a wood nymph,” Dazielle said.
“That’s another reason I stay out of the way. Some people think unusual is wrong.”
“We don’t, do we?” I looked pointedly at Dazielle. “You shouldn’t have to hide if you don’t want to.”
Suki smiled at me gratefully. “I appreciate that. It’s easier for everyone this way. But I promise I had nothing to do with Nick being killed. I was shocked when I saw what happened.”
“Okay, let’s go back a step. You saw this person hit Nick over the head, and he went down. Did they only hit him once?”
Suki grimaced and shook her head. “Several times. I don’t think they knocked him out the first time. They hit him three times. It was horrible.”
“Then what?”
“I panicked and ran away. I didn’t want them seeing me.”
“You didn’t see how they moved Nick’s body?”
“No, but I didn’t go far before I realized I was being a coward. I doubled back and crept to the tree line. By the time I got there, the body was gone. Maybe they used magic to move him.”
“Which would make the killer a resident of Willow Tree Falls.” Dazielle looked at me. “Maybe I should get your aunt back in for questioning.”
“Best if you don’t. It’s going to be a long time before she forgives you for thinking she killed Nick.”
Dazielle shrugged. “Did you see anything else?” she asked Suki.
She nodded. “I went to the stones. I saw where Nick had fallen. I could tell he’d been badly injured by the amount of blood on the ground.”
“Hold on. You told me the blood had been covered by the killer, and you didn’t see anything when you looked around,” I said.
Suki tugged on her bottom lip. “It was me. I covered it. I didn’t want the stones to be turned into a circus when everyone else found out. I figured the killer had moved the body and Nick would be found, anyway.”
“You corrupted a crime scene.” Dazielle sighed and sat back in her seat. “If you’re not involved, anyone would think you’re best friends with the killer the way you’re acting. Not only did you fail to report seeing the murder take place, but you also destroyed evid
ence.”
Suki’s eyes filled with tears. “It was wrong. I know that. I am sorry.”
“Sorry is not enough,” Dazielle said. “I’m going to have to charge you.”
“Not with murder,” I said.
“A murder charge is still a possibility. We only have Suki’s word to go on that this mystery person dressed in black exists. At the very least, she will be charged with assault on my angels, concealing information, and hampering an investigation.”
As I was about to protest Suki’s innocence, there was a knock on the door. Sablo opened it and looked in the room.
“What is it?” Dazielle asked.
“Another one of those journalists has been attacked.”
“Is it James?” I jumped from my seat.
“No, it’s a young woman. It was quite some fight she got into.”
Dazielle also stood. “This could be connected to Nick. We’ll have to continue this interview later.”
Suki looked hopeful. “Can I go?”
“Not yet,” Dazielle said. “We’ll sort you some breakfast and finish the questions later.”
Suki slumped in her seat, tears threatening to fall.
“Where did the fight take place?” I asked Sablo.
“At the stone circle.”
“Let’s get over there,” I said.
Dazielle glared at me but nodded. “Okay but stay out of trouble.”
“Of course,” I said.
Suki caught hold of my hand before I left the room. “There was something else. I heard a strange noise by the stones as I was coming back. It was like a purring sound.”
I glanced over my shoulder, keen not to let Dazielle get away. “Like an animal sound?”
“No, more like an engine sound.”
“Was it a bike engine, like the kind of thing Rhett drives?”
“I think it was a car. I’m not used to seeing them so close to the stone circle, so the sound surprised me. It might have nothing to do with it, but I won’t hide anything else from you. I do want to help sort this out.”
“Thanks, it could be useful. When I get a second, I’ll look into it.”
“Thanks for helping me.” Suki let go of my hand. “Are you feeling better?”
I gave her shoulder a brief squeeze. “After a stale doughnut and a coffee, I’m fine. Sit tight. I’ll be back to get you out as soon as possible.”
I hurried after Dazielle, who had already left the building. The engine sound could be relevant. If the killer had used a vehicle to move Nick, that would narrow down the suspects. Few people drove in Willow Tree Falls. It made it much more likely to be a non-magical involved.
Maybe this new information wouldn’t matter if we were about to unmask the killer. If they’d attacked someone else, they must be unstable and taking more risks. Risks led to mistakes. Mistakes that meant I could catch them, solve this murder, and get Suki released.
Chapter 17
Wiggles joined me as I raced out of Angel Force and along the road, catching fleeting glimpses of Dazielle as she soared across the street and up the hill to the stones.
“Where’s the fire?” he asked.
“It’s not a fire; it’s a fight.”
“Who’s involved?”
“Sablo said it was a woman journalist. I don’t think there are any here, at least, none that I’ve seen. It might be Jenny or maybe Rachel.”
As we reached the top of the hill, my mouth dropped open. One of the enormous ancient stones in the stone circle had been knocked over. A large crack ran across its center. It looked like an ancient fallen warrior. The stones had been here for thousands of years, always steadfast, never at risk of collapse. How could this have happened?
“Someone did not like that stone.” Wiggles trotted over and sniffed around it. “Who has the power to take down one of these?”
“I’m not sure I want to find out.” Three angels were inside the stone circle, surrounding someone who was sprawled on the ground.
I cast a worried look at the broken stone before hurrying over to see who it was.
Dazielle glanced at me and nodded. “It’s Jenny. She’s out cold.”
I peered around Dazielle and saw Jenny on her back. A large red mark marred one cheek, and her hands were bleeding.
“It looks like she’s been clawed by an animal.” I looked closely at her hands. They were laced with deep scratches.
“It wasn’t an animal. Someone reported seeing two women fighting inside the stones,” Dazielle said.
“Who was the other woman?”
“That’s what we need to find out as soon as Jenny wakes up.”
A shudder of cold ran up my spine. Something felt horribly off here. You did not knock over an ancient, powerful stone full of magic without having significant abilities.
I stepped away from the angels as they made preparations to move Jenny and took a slow walk around the inside of the circle. The whole time I did, Frank pulsed through me. It was as if he could sense the dark power and was not happy.
Wiggles strode along beside me, his hackles up and his eyes glowing. He could also sense the weird vibes the place gave off.
Dark magic had been involved in this fight, and its foul essence still lingered like a silent fart in an elevator.
I made it halfway around the stones before Dazielle joined me, her expression grim. “You sense it, don’t you?”
“Something is off, here. I’m getting this weird tingle and not in a good way.”
She nodded, and her eyes tightened. “I bet your demon does, as well. It takes like to know like.”
I nodded and looked regretfully at the stone. I didn’t know how we’d repair the damage.
“Whoever or whatever has that dark power, we need to stop it,” Dazielle said. “I don’t know how Jenny is involved with this, but if she’s come into contact with dark magic, it could have harmed her. It’s hard to predict how non-magicals will react when they come face-to-face with the truth about magic.”
“It looks like she didn’t come off too well,” I said.
“We’ll get her to the hospital for a thorough check-up. Only then will we know how badly she’s been affected and how long-lasting the impact will be.”
We both turned as a scream rang out. Jenny was sitting bolt upright, one hand raised, pointing back toward Willow Tree Falls.
I ran over with Dazielle as Jenny slumped back on the ground.
“What happened?” Dazielle looked at the angels surrounding Jenny. “Did she say anything?”
“She said the name Rachel,” one of the angels said.
“That was Nick’s girlfriend,” Dazielle said.
I stared at Jenny. It seemed a little on the dramatic side to sit upright, scream another person’s name, and collapse. Was she trying to tell us that Rachel was the other woman involved in the fight?
We waited a moment to see if Jenny would say anything else, but she was out cold again.
I walked back to the broken stone and placed my hand on top of it. “Don’t worry. We’ll find out who did this to you. I wish you could talk and tell us what happened.”
Wiggles sniffed around the stone. “We should leave.”
“Are you sensing something bad?”
“I know you never like to run away from a fight, but even I might think twice about going up against anyone who can bring down a standing stone.” Wiggles sniffed the stone and backed up a few steps.
“My hellhound is scared? You’re supposed to be fearless.” I tried to make light of the situation, but it was hard to do so when my own nerves bounced with a warning.
Wiggles sniffed around some more. “I’m just saying I like our lives as they are. I don’t mind a bit of investigating now and again, but neither of us will be able to do that if whatever knocked over this stone comes after us.”
“You don’t think I can handle them?”
Wiggles’ ears pricked. “Maybe Frank could.”
“Let’s not try that experiment. For a
ll we know, Frank, and whoever did this, could be best buddies. If I let him out to go on the hunt, all that will do is release another dangerous power into Willow Tree Falls.”
“I’m just saying maybe Frank can be an asset for once.”
I wasn’t convinced, but Frank did have a remarkable lack of morals and fear. He would do anything to win.
“Tempest, you might as well go home.” Dazielle walked over. “We can’t question Jenny at the moment. I’ve put out a call to find Rachel and see what she knows about this fight. Right now, I’m at a loss to figure out what happened.”
“Fair enough.” For once, I was glad Dazielle was getting rid of me. “I’ll keep an eye out for Rachel.”
“Be careful around her. If she got Jenny in this state, she’s not safe to be around.”
“I’ll give her a wide berth if I see her.” I headed back down the hill and along the main street with Wiggles. One stale doughnut and a mug of coffee would not suffice for breakfast. I headed to Tilly’s for a much-needed fix of food and a chance to think about this fight and what it meant, if anything, in Nick’s murder.
Tilly hurried over when she saw me settle at a table. “You look... like you’ve had a busy night.”
“You won’t believe the half of it.” I gave her a quick update about what had happened to Suki and my unenjoyable evening at Angel Force.
Tilly sat at the table with a mug of herbal tea, her eyes growing wider as I finished the story.
“That’s such a terrible thing to do to Suki. Are they going to let her out? The angels aren’t continuing this ridiculous line of questioning, are they?”
I looked at her and narrowed my eyes. “That depends on if the actual killer comes forward anytime soon. Is there anything you’d like to tell me about that night you spent with Nick?”
Tilly’s cheeks flushed. “You might as well know, and to be clear, it wasn’t the whole night. I only kept quiet about it because I was embarrassed.”
“What do you have to be embarrassed about? You did kiss Nick?”
Tilly looked up at the ceiling as if seeking inspiration. “Okay, I did think he was cute. I can’t explain it, but I think a lot of non-magicals are gorgeous. He came in the first day he arrived, being charming. He had that lovely accent, and he smelt so good.”
Hell of a Witch (Crypt Witch Cozy Mystery Series Book 2) Page 16
