The Hex Files: Wicked State of Mind

by Gina LaManna

  “So I heard,” I said. “What’s your name?”

  “She already told you.” The little girl’s face scrunched up as she glanced at Willa. “I’m Tink.”

  “Hi, Tink,” I said, making my way across the room. I settled into a chair next to Willa and her new friend and pulled the box of cereal and a bowl toward me. “Any chance you could pass me the milk?”

  Tink gave me a somber look. “It’s all gone.”

  I pushed the cereal away. “No problem. I don’t eat breakfast anyway. I prefer caffeine.”

  Willa knowingly pushed a cup of piping hot coffee across the table, and I was beginning to think I didn’t mind this early morning wake-up call all that much when Tink giggled.

  “What’s so funny?” I asked, cupping my hands around the mug. “Did I say something?”

  Her cheeks turned pink. “No.”

  I glanced at Willa, but she looked just as confused as I felt. “Why don’t you tell me about yourself, Tink? Where’s your mom and dad?”

  “My dad is a deadbeat,” Tink said in what was clearly word-regurgitation from her mother. “I don’t know him. But my mom and I live in the Golden District. Her name is Lisa.”

  I froze. “Lisa... Does she have blond hair?” I paused, realizing that most elves had long blond hair, so it wasn’t exactly a unique descriptor.

  “You know her,” Tink encouraged. “She said you found her last night. But she didn’t know you, so she was scared and ran away.”

  “And where is your mom now?”

  “She had to go away again,” Tink said. “But she said you would help us. You would help me get her back.”

  “How did she know I would help?”

  “She saw,” Tink said simply with a shrug. “She sees things sometimes.”

  “What sorts of things?”

  Tink stopped talking as if I’d muzzled her. She straightened, her shoulders rigid as she composed herself before responding. “We walked over to find you, but then my mother had to go away.”

  “Go away where? Was someone with her?”

  Tink nodded. “We were close to your house when we heard a noise, and she told me to hide in some bushes. Someone came up to her, and they talked for a minute. Then my mom looked toward the bushes and winked at me. After that, the other person took her away.”

  “Did you see who your mom went away with?” I asked, imagining she must have offered herself up without a fight for the sake of her daughter. “Male or female?”

  “I couldn’t see who they were,” Tink said. “But before she told me to hide, she said she might be gone for a few days, and that I was supposed to look for a detective in a red dress who wears black clothes.”

  “Well, that sure sounds like Detective DeMarco,” Willa said with a dry smile. To me, she spoke over Tink’s head. “I found her a block away, wandering down the street, whistling. Not a care in the world. Not scared. When I asked her what she was doing, she said she was looking for the detective in the red dress and black clothes. I figured there was a good chance she was talking about you. Did you meet her mother?”

  “Last night—on a case,” I said, cryptically so Willa wouldn’t press in front of the little one. “Your mother seems quite powerful, Tink.”

  “Yep,” she said happily. “She is, but it’s a secret.”

  “She has secret powers?” I asked. “Powers that nobody except the elves can know?”

  Tink again went silent, choosing instead to raise the cereal bowl to her lips and slurp the remainder of the milk. When she put the bowl back down, she glanced at me, and another giggle seemed to rupture from the inside. I studied her closer this time, noticing a gleam in her eye, a slight halo around her head. This little girl had been born with powerful magic, and if I had to guess, she hadn’t learned how to control it. It was as if she radiated raw power.

  “What’s so funny?” I asked again. “You’ve got a case of the giggles.”

  “Because he’s gonna kiss you today,” she said, and then hid her face behind her hands. “He’s gonna kiss you a lot.”

  Willa’s eyes got as big as saucers. “Who? What? Where?”

  “Nothing and nobody,” I said, standing and clearing the plates. “I’m not in a relationship with anyone, Tink. I don’t know who told you that.”

  “She doesn’t understand all that,” Willa said. “Relax, Detective. She’s five. She has an active imagination.”

  “Yeah, well, I have to actively find her mother,” I said. “Tink, how do you feel about hanging out with Willa at the pizzeria for the day?”

  “Sure,” she said. “If I get to eat pizza.”

  “As much as you’d like,” Willa promised. “Er—I mean, maybe a few pieces. I don’t know. Whatever your mom would let you eat.”

  “She’d let me eat as much pizza as I wanted,” Tink deadpanned. “I get to do whatever I want.”

  “I don’t believe you, and I think you’re too clever for your own good.” Willa stood. “Which means we’re going to have some fun together. Come on, let’s get ready to head downstairs and let the superstar detective get to work.” While Tink hummed along and carried her bowl to the sink, Willa crept close and lowered her voice. “What do you make of all this?”

  “It’s hard to say,” I said. “But last night, Matthew and I were trying to stop a kidnapping—Lisa’s kidnapping.”

  “Someone wanted to kidnap this poor girl’s mother? Is it tied with the other elfin disappearances?”

  “We don’t have solid proof, but I don’t see how it could be a coincidence.” I inhaled a long, slow breath. “I can only imagine that Lisa was called to the club for some reason—work, a friend’s party, something that drew her there.”

  I stopped speaking because Tink had turned back from the kitchen and was staring at me with huge, innocent-looking eyes.

  “Kids hear everything,” Willa said in explanation. “You can tell me later. Or not at all. I know your detective business is all secretive and whatnot. Anyway, Tink and I have some mischief to do, so we’ll be getting on with it. Right, partner?”

  Tink giggled and nodded. “Mischief.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Thanks, Willa—I appreciate this a lot,” I said. “Are you sure it’s okay if I leave her here today? I have to go to the precinct and regroup with Matthew and the others. She’ll be safe with you and Jack for now until the chief comes up with a better plan.”

  “Of course she will,” Willa said. “Her mother sent her here for a reason, didn’t she, Tink?”

  Tink gave an affirmative nod. “And my mother’s never wrong.”

  Except about her kidnapper, I thought. If, in fact, she had been taken against her will. I suspected Lisa had known her kidnapping was somewhat inevitable and had chosen to seek care for her daughter, even if it meant exposing herself in the process. She’d probably been forced to make a choice between running to save herself, or getting her daughter to safety and risking her kidnapper’s return.

  I locked up my apartment and followed Willa and Tink as they hopped down the stairs and let themselves into the pizzeria. They were singing and chatting and pulling ingredients out when the door opened and Jack appeared. He was wearing the same clothes from last night and had a sheepish grin on his face.

  “Oh,” Willa said as she saw him.

  “Willa—” Jack froze. “You’re here early. I was, ah, hoping to use your shower, Dani—I think I have some spare clothes in your closet from before...”

  “I think you should go home,” I told Jack. “Come back later once you’re presentable.”

  Jack didn’t bother to argue; he ducked out, closing the door behind him.

  “I’m sorry,” I said again to Willa. “I can have another of my brother’s come by today to help—”

  “It’ll be okay.” Tink interrupted me and turned to Willa. She rested a small hand on Willa’s larger one. “It’s going to be okay.”

  “I know, darling.” Willa clasped Tink to her. “I know.”
/>   Chapter 19

  Matthew and Chief Newton were waiting for me when I arrived at the precinct. I’d requested a meeting with the two of them, crossing my fingers that Marcus wasn’t around to witness our little pow wow.

  Without wasting a breath, I launched directly into a briefing. I covered everything from the attempted kidnapping at Dust to the discovery of Lisa’s daughter and left out only the tiny detail of Marcus’s attempt at blackmail.

  “I think Lisa has been kidnapped,” I said in conclusion. “Her daughter saw her leave with another person after being told to hide in the bushes.”

  Chief Newton frowned and rested his chin against his hand.

  “I know there’s a chance something else is going on here, sir,” I added, “but I don’t think it pays to wait before declaring her missing. It’s not exactly protocol, but we have extenuating circumstances.”

  Chief Newton surveyed me carefully. “Very well. Lisa will be declared missing, and we’ll assume—until further evidence—that her disappearance is linked to Linsey Luca’s and the other missing or murdered elves. King, this one falls on you. Do you need additional personnel to handle the load?”

  “No, sir,” Matthew said. “We’ve got plenty. I have a staff meeting to get to, and I’ll assign duties from there. DeMarco, let’s go. Can’t be late to my own meeting.”

  “Sir, with all due respect—” I turned and leveled my eyes on Matthew. “I’d like to request permission to skip the meeting. I think it’s of utmost importance for me to get to Lisa’s place and begin searching for any clue as to her whereabouts. If she knew someone was coming, she might have left something behind.”

  “You’d need a warrant,” the chief barked.

  “I was getting to that,” I said, turning to him. “Sir, do you think we can get one expedited?”

  The chief surveyed me through eyes deeply set into a scarred, ugly face, and gave a slow nod. “Fine. King, get out of here. Give DeMarco a break on the meeting.”

  “Sir, she’s missed—”

  “Chief’s orders,” Newton said. “DeMarco, hang around. I want to talk to you while we secure that warrant.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  I didn’t dare look at Matthew, but I felt his eyes pinning me to the wall as he turned and left the room. I waited impatiently as the chief gestured for me to stay still while he made a call on his Comm. By the time he signed off, he was nodding.

  “Warrant will be here in a few minutes,” he said. “In the meantime, I want to hear how you’re doing.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Are you enjoying your time since returning to the precinct?”

  “Yes, sir. I’m very grateful for the opportunity.”

  “Mm-hmm,” he said, obviously unconvinced. “Everyone treating you alright?”

  “Yes, sir,” I said as Marcus flicked into my mind, and I wondered if he’d said anything, or if Matthew had. “Seamless transition.”

  “I highly doubt that, Detective, but I admire your loyalty,” he said. “How is it to be back and working with King?”

  “Captain King is the best in the business. I greatly admire his work, and it’s—”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Chief Newton said. “When’d you turn into a suck up?”

  “I’m not sucking up, sir.”

  “Sure, but there’s more, and I want to hear it. How is it working with King?”

  “Fine, sir.” I paused, felt his eyes searching me, and knew I hadn’t passed his test. I groaned. “Fine. Working with Captain King is going very well, but there are awkward moments that feel like hell. Then again, working with my brother isn’t always a cake walk, either.”

  “Right.”

  “And I think Marcus Prey is a douchebag,” I said, and then hesitated. “I think that’s all, sir.”

  Chief Newton barked with laughter. “That’s better.”

  I gave a hefty sigh. “With all due respect, it’s no wonder you made it to chief. Your instincts are...”

  “Extraordinary?”

  “I was going to say obnoxious, but yes, that would work as well.”

  “What else am I missing?”

  “There’s one tiny little issue at the casino,” I admitted. “I went to the Goblin Grid last night to look into it. A friend of mine believes there to be some sort of black magic at work in a private high stakes room.”

  “The Cavern?”

  “You’ve heard of it?”

  He blinked. “We already agreed I’m extraordinary.”

  “Right, sir,” I said. “Well, there hasn’t been an official report yet, nor is there any proof.”

  “But you sense something’s not on the up and up.”

  “You could say that,” I said, “and I might have used company resources to test for black magic.”

  “Felix.”

  “Yes, but it’s not his fault.”

  “What’d you have to bribe him with?”

  “It wasn’t a bribe, sir. It was a threat.” I cleared my throat. “A high heel in an inappropriate place, sir.”

  The chief shook his head again as something on his desk beeped, and a sheet of paper appeared in his tray. “Your warrant. Detective, do you think the casino has anything to do with the disappearing elves?”

  “Absolutely not, sir. It’s a totally separate...” I hesitated, struck by something the chief had said. Struck by the similarities in Residuals between Lisa and Reina. “Actually, sir, I’m not sure.”

  “I expect an official report if something turns up.”

  “Of course,” I said. “Though my source will remain anonymous.”

  “Sure.” The chief gave me an amused, almost bewildered look.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “It’s not very anonymous when you smell like wolf from three towns over,” the chief said. “Is that why King’s underpants are in a twist this morning?”

  My mouth turned into a warped sort of grin. “Um, no clue, sir. I am not privy to the state of Captain King’s underpants.”

  “Excellent answer, Detective.” The captain handed over the warrant. “Let’s keep things that way, understood?”

  MY FACE REMAINED FLUSHED until I reached Lisa’s apartment in the Golden District. She lived near the city center, but in an out of the way, demure sort of building. The rich exquisiteness of it was limited to gold trim over the doorways and around the windows, while the rest of the building was created from generous curves in a chalky white stone.

  Along with the warrant, I’d gotten permission to use a Lock Lifter on the outer door, which I did while simultaneously calling inside to announce my presence. “This is Detective DeMarco with the Sixth Precinct, and I am entering the residence,” I said again, to no response.

  I let myself into the small, neat space, and listened carefully. The house felt empty, but I cleared it quickly, keeping my Stunner close until I confirmed I was alone in Lisa’s home.

  I then began to study the way Lisa and her daughter lived. They had a homey, cozy little space that felt utterly out of place in the Golden District. Books and stuffed animals lined what I assumed to be Tink’s room at the rear of the house, while a neat bed with a single dresser and end table completed the master bedroom. The kitchen opened into a living room, and while the house didn’t feel cramped, the whole thing was smaller than my apartment.

  I got the impression that Lisa had been moved to the Golden District because of her special powers, but that she wasn’t strong enough to warrant a larger, more opulent home along Gilded Row.

  Luckily for me, most everything was neatly in its place. It looked as if Lisa had tidied up either before or after she’d gone to Dust—a backpack was laid out by the door, food neatly stocked in the fridge, a pen and pad of paper rested in the center of the counter.

  I leaned closer, noting an indentation on the pad of paper. I pulled the garbage can open, but it was clean—Lisa must have tossed everything last night, which meant no leftover notes.

  I picked up the pad of paper
again and studied it, tracing my finger over the lines there. For a moment, I flashed back to the notebook in my apartment—my finger tracing over the letters of the words from The Hex Files as they glowed, heated, and turned golden. I jolted back to the present and found myself running over three letters that spelled a familiar name.

  “Jim,” I gasped, and then I squinted more closely at the note underneath. It was a time—10:30.

  The puzzle pieces clicked into place with a new theory. Lisa had been waiting for her carriage driver last night—Jim, the same man who had driven Linsey Luca to her last gala had driven Lisa to her near-inevitable kidnapping. Then, he’d ended up dead.

  Had he been an innocent carriage driver who’d been in multiple wrong places at multiple wrong times, or had he been involved somehow? While it was difficult to imagine the old, grandfatherly driver involved in an evil scheme of such large proportions, it was equally difficult to imagine he had merely been unlucky multiple times in one week.

  Either way, I needed to pay a visit to the carriage company and find out who had scheduled Jim for a fare last night.

  Chapter 20

  I arrived at Castle Caravans after sending a quick Comm to Matthew. He was just finishing up the staff meeting for the morning, and I could hear the bristle in his voice. He wasn’t happy with me, and while I didn’t blame him, I didn’t have time for personal problems.

  As I made my way to the carriage company, I found myself wondering why Lisa had needed a carriage at all. She could easily have walked to the club from her house, so there was no need for expensive transportation. The only logical solutions I could think up were that she had either worn very high heels (unlikely, since she’d been wearing regular shoes in the alley) or she’d been concerned with her safety due to the lateness of the hour.

  I settled on the latter as I marched up to the front desk and faced a bored-looking elf. She was pretty, older than me by a few years, but preserved by a special elfin sheen. When she smiled, however, it was forced.

  “Hello,” she said. “Welcome to Castle Caravans. Can I order you a ride somewhere?”