‘What?’
‘Think about it,’ Olivia explained. ‘Quite a lot of families from here, Salem, and the neighboring towns can trace their roots back to the earliest colonies. What if the murderer is a descendant of this Nathaniel Boothe, and the seal was passed down his family generation to generation? I know, for me personally, I have hundreds of years’ worth of history in this house.’
‘Maybe,’ Jake scratched his chin thoughtfully, ‘but it could just as easily be that someone saw the seal in a book or something and copied it.’
‘Possible,’ Olivia conceded, ‘but I don’t think so. This seal means something to the killer, something personal. If we can figure out the seal maybe we can figure out who the killer is, and how they’re connected to my family.’
‘Okay,’ Jake stood. ‘I’m going to take the file and the packaging it came in, and see if I can trace who sent it and where it was sent from. As you’re the historian, why don’t you see if you can piece together the family history of Nathaniel Boothe, and see if he has any descendants living in the area.’
Olivia nodded.
‘I’ll give Renata a call at the museum and see if she can help me.’
‘I’ll take a look at the symbol itself,’ Theo added, ‘see if I can find out the history of the seal, where it came from, or what it symbolizes.’
‘Good,’ Jake nodded in approval. ‘If you guys find anything call me straight away, no more playing detective, okay? It’s one thing driving into Salem to talk to a little old lady, it’s another thing entirely to go chasing after a psychotic killer.’
‘We will,’ Olivia promised.
They watched as Jake walked out of the room, and then they heard the front door close. For a few moments they stared silently at each other.
‘I’m going to take a shower, and then I’ll get started on the symbol,’ Theo spoke finally.
‘Fine,’ Olivia replied.
Seeing he wasn’t going to get much more from her with the mood she was in, he turned, and left the room.
After a few more minutes of sitting in the silent empty kitchen, brooding into her cold tea, she got up and dumped it down the sink, rinsing the mug out. She was startled out of her silent musing when her phone rang. Pulling it out of her pocket the caller ID showed Mags was calling her again. Sighing, she hit disconnect, turned, and walked out of the kitchen.
She spent the rest of the day avoiding Theo. She knew it was childish, but she couldn't seem to help herself. He brought out a side of her she just wasn’t ready to deal with, so instead she concentrated on trying to find Nathaniel Boothe’s family.
She closed herself in her bedroom with her laptop like a surly teenager, and spent most of the day surfing the web, going through every ancestry website she could find. She’d also spent hours on the phone to Renata, the dear old curator at the museum. She’d taken on the challenge with relish, that is until, like Olivia, she had come up several hours later with empty hands and a pounding headache. Not only had neither of them been able to track down any of Nathaniel Boothe’s family history, but they had been unable to find a single historical reference to the man himself. It was as if he’d never existed.
Frustrated and tired, Olivia shut down her laptop and stripped. Pulling on an oversized tee-shirt, she brushed her teeth and climbed into bed. Switching off the light, she turned on her side and found herself watching the blinking red numbers on the clock.
11.05pm
She was exhausted and her head was thumping, but she couldn’t seem to get her brain to switch off.
11.47pm
She turned over, uncomfortably aware of the empty space in the bed behind her.
12.32am
This was utterly ridiculously. She was perfectly capable of sleeping without Theo in her bed.
1.05am
She rolled onto her back and stared into the darkness; she’d only shared a bed with Theo for a week. Granted, before last night they hadn’t done anything more than sleep, but she was certainly capable of being in a bed by herself.
1.42am
Sighing in resignation, she pulled the covers back and swung her legs over the side of the bed. The trouble was, she didn’t want to sleep on her own, she wanted Theo. Padding down the stairs on silent feet, she stopped in the doorway of the library and found him asleep at her desk, with his head pressed to an open page and a mountain of aunt Evie’s books stacked around him.
Everything in her softened and yearned toward him as she crept quietly into the room. Stopping next to the desk, she ran her hand gently through his dark hair, letting the curled ends slip through her fingers.
‘Theo,’ she whispered softly.
He lifted his head and blinked sleepily like a little lost boy. Something in her chest throbbed and did a funny little roll.
‘Theo,’ she murmured again, ‘come to bed.’
He looked up at her with those fathomless eyes.
She took his hand, relieved when he stood and entwined his fingers with hers. They moved silently back upstairs to her bedroom, Olivia climbed back into bed as Theo stripped and slid between the sheets behind her. Pulling her back into his chest, he wrapped his arms around her.
She trembled, suddenly unable to swallow past the knot of emotion caught in her throat. Even after the way she’d treated him all day he was still there, holding her like she was the most precious thing in the world to him.
‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered into the darkness.
His arms tightened around her and she felt him press a kiss to her hair.
This time she relaxed, her eyes drifted closed and she was asleep before she could even glance at the clock.
Downstairs in the library, the fire banked down for the night. But as the old house creaked and settled, one of the books balanced precariously on the desk slipped and toppled to the floor, falling open to an illustration of dual serpents in the shape of an infinity symbol.
17.
Deep in the heart of the woods the snow had settled, crisp and white, the starkness broken every now and then by dark twisted twigs and branches. The edges of the clearing were marred by huge dirty paw prints leading in a never ending circle along the perimeter. The pale winter sun had dipped low on the horizon, setting the sky ablaze with pink and purple. On its heels followed a blanket of pure black, punctuated every now and then with a scattering of stars. Everything was so still and quiet; it was like the entire woods were watching and waiting to bear witness.
Olivia lay splayed out on her stomach on the freezing cold ground. The giant Hell Hound stood over her, snarling, its teeth sunk into the back of her neck, pinning her in place, leaving her unable to move. Her fingers clawed at the snow as she tried desperately to escape, as bright rivulets of blood spilled down her neck and onto the whiteness of the snow.
Theo beat his fists against the pale colored shield of magic keeping him out of the clearing. His hands were bloodied, and left red smear prints as he tried desperately to get to her, unable to do anything but watch helplessly.
Tears spilled down Olivia’s face. Her body was wet and numb from lying on the snow and her neck was held at an agonizing angle by the Hell Hound, which seemed intent on pinning her in place. It forced her to watch the scene unfolding in front of her rather than delivering a killing blow.
A terror filled cry filled the clearing and Olivia’s eyes were drawn to the young man laid staked out on the ground. The hooded figure knelt down over him, holding out his hand above the victim’s chest. The boy screamed in agony, his back arching unnaturally as his chest split open and his heart was yanked out of his body.
The killer dropped the heart into a large jar and moved to the hollowed tree twisting up from the center of the clearing. Four symbols glowed, a sooty orange color visible through the snow. Moving past them the killer stopped at the last gap and the earth and snow began to churn upwards, revealing a deep hole. The jar was placed in the hole and the earth suddenly folded inwards,
burying the jar containing the human heart. A fifth symbol appeared which matched the other four. The five symbols continued to burn brighter and brighter until they burst into flame. The lines of fire ran between each of the points, until they joined to form a perfect pentagram, with the tree at its center.
Theo looked on in horror as the figure turned and approached Olivia slowly. He beat frantically against the magic, but it held firm.
Olivia looked up as the figure knelt in front of her. Her eyes widened in recognition, and a pain filled cry left her lips.
‘NO!’
The killer reached out touching the side of her face almost tenderly, the way Theo himself had done a hundred times. As he traced his fingers along her jaw, she tried to pull her face away from his touch, but the hound bit down harder causing her to cry out in pain. His fingers danced along the edges of her wound, allowing her blood to drip onto his fingers. He pulled them away, rubbing his fingers together like he was studying them.
He stood suddenly and strode back to the blackened and dead looking tree, now bathed in the sooty orange glow of the burning star. With his hand outstretched he pressed his palm to the bark, and whispered.
A great splintering sound suddenly filled the clearing, causing the killer to step backward. The tree cracked down the center and split outwards, filling the cold night air with the acrid smell of sulphur and brimstone.
Slowly and painstakingly a blackened figure began to claw its way out of the carcass of the ruined tree. Its skin was raw, red, and naked, but it was unmistakably the figure of a man.
He crawled onto the fresh snow, which hissed and melted, as his overheated skin touched it. Theo and Olivia both watched in dread as the figure stood shakily, his eyes glowing red in the darkness. Seemingly unconcerned with his nakedness, he stood and surveyed the carnage of the clearing with interest. The symbol of the dual serpents was carved into the flesh of his chest, directly over his heart.
He walked towards Olivia, the snow hissing and melting under his feet as he went.
The Hell Hound sank his teeth further into Olivia’s neck and dragged her to her knees like a rag doll.
The naked man reached down and stroked the hound’s mangled fur. It dropped Olivia at his feet, like a dog presenting its master with its favorite toy. If it had a tail, instead of a skeletal stump, it probably would have wagged it.
He turned his attention back to Olivia, lifting her face and studying it intently. His fingers wrapped around her throat and squeezed, as he dragged her to her feet, lifting her so her toes scrapped ineffectually against the ground. She clawed at his hand as she fought for breath, but he merely tilted his head and studied her curiously.
‘So you like to play with fire do you, Olivia West?’ his voice was deep and amused.
A shiver of cold, hard, dread clamped Theo’s spine painfully; he knew that voice.
The naked man’s skin started to ripple, before suddenly bursting into flames. The fire travelled up his arm to his fist, where he held Olivia tightly. Her skin began to smoke and blacken beneath his touch.
Theo screamed uncontrollably, beating his fists against the shield, the bones of his hands shattered, and broke with the force of his blows. Blood poured from the wounds, and pieces of tattered flesh hung from his hands. He didn’t even notice, all he could see was his woman burning.
Theo woke with a great shuddering gasp, trying desperately to drag air into his starving lungs. He reached out blindly for Olivia and was met with cold empty sheets. Sitting up with a start, his gaze swept the room. She was nowhere to be seen. Pulling the tangled sheets off his body, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and fumbled for his jeans, yanking them on even as he moved over to the window.
His heartbeat settled slightly when he saw it was still cold and damp, without a hint of snow in sight. The pale morning sun sat high in the sky, and the world was still. He cast his gaze down to where Olivia usually parked her car and realized it was not there. Frowning, he headed downstairs, checking the rooms as he went. She definitely wasn’t in the house. Cursing lightly, he headed into the kitchen and noticed a note on the counter.
Didn’t want to wake you, heading into town to see Erica, be back soon x
Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he scrolled through to her number and let it ring. The last vestiges of the nightmare still clung to his thoughts, and he couldn’t get the image out of his mind, of Olivia burning. It wasn’t the first time he’d had this particular dream, but it was the clearest it had ever been.
Olivia’s phone suddenly answered, and he relaxed at the sound of her voice.
‘Hey,’ she greeted him, ‘I thought you’d be out longer. You were sleeping like the dead when I left.’
‘You should have woken me,’ he grumbled.
‘Theo, I doubt an entire brass band in the room could’ve woken you this morning.’
‘Are you okay?’ he asked, unconsciously rubbing his chest.
‘I’m fine,’ her voice softened. ‘I’m at Erica’s office now, just waiting for her to finish with her client.’
‘Alright,’ he conceded, ‘call me when you’re done.’
‘I will,’ she smiled. ‘Stop worrying.’
‘Not possible,’ he replied, noticing a shadow at the front door. He stepped closer and looked through the peephole.
He swung the door open as Jake stood on the other side, with a small package tucked under one arm.
‘Look I’ll be fine,’ she answered, ‘I’ll be back by lunch.’
‘Okay, I’ll see you then.’ Theo hung up as he stepped back and let Jake pass by.
‘Why are you always half-dressed when I turn up?’ Jake asked, as Theo followed him through to the kitchen.
‘Why do you insist on turning up so early?’ Theo countered.
‘Because I’ve just finished the graveyard shift,’ Jake turned to face his friend. ‘Where’s Olive?’
‘In town, she’s gone to see Erica.’
‘And you let her go on her own?’ Jake replied incredulously.
‘I didn’t know about it,’ Theo frowned.
‘Snuck out while you were sleeping, did she?’
‘Yes,’ Theo grumbled.
‘She’s a stubborn one,’ Jake shook his head. ‘Was that her on the phone?’
Theo nodded.
‘What’s that?’
Jake set the package down on the counter.
‘Your first gun’ Jake replied, ‘but please try not to kill anyone with it, as it’s registered in my name.’
‘Why is it in your name?’
‘Because, it would take too long to wait for you to apply for a gun license,’ Jake told him, ‘and I would feel marginally better knowing that you are at least armed, out here in the middle of nowhere with a murderer on the loose.’
‘Okay,’ Theo shrugged.
‘Now, go get showered and dressed while I put the coffee on. We’ll start with basic gun care, and then move on to target practice.’
Nodding in agreement, Theo turned and headed out of the room.
Olivia sat in the rather elegant and comfortable waiting room of Erica’s law office, idly leafing through a magazine. The stern looking secretary was blatantly staring at her. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat; she was well aware of what the town were saying about her, but she didn’t need it thrown in her face at every turn.
She looked up gratefully as Erica’s door opened. She wandered out with a young man of about nineteen, shaking his hand and nodding, she watched as he left. She turned and smiled as she caught sight of Olivia.
‘Hi,’ she held open her door.
‘Hey,’ Olivia dropped the magazine down on the table and stood. ‘Thanks for seeing me at short notice.’
‘I’ve always got time for you Olivia,’ she replied as they walked into the office.
‘So what can I do for you?’ Erica moved around the desk and sat down.
‘I want to make a
formal complaint about Chief Walcott,’ Olivia blew out a breath.
‘What has he done now?’ Erica sighed.
‘Has Jake said anything to you?’
Erica shook her head, her lips pursing in annoyance.
‘We haven’t been able to see much of each other since the Chief has him on the night shift.’
‘Sorry,’ Olivia murmured.
‘Trust me, it’s not your fault,’ Erica shook her head. ‘Don’t start feeling guilty, the guy’s an asshole.’
Olivia laughed.
‘Look, there’s some stuff I need to tell you, but it has to be kept confidential.’
‘Olivia, whatever you tell me is protected by attorney-client privilege.’
‘I know, it’s just,’ she paused, trying to organize her thoughts, ‘it’s about Chief Walcott, and its personal. Despite the fact that I can’t stand the guy, I don’t want it to be made public.’
‘Well, you’re a better person than me,’ Erica replied, ‘but let’s take this one step at a time. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on, and we’ll figure out a plan of action. I promise, I won’t do anything that you don’t specifically agree to.’
‘Okay,’ Olivia nodded.
‘So what’s going on?’
Once Olivia opened her mouth to speak she found she couldn’t stop. It felt good to have another woman to talk to, and it all just came pouring out. The cops following her every time she left the house. Even Officer Hanson following her into the medical center, and the ridiculous lengths she and Theo had gone to in order to lose her. Then, she told Erica about the Chief threatening her in the pub, and the fact he probably would have hauled her into the station for more questioning if Theo hadn’t been there. She then went on to tell her about the file, and James Talbot and the Chief’s relationship with him, and his friendship with her father.
Erica listened quietly, taking it all in, waiting for her to finish. Finally, Olivia fell silent and Erica’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
‘Okay,’ she said after a moment, ‘I think we can keep the information about the Chief’s relationship with the previous victim between us for now, but I think you’re right, you do need to put in a complaint, and I know just who to speak to.’
The Guardians Complete Series 1 Box Set: Contains Mercy, The Ferryman, Crossroads, Witchfinder, Infernum Page 30
