Apparently, Mable was silent during the interview or had nothing to add to the article because they didn’t quote her.
I looked at the picture attached to the article. Mabel looked a little more roughed up than Jenny. Her hair was matted and dirty. Dirt was smeared on her face. Both girls had torn clothes, and they both sported a bandaged wrapped around their upper arms.
The article didn’t give many details about what forest they’d gotten lost in, but did mention that it was in Wyoming. I sent the article to Liz and let her know we were going to meet the girl for coffee and wanted to know if she was up for it.
It took a moment for her reply.
Sure
I saved the article to my computer and then started digging again, but this time, I put in Barb Saxon to see if she came up with a similar article.
Nothing.
The notes had her next of kin’s number. I debated for a moment on whether it would be worth it to call on a hunch. I put the phone down and typed in Monica Parks.
I wasn’t expecting anything to come up, but another new article appeared. This time, written by our very own Stephanie.
At this point in the investigation, all information was useful. I clicked on it and realized that it wasn’t her tabloid article. No, it was a newspaper from a small town in Wyoming.
“Missing group found, local authorities bewildered.”
I scanned the article and found that some families wanted their children’s names to remain anonymous, but Monica, Mable, and Jenny were all listed there. They’d gone missing at the same time and been rescued at the same time, too.
I picked up the phone, and this time I called Barb’s next of kin.
The phone rang a few times before someone answered. “Yes?” A male spoke.
“Hi, I’m Special Agent Collins. Who am I speaking with? I need to ask a few questions about Barb Saxon.”
“Ah, yes, I was told you’d be calling me at some point. I’m Wayne Saxon, Barb’s husband. What can I do for you, Special Agent?”
“I know this might sound like an odd question, Mr. Saxon, but do you know if Barb had gotten lost in the woods about ten years ago? It would have put her at seventeen?”
He was quiet for a moment. “She mentioned it once, yes. It wasn’t something she liked to talk about. I know she was with a group of other young witches, and when they returned, they all swore to never use their magic again. Barb didn’t stick with that though, she sought work to help young trouble witches.”
“Do you know if she kept in contact with any of those witches?”
“No, I don’t know. Like I said, she didn’t really talk about it.”
“Okay, thank you for your time, Mr. Saxon.” I disconnected the call and leaned back. We had another tie, not just the runes.
But the question was. What happened in those woods? I looked at the clock. If I wanted to make it down to the coffee shop, I’d need to leave now.
The Coffee House was a cute cafe that was on the corner of an alleyway and Colorado Blvd. The brick on the outside had a mural of a latte painted on it, and when you walked in, the smell of coffee floated over you.
It was a place I could stay in forever. Liz and I walked in. To our right were a few cushioned chairs, and in one of them sat a woman nursing a cup of coffee, her face pulled into a frown, as if she was in deep thought.
I glanced around and didn’t see anyone else. I sat in a seat across from the woman. “Mable?”
She looked up at me and gave me a small smile. “Oh, hello Agent Collins.” She glanced at Liz. “Who’s this?”
“This is Agent Jefferson. She’s working this case with me.”
Mable put her coffee down. “Of course you’d be working this with a partner. It’s a big case. I’ve seen the others hit the news. Why don’t you grab some coffee? I’m sure we’ll be here for a while.”
Liz went to counter to order, and I stayed. “Mable, do you know what happened to your sister?”
She was hesitant for a moment and glanced over at Liz and then back at me. “Ten years ago, we got lost in the forest with a few others. We were gone for a week. When we were out there…” She took a deep breath. “The woman who led us out there refused to let us come home. In order to be set free, we had to agree to get these… brandings, carvings, whatever you called it. She told us it was a life for a life. Equal exchange.” She shivered and touched her upper arm. “Jenny called me when hers started bleeding again. She said it was time. She told me to find help, or I was going to die.” She started crying.
Liz came back with coffee while I gave Mable time to regain control over her emotions.
Mable took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. Look, we never talk about our time in the woods. We all swore we wouldn’t use magic and thought that would keep us safe. Now… now everyone is ending up dead and I’m scared because my rune started bleeding again this morning.”
I sipped my coffee and tried to think about what we could do. “Would you know the witch on sight?”
She nodded. “Yes, I think so.”
“Okay, I’m going to call Detective Mason. We’re going to get you some police protection and keep you safe.” I glanced at Liz.
Liz pressed her lips together for a moment. “Are you willing to help us find her?”
“What can I do?”
“I have a feeling that witch’s magic connects to the rune. We can use you to track her.”
That wasn’t exactly something I would have suggested, but if Liz could pull it off, then maybe we could solve this case and get it closed.
Mable shook her head. “No. I won’t be involved with any magic. She already wants me. I won’t lead you to her just for her to kill me.”
I sat my coffee down. “That’s okay, Mable. It was just a suggestion. You don’t have to. Like I said, we’ll get you some police protection until we find her.”
She gave a shaky nod. “I… I also have a list of names, that I could remember. So you can find and protect the others.” She pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket and held it out.
“How many others were there?” Liz took the paper.
“Seven.”
I stepped away to make the call to Mason while she and Liz went over the list.
“What’s up, Abby?” he answered.
“Hey, I have a potential target and informant that needs some protection.”
I heard him typing for a moment before he answered. “Where are you? I’ll send an escort for her and then we’ll get things figured out from there.”
“Coffee House, woman’s name is Mable Wheeler, sister to one of the victims. Make sure it’s a magical team.”
“Okay. Stay with her until we get there.”
We disconnected, and I went back inside to find her and Liz sitting silently. I sat down and picked my coffee back up. “Mason is sending you an escort to the station. There they will figure out the details of your protection.”
“Not PIB?” She stared at me for a moment. “A regular cop can’t do anything against this witch.”
“They’ll work with PIB.” I tried to soothe her panic. “Mason’s good at what he does. He’s going to get you what you need.”
She gave a short laugh. “If I end up dead like Jenny, I’m haunting your ass.”
“Wouldn’t be the first ghost I’ve dealt with.” I shrugged.
Mable stared at me for a moment while Liz chuckled.
“We’re going to do everything we can.” I glanced at the door when our witness walked in. “Um, Liz.”
Mable followed my gaze. “Oh my god, it’s her.” Her voice sounded so small that I wasn’t even sure if I had heard it.
“The witch?” Liz moved to the seat next to Mable.
I turned a little to watch our witness go to the coffee bar. She spoke to the barista and then turn toward us.
“No, she was the youngest. She was only nine when she was taken.” Mable looked pale. “She screamed so much when she was given the rune.” She swallowed and Liz
put a hand on her arm.
“Take a deep breath, Mable,” Liz whispered. “That’s right, in and out.”
I stood to greet Bridget. “Glad to see you’re alright. I was worried when Detective Mason said you disappeared from the hospital.”
She sat down and didn’t even acknowledge that I had spoken. “Mable, I need you to listen to me.”
It was like Liz and I weren’t even there.
“Mable, are you listening?” Bridget asked.
Mable nodded.
“Good. It’s time, Mable. I saw her torture Jenny. It’s time for us to go to her, but I refuse. Come with me.”
“Where?” Mable asked. Neither of the women glanced at us.
“Where we’re safe. I know a place. They helped me get out of the hospital so she wouldn’t find me there.” She held her hand out. “They will protect us.”
Mable looked at me and then at Bridget. “Who are they?”
“Her enemies. The witch hunters who want her dead.” Her voice was low. “Better than PIB who has to follow rules and regulations.”
Her image seemed to flicker, and I glanced at Liz, who shrugged. I touched Bridget’s shoulder, and the image disappeared.
“Bridget?” Mabel shrieked. “What happened? Where did she go? Someone tortured Jenny?” She started sobbing again and a moment later, an officer came in.
Liz stood and explained to the officer what happened while I sat with Mable. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll find her.” Hopefully alive, but I didn’t say that part out loud.
Mable nodded, but she looked pale and shaky as she stood. I walked out with her and the officer to make sure she got in the unmarked car with him. I crossed my arms when they drove off.
An illusion, a trick, to get Mable to join her. So where was the real Bridget?
Liz stepped out with me. “That was interesting.”
“To say the least. We have more questions now than answers.” I shook my head. “This whole thing is a mess and we have no idea who this witch actually is. Mable is just as terrified as Bridget was when I tried to interview her.”
Liz nodded. “Maybe we can find the forest they were in.”
“I don’t think anything would be there after ten years. Do you?”
“Maybe the witch never left.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“They didn’t rescue the witch, just the group that was lost in the forest, right?”
I nodded. “Yeah, there was no mention of the person they went with.”
“And Bridget was just here as an illusion.” Liz motioned to the coffee house as if it proved her point. “So, what if the witch hasn’t left? What if she’s still there?”
I wrinkled my nose. “I don’t want to go to Wyoming.”
“I’ll make a plan.” She checked her watch. “You have enough time to get home and get ready for your meeting with Lady R.”
As if responding to her, my phone buzzed. I pulled it out and looked at Catalina’s message.
‘Meet you at your house, wear something that matches your magic.’
At least she hadn’t told me to wear a dress. I rolled my eyes and shoved my phone back in my pocket. “Okay, let’s head back to my house.”
I’d chosen black pants and a purple top. A subtle reminder that I wasn’t there to start problems. Red was also Lady R’s color, and I didn’t want her to think I was challenging her. So purple it was.
I tied my hair up and away from my face so that it wouldn’t be a distraction. Also, Catalina had convinced me that leaving my neck bare would be a sign to Lady R that I wasn’t afraid of her. I worried it would be more of an invitation to taste me.
I sat in Levi’s study, waiting for Lady R. Catalina was at my side and Zayne at my back. None of us spoke. While I waited, I went over the notes I’d made on her business proposal. The door opened, and I stood to greet Lady R.
She waltzed in, her red dress swirling around her feet. The fabric tightened around her hips and cupped her chest, but it split open between, leaving a view of cleavage and a triangle of pale flesh, almost down to her waist. She looked stunning and powerful all at the same time.
Her red lips quirked up in a sneer as her eyes landed on me. “I was to be meeting with the king, not the witch.”
“Forgive me.” I kept my voice calm and collected. I’d mentally prepared myself for her hatred, but tonight I was here as the vampire princess, not as the king’s witch. “King Levi had something come up and could not make it. He’s trusting me with the negotiations.”
Lady R quirked a perfectly arched brow at me. “And what does a little witch know about the affairs and laws of the vampires?”
“Please, have a seat, and I’ll be happy to talk to you about your business venture.” I ignored her question on purpose.
She regarded me for a moment before sitting across from me. “You know nothing about what I want.”
“On the contrary, I’ve read through your proposal and the notes King Levi left. You want a safe place, with willing donors, for vampires to visit and feed. Something that is out of the sight and judgement of humans. Am I correct?”
Lady R smiled enough to show a tip of one fang. “Levi is teaching you well. I won’t sit here and let you humor me. He can dress you up and teach you about our world, but I never expect a witch to understand or accept that proposal.”
How wrong she was. I understood what it was like to want a safe place. When I came into my magic, I almost blew up the school. All I wanted was a place where I didn’t have to worry about accidentally killing someone.
“Actually, King Levi and I both looked over your proposal and made notes. I agreed with his notes and added just a few of my own to help protect the donors you want to bring into your establishment.”
Her eyes widened a little. “You’re agreeing to it?”
“I am, with the understanding that you follow all the precautions Levi and I have written down. The King will inspect the business prior to opening and speak to the donors you hire. There will be a monthly audit of the donor contracts.” I handed her the typed annotated copy of the proposal.
She looked over the notes. “These are very reasonable demands, Princess.”
“I tried to see it from your point of view. You’ll notice that Levi and I agreed on most of it.”
Lady R nodded as she flipped through the papers. “A program for new vampires?” She raised a brow.
“Yes.” I nodded. “A night or a room dedicated to them learning to feed. From what I understand, it’s typically a sire’s job to teach a fledgling. However, not all have donors willing to feed a new vampire.”
“Yes, which leads to accidental deaths. This is doable. I think it’s an impressive addition.” She quirked a brow as she looked up at me. “I wasn’t expecting this from you, Princess. Maybe Levi knows what he’s doing.”
I shrugged. “I don’t think he’s doing a bad job teaching me.”
She stood. “I will look at your notes closer when I set an opening date. I will contact the King and let him know.”
I walked with her to the study door. “Of course, thank you.”
“Thank you, Princess.” She walked out, and I shut the door of the study.
Catalina laughed. “You did wonderful.”
“Well, I’m alive and there were only a couple of insults in there. I’m pleasantly surprised.” I pressed my lips together. “Now, I have a murder to solve.”
Catalina crossed her arms. “Aren’t you forgetting to tell me something?”
I wracked my brain for a moment. “Thanks for the support?”
“About Levi.”
I let out a long sigh. “He came to my house during daylight hours. He didn’t trigger the alarm system. But you knew that, so why do you want me to tell you?”
“We can’t have secrets, not right now, Abigail. Merick and Zayne told me about Levi’s visit. The council cannot keep you safe if we don’t know about the threats.”
A moment of fier
y anger flashed through me. I wasn’t even sure where it came from. I wanted to scream at her. Ask her when had the council ever protected me. I took a few deep breaths. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I wasn’t trying to hide it from you. I simply had other things on my mind.”
She nodded. “He came to me as well.”
I froze at that. “What?”
“He came to warn me that Samuel knows about your blood relationship to Levi.”
I took a deep breath. “How within his rights is Samuel to call me home?”
“The council is expecting it, but you’re not a vampire. You’re not actually tied to Samuel metaphysically like Levi.”
I glanced at her. “You know that it’s bullshit. He shouldn’t have any claim on me.”
“I know. But it’s best that we get this problem taken care of while you’re a witch.”
I nodded. “Let me take care of Hannah first.”
“The council will not hold you in contempt for killing Hannah. Or Samuel.”
I smirked. “Good.” I opened the door to the study and then paused. “Will Levi be alright when we get him home?”
Catalina was quiet for a moment. “He’ll have a lot of healing to do, but he’ll be fine.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Four hours. We spent four hours in Liz’s SUV driving to the middle of fucking nowhere at the ass crack of dawn. Now we stood at the edge of a forest, staring into the trees like something was going to pop out and say boo.
“What are we waiting for?” I pulled my backpack higher on my back.
Liz sighed. “The feeling of dread to lift?”
I snorted. “You and me both know the dread isn’t going to lift. There’s a spell around here.”
“Yeah, I know,” she muttered.
The feeling was like stones in my stomach. I wanted to turn around, get in the car, and go home. But we needed to get into this forest and find this witch before anyone else died.
And that meant fighting through the spell.
I took a couple of steps forward. “You think she’d want people to find her so she had more victims.”
Liz followed in my footsteps. “Maybe she has enough for whatever she’s doing? I don’t think this is like Adrianna. I don’t think she’s using the blood to prolong her life.”
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