Ofelia grew frustrated as he read and didn’t share the information. “What?” she practically exploded.
He cast her a probing look. “Chill out. I take it patience isn’t exactly one of your virtues.”
“Not even a little,” she admitted ruefully. “I fly off the handle like my father.” She frowned at the comparison. “I have quite a few of his mannerisms, which is worrisome at times.”
Sully could infer what she was referring to and it bothered him that her face was so clouded with worry. “You’re not your father,” he reassured her. “Granted, you’re not a perfect individual, but you’re most definitely not your father. You shouldn’t worry about things like that.”
“Mental illness is often hereditary.”
Sully’s grimace only grew more pronounced. “If anyone is mentally ill, it’s your brother the happy job hopper. You’re fine. You’re pretty close to perfect, in fact. The only thing wrong with you is that you’ve had terrible taste in men up until this point in your life. We’re going to rectify that.”
She was taken aback. “We are?”
“Yup. Just as soon as we take down Kim. As for her former name, it’s not exactly dormant. She’s been using her correct Social Security number since she left. She couldn’t have been hiding that hard.”
“Did she go straight to Chicago after leaving here?”
He shook his head. “She went to Charleston first.”
“That makes sense. Charleston is supposed to be magical, full of witches, and it’s not that far.”
“She was only there about six months,” Sully replied. “After that she moved on to Chicago. From the looks of this, she got a job as a secretary in a law office and has been there ever since.”
“The same law office she met Brett through?”
He nodded. “Yup.”
“Any suspicious deaths amongst the other lawyers?”
“I don’t know, but that’s a good question.” He started typing again. “I’ll have Summer research that, too.”
“Summer again?” Ofelia made an incredulous face. “That’s a stupid name.”
Sully chuckled. “I’ve never really thought about it.”
“I bet she’s blond ... and built like a model.”
“I’ve never really noticed.” He flicked his eyes to her. “Blondes don’t really do it for me.”
Ofelia’s cheeks flushed under his steady gaze. “Oh, well ... .” She cleared her throat in an attempt to regain her composure. “It was just an observation. Summer is a stupid name.”
“So noted.” He stared at her a minute longer and then went back to his phone. “As far as I can tell, she’s kept her nose out of trouble since being in Chicago. There are a few parking tickets here but that’s hardly the end of the world.”
“When did she change her name?”
“Good question. From what I can ascertain here, she was already Kim when she hit Chicago.”
“You said she was using the same Social Security number, though. Wouldn’t that have set off some red flags?”
“Not necessarily. Most companies don’t even run Social Security numbers. They’re for tax purposes. As long as the income is reported to somewhere, they honestly don’t care. They probably didn’t even check to see if her name and Social Security number matched.”
“Well ... that’s disheartening.”
He bobbed his head. “It is,” he agreed. “It makes our life more difficult.” His phone dinged with more news and his eyes lit up as new information scrolled across his screen. “The rental that Henrietta and Azalea shared back in the day was open until two days ago ... when it was rented by a woman calling herself Daisy Sheridan.”
Ofelia wrinkled her nose. “Speaking of stupid names ... .”
He grinned. “That has to be her.” He shoved his phone in his back pocket and fixed Ofelia with a pointed look. “Okay, here’s the thing ... there’s definitely a thing.” He blew out a sigh and regarded her. “You can’t come with me.”
Ofelia’s mouth dropped open. “Excuse me?”
“You can’t come with me,” he repeated, refusing to back down. “It’s not safe for you.”
“How do you figure that? Wait, let me guess.” She held up a hand with so much attitude that Sully had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing even though it was a serious subject. “I’m a girl so you figure I need to be protected. This is just ... typical.”
His eyes darkened at the suggestion. “I’m not sexist,” he countered, frustration on full display. “That’s not who I am. I’m well aware that you can take care of yourself.”
“Which is why you insist on walking me home every night even though it’s completely unnecessary. Someone would have to be crazy or stupid to try to attack me ... and I can handle both crazy and stupid.”
A muscle worked in Sully’s jaw as he struggled to maintain his temper. “I’m not saying you can’t handle yourself. I would never say that. I know you’re powerful ... and I know you’ve been taking care of yourself for a long time ... and I know you don’t need a chaperone.”
“So ... what’s the problem?”
“Marie Laveau’s tomb.”
Whatever she was expecting, it wasn’t that. “What about the tomb?”
“You said that some people believe they can steal magic from a dead person if they confiscate part of a body and use it in a spell. All that’s left of Marie Laveau is bones. It will take us forever to figure out if any bones are missing. I can’t take the chance that Kim is trying to put together a spell that’s aimed for you. That means I have to go to the apartment alone.”
“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” she fired back, barely taking a breath to absorb what he said. “That spell could just as easily be pointed at you as at me.”
“It could,” he agreed without hesitation. “I signed up for this, though. You didn’t. I need to go after her. Your family needs you to remain just as mouthy and obnoxious as ever, which means you can’t be part of the fight.”
Temper bubbled up in her chest and threatened to spew like acid from her mouth. “If I was a man, you wouldn’t even attempt to keep me from the fight.”
“That’s not true.” He was convinced he was being honest and forthright. “It’s not about being a woman. It’s about being a civilian. It’s my job to protect you. I can’t simply take you to what I know is going to be a righteous fight.”
“You could, but you won’t,” she countered. “There’s a difference. Have you considered that she might be more powerful than you? Together we’ll have a better chance of taking her down.”
He had considered that. Ultimately, though, he couldn’t risk her. His heart wouldn’t allow him to put her in danger. “You have to stay here.” He was calm. “I’m sorry if that upsets you. I’ll call as soon as I have information.”
He was rueful as he stood. “I expect Summer will be able to fill in a few more informational gaps for us by the end of the night, too. I promise to make sure you know everything before it’s all said and done. It’s the best I can do.”
Ofelia refused to meet his gaze. “It’s the best you can do for you.”
“I’m trying to protect you.” He looked miserable. “I have to do what I feel is right. I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize to me.” Her tone was icy and clipped. “I made a mistake believing we were partners in this. That’s on me.”
He made a protesting sound deep in his throat. “We were partners. Are partners,” he corrected quickly. “You simply can’t go to the takedown. I can’t risk it.”
“Whatever.” Ofelia picked up a glass and made a big show of wiping away water spots.
Sully felt miserable as he crossed the room, his hand on the door when he paused to look back at her. “I’ll be in touch as soon as I can.”
“Don’t bother. You have a job to do, right? That’s the most important thing.”
His heart somersaulted at the words. “We’ll talk
about this later,” he insisted. “I’m not just going to disappear even though I know you’re angry. I just ... I can’t put you in danger. That’s not who I am.”
“And this is all about you,” Ofelia drawled. “You’re the only one involved in this so only your feelings matter.”
“I’m not saying that. I ... .” He trailed off. Arguing with her when she was this hurt was a wasted effort. All he could do was hope time would soften the fury rolling through her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt or upset you. I have to do what I have to do, though.”
“So ... do it.” She held up the glass in the light and stared at it. “You’re going to regret this. You know that, right?”
He already did. He couldn’t take it back, though. “I’m really sorry. I’ll try to stop by if I can later.”
“That won’t be necessary. I have a bar to run. That’s all I can do. I won’t have time for anything else.”
There was dismissal in the statement, but he wasn’t ready to give up on her ... or even a potential them. That was for another time, though. “I’ll stop by later,” he promised. “Maybe then you won’t be as angry.”
“I wouldn’t count on that.”
He had no doubt she was telling the truth.
Nineteen
Ofelia was still stewing an hour later. Her father had arrived, mixed a drink, and then proceeded to watch her as if she were a bomb about to go off. She got her temper from him and he was smart enough to recognize that something terrible was going on. He didn’t want to deal with it ... not even in the slightest.
That didn’t mean he was capable of keeping his mouth shut.
“I’m guessing this has something to do with the detective, huh?”
Ofelia glowered at him. “Why would anything I do be contingent on him?”
“Because you like him.”
“I do not.”
“Oh, please.” Oscar rolled his eyes. He’d played this game with Ofelia numerous times when she was a teenager. Whenever she developed an obvious crush she denied it with every breath. It was something she hadn’t outgrown and he found it frustrating. “You two have been spending a lot of time together over the past few days.”
“That doesn’t mean I have a crush on him.” Ofelia was haughty. “Trust me. He’s not my type.”
“Uh-huh.” Oscar remained unconvinced. “Well, when you want to talk about what Mr. He’s Not My Type did, I’ll be here ... reading my paper.” He snapped the two sides of the newspaper for emphasis. “I’m your father, after all. It’s my job to listen when you’ve got a broken heart.”
Ofelia was incredulous. “I don’t have a broken heart. I barely know the man.”
“That doesn’t mean you haven’t grown attached to him in a short amount of time. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Oh, there’s something wrong with that,” she sneered, her lip curling. “Do you know what he did?” She almost exploded all over her father, a reaction he was expecting.
“What?” His lips quirked as he hid behind the newspaper. He knew her well enough to recognize when she couldn’t keep her emotions in check. This was one of those times.
“He basically said I had to stay here while he went out to take down a murderer because girls aren’t welcome in magical fights. Can you believe that?”
Actually, he couldn’t. “That’s not what he said.”
She narrowed her eyes, instantly suspicious. “Were you eavesdropping?”
“No. I just know he didn’t say that because it’s not how he thinks. If he cut you out of the takedown, he must’ve had a reason.”
“He’s afraid Azalea will be able to take me down because she likely stole a bone from Marie Laveau’s crypt.”
Oscar shifted on his chair. “Wait ... Azalea who? Are you talking about Azalea Rivers?”
Ofelia nodded, surprised. “I didn’t realize you were familiar with her.” A dark thought passed through her head. “Wait ... you didn’t date her, did you?”
He chuckled at the insinuation. “No, I didn’t date her. Don’t be ridiculous. Your mother and I were friends with her parents. That wouldn’t have gone over well.”
“Then why were you so worked up when you heard her name?”
“Because the kid was trouble. I don’t know that we ever told you this because it wasn’t our business to spread, but her parents believed she killed the family dog when she was ten and was responsible for killing a teacher in middle school by poisoning her because the woman gave her a bad grade.”
Ofelia’s mouth dropped open. “No way.”
“Yeah. The girl is not stable. If she’s back and causing problems then I’m glad you’ve been cut out of the action. She would think nothing of trying to kill you to steal your powers. You’re better off staying away from her.”
“That’s not really how it works,” Ofelia pointed out, affronted. “She can’t just steal my powers because she feels like it.”
“No, but if she performs the correct ritual during a fight, it’s not a problem. Heck, all she needs is a ceremonial athame and two lines of verse and you’re vulnerable to her. I’m glad Detective Sully decided to cut you out of the action, quite frankly. This is better all around.”
Ofelia didn’t happen to agree. “You know what? I’m going to head upstairs for a few minutes. Customers should start showing up in about an hour. I’m hot and sweaty and need a shower. I’ll be back before it gets busy.”
“Take your time.” Oscar offered up a haphazard wave. “I’ll handle things in your absence.”
“You do that.”
SULLY FORCED THE PROPERTY MANAGER to open the door to the apartment even though he didn’t yet have a warrant. An inner danger alarm warned him it was necessary and he’d learned a long time ago that following his gut was important.
The apartment was empty, something that Sully found disappointing but not all that surprising. There was a bag resting on a chair in one of the bedrooms and a book on the living room table. It was the book, which looked old, that drew his attention.
He was careful when he lifted it, donning rubber gloves and testing it for potential hexes with a powder he carried. It seemed free and clear ... but that didn’t mean it wasn’t worrisome. Upon opening it, he discovered dark spells listed from front to back. There were options for forcing people to hand over money, causing nightmares, incurring disease, and even causing death. The portion of the book that bothered him most, though, was the final spell. It talked about stealing the life essence of others. It required a special athame and the power of a Voodoo queen. It also suggested finding the most powerful witch in the area to take on for the initial battle, because the spell supposedly took a lot out of the witch casting it.
Ofelia.
That’s all Sully could think about. He was hardly an expert when it came to witches, but she had a reputation. He’d found that out after the fact when he started asking around — in a casual way, of course — regarding the raven-haired witch. Was she the most powerful witch in the area? That was up for debate. With Henrietta down and Grandma removed from the conversation, though, it was entirely possible.
He felt sick to his stomach when he closed the book. Kim wasn’t here. She was out ... somewhere.
She would be stupid to take on Ofelia, he told himself. She wasn’t a stupid woman. So far, every move she’d made had been calculated.
So why was he feeling so antsy? Why was every fiber of his being screaming for him to return to Krewe?
He made up his mind on the spot. It didn’t matter that Ofelia was angry with him. It didn’t matter that she was likely protected in her home.
He had to see her ... and now. His conscience wouldn’t rest until he did. He couldn’t turn away from the nagging doubt cascading through him.
She needed him. He could feel it to his very bones.
OFELIA DIDN’T ACTUALLY TAKE a shower. That was an excuse. She wanted a break to collect her thoughts ... and rein in her anger. With that in mind, she escaped t
o the rooftop patio and sat in her favorite chair while she stewed.
She was mad. There was no getting around that. She felt she’d earned the right to be included in the takedown. The fact that Detective Sully felt she was too weak to be there was a knock to her ego ... and heart ... and self-esteem. She was furious with him for it, and yet part of her understood. He had a job to do and taking her with him when things could get ugly probably seemed like an unnecessary risk. If something were to happen to her on his case, he might lose his job over it. Could she really expect him to risk that?
Her head said no, but her heart was a different story. She didn’t expect to get over her anger anytime soon. She hoped once news filtered down about Kim being in custody that she would be able to let some of her resentment go.
She wasn’t holding her breath, though.
She pressed her eyes shut and sucked in a calming breath. It wasn’t her right to be included in an official police investigation. She knew that and still her agitation remained. She was so lost in thought, so mired in her own anger, she almost didn’t hear the sound of footsteps on the patio. Luckily for her she wasn’t that far gone, though.
“I’m not in the mood, Dad,” she offered. “Just give me twenty minutes and I’ll head downstairs. I’ll even let you tease me about the detective — who is a giant buffoon in my book — if you just step back and give me a little time.”
She was convinced he’d heard the plea in her voice when things went silent ... and then she remembered she hadn’t heard him retreat. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end as she slowly opened her eyes. There, standing directly across from her, was Kim ... and the woman didn’t look happy.
“I would ask how you got up here, but it doesn’t really matter,” Ofelia said, her voice unnaturally calm. “I didn’t realize we had a date.”
Kim snorted, her eyes wild with something Ofelia couldn’t quite identify. It was almost as if she was caught in a fervor of sorts. “You’re funny. Has anyone ever told you that? I never realized you were so funny.”
The Hexorcist Page 18
