by Gina LaManna
“We’ve got to tail him,” I said. “He’s got to be our guy. He was going to take Lisa, and I’ll bet he already took Maybelline and Lillie, and quite possibly Linsey too.”
But Matthew shook his head, and I understood why in a second. Another flash of smoke in the distance, and the horse, carriage, and driver vanished from sight. “Rope off the crime scene—I’ll be back shortly.”
As Matthew set off in the direction of the disappeared carriage, I made my way across the alley where a sudden, chilling silence had settled into place. It’d be mere seconds, minutes at the most, before the dancers inside were alerted to drama outside, and this place would be swarmed with those hankering for a look at death.
I raised my fingers, muttered the quick jinx that came standard with agency badges, and roped off the crime scene. Once that was finished, I made my way toward the bundle of blankets. Hesitantly, I pulled back the fabric hoping for a glimpse of the victim’s identity.
The man was face down, however, and unrecognizable from this angle. I felt for a pulse and quickly found there was none. His body was cold.
I was hesitant to roll him over before Sienna and her crew got here, but I needed to glimpse his face and check for Residuals. With a deep breath, I rotated his body to the side, trying to disturb as little as possible, stopping mid-turn when recognition hit.
The victim was none other than Jim Geronimo—the very carriage driver who had driven Linsey Luca to her last gala.
Coincidence? I thought, sucking in a breath. I highly doubted it.
Jim had been killed by some sort of black magic—the Residuals were still dancing in a stormy mess over his body—and I could see that multiple bones in his body were broken. A variation on a Crushing Curse, no doubt. Unfortunately for Jim, it had been a painful death.
I stood, my fists flexed as I quickly Commed the precinct and Sienna.
As soon as they’d been alerted to the crime scene, I glanced down at Jim and vowed to find Lisa tonight. There was no doubt in my mind that Lisa’s attacker would be back—she’d seen too much, and now she was a loose end. But if I could find Lisa first, I could protect her. Especially if what she’d said about having a little girl was true. No way was I allowing another kidnapping on my watch.
“Well, well...” Marcus inched his way inside the caution tape. “Seems as if trouble follows you around, Detective.”
“Get out of my crime scene.”
“I thought the captain told you to play nice.” Marcus gave a thin smile, his eyes flicking toward the dead body. “If it weren’t for me, you’d still be waiting outside in line, so excuse me if I ignore you. I’m here to stay, DeMarco.”
Matthew returned then, scanning the scene, myself, and Marcus in a single glance. He merely shook his head at my unasked question.
“Sir,” Marcus said. “What can I do to help?”
“Secure the rest of the scene and start getting interviews from anyone who might’ve seen something. Reinforcements will be here in a few minutes.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Detective DeMarco—” Matthew’s gaze leveled on mine. “When backup arrives, you’re coming with me.”
Chapter 16
An hour later, Dani and Matthew finished giving their statements. Matthew officially handed the reigns over to Sienna and crew, leaving Nash to run point over the rest of the officers working the scene while Marcus was responsible for keeping the crime scene clear of Silver Street looky-loos.
As they left, Matthew caught a glimpse of distaste on Dani’s face when Marcus bid her goodbye. Oddly enough, Matthew thought Marcus was a fine employee—except for his unfortunate personality. He was smart and driven and cocky, and he rubbed several officers the wrong way—especially Dani. The two had been butting heads on this case, and nothing Matthew seemed to do could keep them apart.
“Sir,” Dani said, as Matthew pulled her away from the scene. “Are you sure it’s the best idea to leave the crime scene in Marcus’s hands?”
“The detective is perfectly capable, unless you have a reason to distrust his judgement.”
“Besides the fact he’s a prick?”
“Yes,” Matthew said. “Besides that.”
His flippant response earned a grudging smile from Dani. They strode from behind Dust and ran smack into Nash, who was in the middle of interviewing Bran. Damien stood nearby, watching from a safe distance, wringing his hands while his face pinched with dismay.
“Ah, there she is,” Bran said, landing his gaze on Dani. “I was wondering when we’d have the pleasure of seeing you around again. Red’s your color, Detective. You look very sexy in your dress.”
“The pleasure’s all yours,” Dani said. “Tell me about the deejay.”
Nash opened his mouth—whether to argue with Dani or tell off Bran, Matthew wasn’t sure. But one glance from Matthew and Nash shut up.
“What about the deejay?” Bran met Dani’s gaze evenly.
“Your deejay was bribed to help with a kidnapping,” Dani said, her voice hushed with barely restrained fury. “Whether you knew about it or not, your club is the breeding ground that’s led to two murders and multiple kidnappings. You’d better pray you got caught in the middle of something here, Bran, because if we find out you knew about any of this—a single payment—you’re rotting for life. Understood?”
“I understand.” Bran’s voice drifted off along with his gaze. His line of sight slid down Dani from her lips to her hips. “Though it’d be much more comfortable to discuss this upstairs over a drink. What do you say?”
“I say you’re an idiot,” Dani said. “Answer the question.”
“I think I’d like a lawyer,” Bran said with a smirk. “Unless you feel like taking me up on that offer of a drink, Detective. I’ll talk to you. Alone.”
“The deejay’s a dead end,” Nash warned. “The money will have been clean. No prints, no way to track it.”
“I know,” Dani said. “Which is why I’m not wasting my time on him. Captain, let’s move.”
Matthew shared an amused glance with Nash, then turned and followed Dani away from the club owner. Dani’s heart rate was elevated, and her body movements signaled major levels of agitation.
“Rough night?” Matthew asked.
“You could say that.”
“Can I take it you won’t be having a second date with the wolf?”
“I shot him in the leg,” she said. “What do you think?”
Matthew couldn’t help the slight smile that crossed his lips. “Ah. I see. Did he try to hold your hand?”
“You’ve got to stop this.” Dani stalked along without meeting Matthew’s gaze. “You’re giving me special treatment.”
“What do you mean?”
“You are taking an interest in my personal life. You give me the best case on my first day back. People are starting to notice.”
“People?”
“Marcus,” Dani said. “He’s convinced I’m out to steal his promotion.”
“I wouldn’t take it personally,” Matthew said matter-of-factly. “He’s a competitive man.”
“It’s more than that, and you know it.”
“Come on, Dani. Talk to me. There’s something bothering you, and it’s not Marcus.”
“Everything is bothering me,” she snapped. “Tonight, for example. It was weird. Really weird.”
Matthew cocked his head to the side. “I’m not sure what a normal homicide looks like.”
“The whole thing with the deejay getting paid off. Lisa disappearing...” Dani looked like she wanted to mention something else, but she refrained. “Do you think Lisa was involved somehow?”
“I think Lisa was the target. She was hurried out of the club by a mystery man and cornered in a back alley,” Matthew said. “It was only through some form of magic that she escaped.”
“Lisa was probably drugged,” Dani added. “According to Cynthia, the other girls drank something and went all glazy. I think that’s how he’s able to te
ll which elves have a certain gift.”
“She didn’t look glazy outside,” Matthew said. “Considering she had light shooting from her fingers. She seemed to know what she was doing. She looked alert and quite powerful.”
“True,” Dani agreed. “What else do we know? I’m almost certain the deejay was paid off by the same guy who shooed her out of the club. Probably a different guy than the one driving the carriage. That gives us two attackers.”
“Yet Lisa escaped them both,” Matthew mused. “Did you recognize the Residuals on her magic?”
“No, not exactly,” Dani said slowly. “But I’ve seen something like it before. Tonight, at the casino.”
“On your date.”
“At the casino,” she repeated. “The dealer in one of the high stakes rooms had something similar happen with her hands. But that was weaker—if I had to guess, Lisa is much stronger than Reina. And Reina is a sorcerer.”
“Reina?”
“Never mind,” Dani said. “We’ll deal with the casino later. What I can’t figure out is Lisa’s power. Are you sure she wasn’t being controlled?”
“I’m almost one hundred percent certain. What I’m not sure of is how she knew the carriage would crash through the walls. The light shone, and then she dove out of the way. How could she have known?”
Dani shook her head, but her face was plagued by doubts. “And where does Jim come into all this? Was he just in the wrong place at the wrong time?”
“Marcus is checking with the carriage company,” Matthew said. “If Jim had a fare nearby, he was probably just collateral damage.”
“It sounds like Marcus has everything under control,” Dani said abruptly. “If you don’t mind, I think I’m going to take off.”
Matthew raised his eyebrow. “And go where?”
“Would you believe me if I said I wanted to go to bed?”
“Try again.”
“I’m going to the lab,” she said, sighing. “I need to talk to Felix.”
“He’ll be at home at this hour.”
“I’ll drag him out of bed.”
“He won’t be happy about it.”
“I’m not fond of seeing him in his pajamas, but this can’t wait. I don’t need a babysitter, either, King.”
“This is not me babysitting you,” Matthew said, following Dani as she turned for the trolley station. “This is me debriefing with my employee.”
“Consider us debriefed.”
As Dani strode forward and onto the platform without a backward glance, Matthew had to give the wolf credit—he had excellent taste in fashion. The dress hugged her in all the right places, highlighting her natural beauty.
“Captain.” Dani leapt onto the trolley, then turned and eyed Matthew. “You’re still following me.”
Matthew leapt on behind her. “Is this about the casino?”
“Partly,” she admitted as they traveled south across the borough. “I have a bracelet in my possession from the dealer, and I want to get it tested for illegal magic. If there’s nothing there, then I’m not sure we have a case. If there is, I’ll let you know.”
“I expect as much.”
“I’m also going to submit a HoloHex on Lisa,” Dani said. “We need a last name on her. If we don’t find her, he will. She could be the key to unlock the rest of this.”
Matthew nodded. “You didn’t catch a glimpse of the driver’s face?”
“Unfortunately, no. You?”
“Not nearly enough for a HoloHex.”
“Well,” Dani said, trailing off.
The two stood in silence for the rest of the trip. When they reached the stop for Felix’s place, Dani climbed down alone.
“Goodnight then, Captain.”
Matthew glanced over Dani’s shoulder to where Felix’s house sat tucked into a neat little corner of the borough. He stepped off the trolley as well, though he wouldn’t be accompanying her further. The tech wizard was a hard-working mess of a man, but as brilliant as they came. And Dani could handle herself.
“Very well,” Matthew said. “I’ve a report to prepare for the chief, anyway. I’ll see you in the morning, Detective.”
Matthew leaned in close as the trolley whisked away and left them alone, his hand longing to brush over Dani’s face. He hesitated there as Dani’s eyes flicked closed, knowing this was his chance. His opportunity to show her what he’d been meaning to all night long. But something stopped him, and Matthew pulled back.
Dani’s eyes opened at once and her breath expelled in a thin hiss—as if she’d been waiting for something more. Their eyes met and locked, and Matthew felt the full weight of his missed opportunity. Confusion swirled in Dani’s eyes, and that hurt worse than anything else.
But the moment had passed, and Matthew had missed it. Furious with himself, angry he’d let his mind dictate his heart, Matthew spun away from the woman he loved and stormed away without a backward glance.
It was hardly a wonder she’d continued to push him away. If Matthew didn’t set the record straight soon, he just might lose her forever.
Chapter 17
My heart raced as I climbed the steps to Felix’s place.
We had come so close. For a moment, I’d thought Matthew had been ready to toss the rulebook out the window and pull me to his chest—consequences at work be damned.
But when push came to shove, he’d turned away.
Raising a hand, I pounded harder than I probably needed to against the door. Poor Felix, I thought. Bearing the brunt of a night’s worth of frustration when his only crime was having a genius brain. It hadn’t been an easy night, and the fact that I’d had to navigate it in a dress and high heels made everything that much worse.
I was just preparing to knock a second time when the door swung open, and I tumbled forward into thin air, landing against Felix’s chest. It was soft and squishy, and as he fumbled to right me, his gaze was drawn toward the V in the neck of my dress.
“Dani? Is that you?”
“Felix,” I scolded. “Watch yourself.”
“A beautiful woman threw herself at me,” he said, dragging his eyes back to my face. “What was I supposed to do?”
“I’m not any old woman. I’m an on-duty detective carrying a gun.”
“You don’t look like any detective I’ve ever seen.” Felix waggled his eyebrows. “Hell, you don’t even look like Dani DeMarco. And how did you find a place to put your gun?”
“You know, special training tactics,” I said, adjusting myself discreetly. “I need a favor.”
“Anything for this beauty queen.”
“Shut up, Felix, and I won’t put my heel down your throat.”
Felix cleared said throat and touched it very daintily. He might be the most brilliant mind in the NYPD, but he wasn’t exactly known for his street smarts or his fighting skills. “What can I help you with?”
“I need one of your people on a HoloHex.”
“Sure. Who’s the witness?”
“Me,” I said.
“Well, come on in,” Felix said. “It’s not like I have personal time anyway—I’ll get things set up and send it to the tech on duty. You’ll have it in your hands by lunch tomorrow.”
“Breakfast tomorrow.”
“Let’s call it brunch, and that’s as good as you’re getting.” Felix pulled open his fridge, grabbed a jug of milk, and then pulled down a bucket of donuts from the counter. “Can I get you something to eat?”
I watched as he drank straight from the gallon of milk and tried not to shudder. But I hadn’t eaten much except fancy pants finger food with Grey, so I reached for a donut and bit into it before continuing.
“The HoloHex isn’t the only reason I’m here.”
“Of course not.” Felix brushed crumbs from his shirt. “Besides eating my donuts, what brings you around?”
“It’s a bit of a sensitive subject.” I retrieved the bangle and held it out. “I think this was touched by unique magic. Can you get me a read on i
t?”
“Aren’t you the Reserve?”
“I couldn’t read these Residuals.”
Felix paused mid-swig of milk, his curiosity piqued. “Tell me more.”
“I borrowed this from a dealer at the casino. We’ve got a report there’s some funny business going down there.”
“Off the record?” Felix asked. When I nodded, he shook his head glumly. “So nobody will know what a genius I am when I crack this code?”
“You’ll have my lifetime love and admiration,” I said. “How’s that?”
“Lukewarm at best, but I’ll take it,” Felix said. Then he clapped his hands together and strings of lights appeared before him. “Let’s get cracking on this HoloHex, shall we? I’ve got jelly to spill and elusive magic to uncover.”
BY THE TIME I MADE it home, the pizza parlor had been closed for hours, and even Jack had abandoned the place for the night. Every now and then, he’d fall asleep with a half-eaten pizza on the table and kick his legs up in a booth.
I had to wonder if his disappearing act was because he’d made it home to my parents’ house, or if things were more serious with his new squeeze than he’d let on. Poor Willa, I thought. I really had to corner my brother and get some answers.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have long to dwell on my brother’s dramatic love life because one glance at the clock told me I’d be rolling right back out of bed in a few hours. My shoulders sagged with exhaustion at the thought. My adrenaline would kick in, no doubt, but a girl could only go on zero sleep for so long before it ate her up. And this was my first week back on the job.
Ouch.
I climbed the stairs to the second floor and let myself into the apartment with a single stroke of my finger against the doorknob. And came to a dead stop.
“Marcus,” I said, more weary than frightened. “What are you doing here?”
Marcus sat on Carl, my couch, with his legs kicked up and a decidedly smug look on his face. “Swung by for a visit since neither you nor the vamp seem to have much time to devote to your colleagues.”
