2 Corruption

by John O'Riley

  “Did you jinx them or something?” Alex asked.

  “I appreciate your help with the group of people harassing me where I live. Thank you, Alex,” Josephine said.

  His face flushed with embarrassment. “You’re welcome.”

  Josephine returned to her desk and started in on some paperwork. She waited until Alex left for another donut before she took her second container of cookies and made her way over to Scott. She reached out with her mind and deactivated the m-detectors in this vicinity so she could perform a deep scan of everyone in this group. Scott was situated in a group of six desks with three desks on one side facing the other three like all the other work areas. There were no barricades to drown out sound or help with privacy so that detectives could discuss their cases with each other. It was exactly the same as Josephine’s area which comprised one team plus extra seating for officers, psychometrists, or administrative assistants. Since officers didn’t spend much time at their desks, the detectives usually had a few empty seats around them.

  Scott wore a bright turquoise polo with black jeans and his attention was glued to his computer screen. Josephine sat down on the empty chair beside him. Scott glanced at her then smiled a greeting.

  “I don’t know if you’ve heard but I make killer chocolate chip cookies,” Josephine said.

  “You do have a reputation,” Scott informed her with a friendly wink.

  “I made these especially for you.” Josephine handed the container to him. “Thank you for making me feel welcome last week while I was working with you.”

  “No worries. You’re actually a lot of fun to work with.”

  Josephine continued her scan as she conversed with Scott. After a few moments, Fletcher frowned at the two of them with annoyance.

  “Don’t you guys have work to do?” Fletcher asked.

  “I’m so sorry to disturb you.” Josephine threw him an apologetic look and realized she had run out of time for her scan unless she could involve him in their discussion. “Have there been any new developments about the killer who somehow drains blood from his victims?”

  Fletcher sighed and leaned back in his chair.

  “There’ve been more murders that fit his profile but Kyle hasn’t picked up anything either and the victims in Manatee county were out of our jurisdiction. Their psychometrists aren’t any good.”

  “It bugs me that I couldn’t solve the case,” Josephine said.

  “You solved every other case during the week,” Scott pointed out. “Fletcher and I really appreciate that.”

  “Thank you.” Josephine rose from her chair and flashed them both polite smiles. “I’ll let you get back to work. It was nice talking to you two.”

  “See you later, Josephine,” Scott said.

  Fletcher nodded at her in acknowledgement. Josephine strode away from their work area and reactivated the m-detectors. Everyone in that vicinity was clear except for the administrative assistant that worked beside Fletcher. Josephine made her way to Ben Nutter’s office and knocked on the open door. Ben looked up and his booming voice blasted over her.

  “Come in, Josephine,” he said.

  She closed the door behind her and sat down on the empty chair facing him.

  “Snake in the grass,” Josephine whispered which was the code he’d instructed her to provide if they needed privacy.

  Ben reached for the base of his desk lamp and activated the soundproof enchantment for the room. The activity from the police station beyond the office died away in an instant. Ben clasped his hands on the massive desk in front of him and gazed at Josephine with expectation.

  “What have you got?” he asked.

  “I’m hoping to finish my scans today. I have a few stray officers I haven’t got to yet. I discovered Rebecca Iverson has a mind control enchantment cast on her,” Josephine explained.

  “She’s a good admin. Is it the same type of control as Anita’s?”

  “It’s exactly the same.”

  “So it appears we have just two people who are under the influence of the Valituras but no actual members,” Ben said in a contemplative tone.

  “I have another problem. Lorcan tried to curse me this morning with immortality but Alice was infected instead.”

  Ben blinked at her with surprise.

  “I’m sorry to hear that. This will help us build a stronger case against Lorcan. We need to find out where he lives so we can take him in.”

  “Have you searched the area for people with his first name?” Josephine asked.

  “Yes and I came up with nothing. I did a search for Sarasota and all neighboring counties. He’s going by an alias just as I suspected. He probably lives right here in the city.”

  “I want you to have something.” Ben opened one of his desk drawers and pulled something out of it.

  Josephine wondered what he was doing. An instant later, he slammed a taser on the desk in front of her.

  “You should be armed with something other than your magic,” Ben said.

  “Thank you, sir.”

  Josephine reached out and clutched the taser. She examined it for several seconds then set it on her lap.

  “Are there any other developments?” Ben questioned her.

  “No, sir.”

  “Thank you for the report.”

  Josephine stood up and Ben deactivated the soundproof enchantment. As the day wore on, her anxiety mounted. She finished her scans of everyone at the police station and found nothing new. So there were only two information leaks. Unfortunately, Anita and Rebecca were privy to most of the goings-on and reviewed virtually all of the reports that were submitted by detectives as well as the managers. This would help Ben know how to arrest Lorcan without tipping off the Valituras though. Josephine knew it would be tricky. She worried that Lorcan would find out she was helping to catch him or that he would learn about Operation Corruption.

  When her shift ended, Josephine stopped by a coffee shop for three lattes then visited Alice and found Helen there with her. Josephine didn’t enjoy spending time in Alice’s condo as it had a disturbing, claustrophobic feeling. Josephine handed out the lattes and the three women gathered on the couches surrounding the coffee table.

  “So how was your first day as an immortal?” Josephine asked.

  Alice grinned at her with excitement.

  “It was great! I feel absolutely fabulous and I love my new body.”

  Helen regarded Alice with a stoic expression and didn’t offer any comment.

  “I’m glad you like the curse,” Josephine said.

  “It’s the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time. I had my first feeding this afternoon. There was this guy at the coffee shop and I convinced him to take me to his apartment and –”

  “I don’t know if I want to hear the rest,” Josephine cut her off.

  “Don’t worry. It’s nothing that personal and I think you’ll find it illuminating,” Alice advised.

  “All right. Let’s hear it.”

  “I knew it was time to feed because I was craving something but I couldn’t be sure what. That’s why I went looking for someone at the coffee shop. When that guy and I were alone in his apartment, I figured out that I wanted his blood.”

  Helen gasped. “You’re a vampire!”

  “Bingo!” Alice exclaimed. “I bit into his neck while he was still in a trance. I think he liked it. I made sure not to drink very much. I would say I drank no more than a cup.”

  Helen and Josephine grimaced with disgust.

  “I don’t know how you can stand it,” Josephine said.

  “When you’re a vampire, it tastes really good. You have to force yourself to stop because the curse makes you want to drain your victim completely. That parts a bummer because when you finished drinking, you feel unsatisfied. Maybe I’ll have to have two guys next time.”

  “How is this interesting?” Josephine leveled a sardonic look at Alice.

  “When I was done with him. I laid him down on the bed
and saw that he had two puncture wounds which I was expecting, of course. I wanted to be sure he was going to be all right so I checked his pulse and he was fine. I kept him in a trance and had him go to sleep. I stuck around for awhile just to be completely certain. Anyway, it took a few minutes but those wounds on his neck completely healed up and didn’t even leave a scar! It was amazing!”

  “So that’s how the killer drains the blood from his victims. The wounds just heal up,” Josephine said.

  “I knew you would want to know about that.”

  Josephine took another sip of her latte and regarded her friend with puzzlement.

  “I’m surprised that you’re okay with all this,” she said.

  “I figure it’s better for me to be a vampire than some other person who may not care if he or she kills their targets,” Alice said.

  “Has Lorcan bothered you yet?” Josephine asked.

  “I haven’t heard a peep from him.”

  “Maybe he hasn’t figured out you’re the one who was cursed. Did you want to go jogging with Helen and I tomorrow morning?”

  “I think I’ll pass on that. I don’t like running,” Alice said. “But I’m still up for coffee and rummy.”

  Chapter 13

  Josephine reveled in the potent sensations that coursed through her body as she remained tuned into the vortex. She wished she could freeze this moment in time and feel this way every second of her life. The sun was starting to rise so the Siesta Key beach was no longer dark. Small white, gray, and black birds along with sea gulls skittered across the ground. Josephine laughed with delight as her feet sank into the soft, white sand and kicked it up behind her as she continued jogging with Helen at her side.

  “I didn’t know it was possible but I actually feel better every day,” Helen said.

  “It’s amazing that we can carry on a conversation like this when we’ve been running for almost an hour,” Josephine said.

  “It’s almost like we’re super heroes when we’re connected to the vortex.”

  Josephine shot her friend an amused smile. “I like the sound of that.”

  They both sensed Lorcan at the same time. He waited for them by Josephine’s car in the parking lot. Josephine scanned the area for any signs of other Valituras agents but couldn’t detect any. It had been days since he’d tried to curse her. Josephine and Helen slowed to a walk as they approached him.

  “Hey, Toadstool. It’s been so long, I was starting to think you skipped town.” Josephine regarded him with open hostility.

  “I wanted to check in with you and make sure you were okay,” Lorcan said. “I can see that you’re not cursed. I guess one of your neighbors took the hit.”

  “I never want to see your disgusting, loathsome face again,” Josephine snarled.

  “That’s too bad. In case you’ve forgotten, Helen is mine.” Lorcan smirked at her then turned to face Helen and pointed at the pavement in front of her. “Sit down like a good dog.”

  “I don’t think so.” Helen’s vibrant green eyes glittered with defiance.

  Lorcan froze with surprise then pointed at the pavement again and spoke in a very firm voice.

  “Sit down, Helen. Now!”

  When she failed to obey, he whirled to face Josephine with an expression of rage.

  “What did you do?” he demanded.

  “I found a way to break that silly little bond you have,” Josephine fibbed.

  “No, you didn’t. I can still feel it,” Lorcan said.

  “Let’s just say that I changed it in a fundamental way.” Josephine smirked at his horrified expression. “And you’ll want to stay away from Helen for your own sake because the enchantment is still active. Every time you interact with her, it will mutate until your roles are reversed and you’re the one who will take orders from her.”

  Lorcan blanched and retreated a step. He eyed Helen like one would a rabid animal.

  “You can’t tell me what to do. I’m leaving because it suits me,” he said.

  “See you around, Toadstool,” she said.

  Josephine and Helen watched him beat a hasty retreat. Helen leveled a puzzled look at her friend when she was certain he’d left.

  “You didn’t tell me you enchanted the bond between me and Lorcan,” Helen said.

  “That’s because I didn’t. Since Lorcan wasn’t able to give you any commands, I figured you must have somehow gained immunity and I thought I would take advantage of the situation by taking credit for it and freaking him out,” Josephine explained.

  “I see. What happens if this was a one-time fluke?” Helen asked.

  “Hopefully, he won’t try to approach you again.”

  “He doesn’t seem like the cautious sort.”

  “Let me see if I can examine your bond with him,” Josephine said. “I want to see how it’s changed.”

  “Okay.”

  Both women were still connected with the vortex. Josephine turned her full attention to Helen and deepened the scan. The bond appeared as a red and silver energy cord that emerged from Helen’s stomach. When Josephine had examined it before, the connection was a lot thicker and the red was the more dominant energy.

  “Your bond is thinner than before. And it’s more silver now,” Josephine said with puzzlement.

  “I wonder what that means.”

  “I’m going to try to weaken it,” Josephine said.

  She reached out with her mind and tentatively tapped the cord. Nothing happened. Josephine focused on a small piece close to Helen’s body and tried to pinch it. The cord was still resilient and failed any attempts at manipulation. Josephine had to give up after making a variety of attempts.

  “I wonder if there’s anyone who knows anything about curses or ancient magic that we could ask,” Helen said.

  “Alice placed the ad in the paper for Dan but he’s ignored it just like I thought he would.”

  “Do you think Emerson may know something?” Helen asked.

  “We could try but I don’t really trust him,” Josephine said.

  The two women returned to their condos to shower and get ready for their morning coffee routine. Soon, Josephine, Helen, Alice, and Nathan were gathered at Josephine’s dining room table with large mugs of java. Josephine recounted her experience with Lorcan from earlier.

  “I wish I’d been there! I would have given him a piece of my mind!” Alice said.

  “It’s a good thing you weren’t because it would have given him leverage against me,” Josephine pointed out.

  “That’s true.” Alice took a sip of her coffee.

  “You look stunning, my dear,” Nathan complimented her.

  “Thank you.”

  Alice wore a burgundy silk shirt with silk pants that matched the color. Her curly red hair flowed down to her shoulders and she wore just a little bit of makeup. Nathan wore a loose-fitting black polo shirt, black shorts, and sandals. He had a five o’clock shadow on his handsome face. Josephine wondered if Mark subconsciously copied his uncle with that style of shaving even though he claimed it was to save time. Nathan peered at Alice with open curiosity.

  “I was wondering if your powers stabilized yet?”

  “Yes they did and it turns out I’m a category five now.”

  “Congratulations.”

  “I’m very pleased with the outcome.”

  “I was thinking, Nathan, that your family has extensive knowledge of ancient magic and curses. Do you think you could help us find a way to remove the bond from Helen and Alice?” Josephine asked.

  “I might be able to help. My family succeeded in dissolving my bond with the one who cursed me. I don’t remember what enchantment they used but I may have kept it in one of my journals. If not, I can look in the family library.”

  “Mark said you’re from the Seattle area. I don’t expect you to fly across the entire country and take vacation time from work to look into this matter,” Josephine said.

  “It’s true that our family estate is in Seattle but that
won’t be a problem. There’s so much information it may take awhile before I can find what you’re looking for,” Nathan advised.

  “I don’t understand. Do you take weekend flights to visit your family on a monthly basis or what?”

  “I can’t talk about it. It’s a secret. All of our clan take an enchanted oath at a young age before we’re allowed access to the vaults.”

  “Mark was right. You guys don’t mess around,” Josephine said.

  “The reason I live so far away from them is because they drive me crazy. They’re sticklers for outdated rules and regulations and ancient promises made by our ancestors. I resent the secrets I have to keep. It all just makes me sick,” Nathan said in a peevish tone.

  “I’m so sorry you’ve had to put up with that for all these years.” Helen cast a sympathetic gaze at him.

  “You’re so sweet.” Nathan’s lips curved in a grateful smile and he gave her hand an affectionate pat.

  The group played rummy and chatted for awhile before Josephine made another announcement that shocked her friends.

  “I’ve decided I’m going to buy a house.”

  “You’re just saying that to distract us so you’ll win this hand,” Alice said.

  “I’m telling you the truth.” Josephine set her cards face down and grabbed a piece of paper she’d printed of the only house she could afford to purchase outright.

  Alice took the paper and perused it with Helen and Nathan peering over her shoulders.

  “I know that place. It’s a foreclosure that’s been on the market for about a year,” Helen said. “There have been articles about it in the newspaper. It was originally owned by a wizard who practiced black magic. The house is actually cursed and ever since he died, it’s been passed from one owner to another. No one lives in the house for more than a few months before they have to move out.”

  “Why?” Josephine asked.

  “The owners are plagued by serious accidents and it comes to the point where they realize they’ll probably die if they stay there. It’s always hard to sell the house. The last owner was stuck with it for over a decade while they lived somewhere else. They finally gave up on it and just let it go through foreclosure.”