by Gina LaManna
I tumbled through the doorway in the nick of time, rolling to a stop inside the last open room on the second floor just as a wave of heat blew behind me, covering the hallway in a mess of black and red and orange flames.
“Detective!” Primrose screamed. “I can’t get through the fire!”
“Stay put, Primrose,” I yelled back. “I’m all good.”
At least, I was all good until a fireball smacked above my head. I brushed a hunk of burning ashes from my shoulder before pulling my own Deflector up just in time to shield myself from a second fireball attack.
The second ball of flames bounced off the Deflector and shot back against the opposite wall where finally, I caught a glimpse of my attackers. I stood, hands raised, letting my Deflector lapse.
“Mrs. White?” I called, squinting through the smoke filtering into the room. “It’s me, Detective Dani DeMarco—I’m here to help! Hold your fire!”
A third ball of flames lit in the corner, but it didn’t get thrown. A pale hand reached through the smoke and landed on my second attacker’s arm. “Honey, it’s okay.”
I used a quick incantation to blow the smoke to the side of the room, leaving me with a clear vision of two figures cowering against the back wall. Mr. and Mrs. White. Mr. White had a bruise forming over his left eye; Mrs. White’s clothing was torn and charred, and she was bleeding from her arm.
“It’s me,” I gasped again. “I came with Officer Primrose to ask you a few questions. But when we went to knock on the front door, we found it open and charred. We just came in here to check on you.”
“How’d you make it through the passageway?” Mrs. White demanded. “You must have used the potion.”
“I Commed Evelyn, asked for help, and she explained where to find it. She’ll be here any minute.”
“The girl is lying,” Mr. White said, nodding toward me. “She was trying to get behind that door.”
“No,” I said. “I’m trying to find out what happened to your son. And I’m pretty sure I know why he was killed.”
Mrs. White pressed her hand against her husband, holding him back. “Was it...”
I nodded my head over my shoulder. “I don’t think there’s any way your son’s death wasn’t related to what’s behind that door. Now, can we find a place to talk where my colleague and I won’t get blown to bits?”
Chapter 23
Half an hour later, after a lengthy deconstruction period in which Mr. and Mrs. White appeared to be performing some ancient art of Tai Chi in the hallway while stringing defensive spells back in place, they declared it safe for us to exit.
I met up with Primrose in the hallway. She raised her eyebrow at the sight of my charred jacket sleeve.
“Bit toasty in there?” she mumbled, elbowing me with a small smile.
I just shook my head back, unable to keep a smirk from turning up the corner of my lips.
We all trooped downstairs where we found Evelyn waiting at the bottom of the steps with an anxious look on her face.
“What happened?” she demanded, first of me, then of her parents.
“I’m not really sure,” I said. “We’re hoping we can have a little chat and clear a few things up before someone else ends up dead.”
Mrs. White went to the kitchen to put a kettle on while Mr. White fished out an ice pack and slapped it on his head. Evelyn didn’t seem overly concerned with her parents’ injuries—she seemed a bit dazed and confused, actually, lost in her own world. Until Woofie appeared from his favorite new rug and leaped onto her lap.
“Is this...” Evelyn looked up, tears in her eyes as the dog licked her face.
“It’s Harry,” I said at the same time Primrose said, “That’s Woofie.”
“Your brother named him Harry,” I said with a grin. “My colleague called him Woofie while she watched him overnight.”
“Aw, Harry Woofie White,” Evelyn said, a smile gracing her face. “Welcome home. I can keep him, right?”
I nodded at her anxious tone. “Of course. We’re happy he has a good home.”
“All of his playthings are outside.” Primrose swallowed hard. “I’ll get them shortly. But you should know, he’s really a sweetie. I’m sure your brother was a great guy too. Great guys tend to have great dogs.”
Evelyn just smiled and tickled behind the dog’s ears. The two were clearly a match for one another. And though my work so rarely brought hope for the living, this was one of those moments that made everything worthwhile. I could never bring Mason White back, but at least his sister had a very real, tangible part of him in her life.
I pulled Primrose to the side. “You see that? That’s all you,” I said. “If you ever find yourself wondering why you got into this job, remember this moment. Nice work, Primrose.”
Primrose nodded, seemingly unable to find the words to respond. She swiped a hand across her eyes. “I should go get his things.”
“I think so,” I said. “That would probably be best. Woofie will be happy here. And I’m sure Evelyn would love if you visited him at the shop sometime.”
Primrose just nodded again.
The second Primrose stepped outside, I closed the door behind her and faced the room. “You’ve got one of The Hex Files behind that door.”
Mrs. White cursed as she reached for the teapot with a bare hand in surprise, scorching herself against the hot metal. Mr. White nearly dropped the ice pack in shock. Evelyn just looked up in confusion at her parents.
“Officer Primrose is a good cop. She’s just a girl, and she doesn’t know a thing about the files,” I warned in a low voice. “Very few of us do, but you’re lucky—I’m one of them. And I’m not dragging Primrose into this mess, so you’ve got until she’s back to talk.”
“How do you...” Mr. White trailed off, then looked to his wife as if the conversation should default to her.
Indeed, Angela White straightened her shoulders. While she’d likely enlisted the help of her husband to protect whatever was behind that door, it was she who’d been willed protective custody of the file, and it was she who would make the decision to help or to hinder my investigation.
“You say you’re involved in the files,” Angela said. “Prove it.”
“How? I didn’t bring them here with me. But two of my best friends are the files. I am one of them. We need to find the rest before our enemy does. You know what will happen if the prophecy isn’t fulfilled by the right side.”
“Mom?” Evelyn interrupted. “What’s she talking about?”
“It’s not time yet,” Angela said in a whisper. “She can’t know.”
“I didn’t want to know, either. Neither did my friends. But my best friend’s mother died over the files, and that’s just the start of the destruction they’ve caused in my life. See this?” I pointed toward the purple bruise around my neck. “Someone knows I’m getting close to solving your son’s murder, and they’re willing to kill a detective to make sure that doesn’t happen. You—and whatever is behind that door—are my best lead.”
“I will not speak more on the subject,” Mrs. White said. “I cannot. I have been willed to protect precious cargo, and it would be a disservice to our people not to fulfill my duty.”
“Someone tried to break in here today before me,” I said. “Yes?”
The silence that followed, along with the bloodied, bruised bodies of the Whites, was the only answer I needed.
“We’re all going after the same thing. I can help you protect your file, but not if you don’t trust me.”
“I trust you, but that doesn’t mean I will hand over anything to you. My life’s work is keeping that door safe,” Angela said. “Just as it has been for every woman in my family before me, and just like it will continue with my daughter.”
I glanced at Evelyn. “It doesn’t have to continue.”
Angela frowned. “What do you mean?”
“The time has arrived for the prophecy to come into fruition. One of us is going to get the file—me,
or whoever attacked you first.” I shrugged. “It’s your choice who is the victor.”
“Mom.” The voice was soft, desperate. “Was Mason killed because of whatever’s behind that door?”
Angela looked at her daughter, her expression torn.
Evelyn turned the expression to me. “Was he, Detective? Be honest.”
I cleared my throat, looked straight at Evelyn. I ignored the Whites’ piercing gazes. “I believe so. When he died, he had a slip of paper in his hand with my name written on it. I don’t know exactly why yet—I’m still working on the details—but if I had to guess, I would say he figured out that I am involved in the files. I think he connected the dots.”
“How?” she whispered.
“Mr. and Mrs. White, your son was a Reserve. He could see the spells protecting that door. Believe me, as a fellow Reserve, it’s like a constant fireworks show up there. He knew something big was behind the door. I think he died trying to warn me—a fellow Reserve. After all his years escaping the magical world, he probably didn’t have anyone else to turn to with his questions.”
“How do we know this isn’t all lies?” Mr. White asked. “My wife’s family has defended that file against the trickiest, sneakiest, most powerful people in history. You wouldn’t be the first dirty cop to come after them.”
I racked my brain for a way to prove my innocence, but Evelyn beat me to a response. She stood, clutching the dog to her chest, her eyes filled with tears.
“Are you really going to let that stupid door tear more of our family apart?” She looked hard at both of her parents. “This detective is trying to help you. It’s already taken the life of one of us. Are you going to risk it taking more?”
“Evelyn—” Mrs. White began. “Please. Someday you’ll understand.”
Evelyn shook her head resolutely. “Someday I’ll be deeded the responsibility of protecting that door, and the first thing I’m going to do is unlock it and let whoever the hell wants in have free reign. They can have it, and good riddance to them. Hopefully it won’t be too late, and the detective will still be willing to help us then.”
Evelyn turned from the room and stormed out, heading down the hall presumably to her bedroom. Behind her, she left a whirlwind that calmed into silence.
“I don’t have anything left to say,” I murmured. “I’m not going to steal your file. I understand you’re protecting it. If you need proof I’m on the same side as you, let me know what that looks like, and I’ll get it for you. In the meantime, good luck with your defenses.”
The door opened behind me, and Primrose entered with her arms full of things. I helped her set them down in the entryway before turning back to the Whites.
“Whatever you’ve seen, the things you’ve defended yourselves from,” I said dully. “It’s only the beginning. When you’re ready to put an end to it, you know where to find me. Your son most certainly did.”
Chapter 24
Primrose and I arrived back at the precinct after a somber flight from The Isle. As I turned in the magic carpet to the flight deck employees, I felt Primrose’s quiet stare on my back.
“You’re not going to tell me what happened in there, are you?”
I sighed as I turned around, gesturing for her to follow me away from the interested eyes and ears of those on the flight deck. “Not yet. I’m sorry. If it’s any consolation, it’s not my choice to keep it a secret.”
“I thought we were working together on this case.”
“We are,” I said carefully. “But I think we’ve just blown it wide open into a whole new case. This one involves things that are—no offense—above your paygrade.”
“I thought you said I was doing good work.” Primrose jutted her chin forward. “And you told me that I shouldn’t ignore my instincts. Well, this is me not ignoring my instincts. You and I have made it this far on the case together, and to take me off it now would be a mistake.”
“I know, Primrose, and I’m sorry. I’m not kicking you off the case.”
“You’re just withholding crucial information.”
“Not by choice!”
“I see.” Primrose nodded, obviously not convinced. “I think that if you truly trusted me, you’d let me finish working this with you.”
“Primrose, you’re a rookie. I’m doing this for your own good,” I said feeling suddenly tired. “I need some time to sort through what comes next. Today was... enlightening. And disheartening.”
“They didn’t give you what you needed?”
After a pause, I shook my head. “Unfortunately not.”
“They’re keeping the door locked.”
“You could say that,” I said grimly. “So, it looks like we’ll need to solve this case while simultaneously working around the Whites’ stalemate. I think someone was after whatever’s behind that door, and Mason was trying to warn me. Can you follow up with Renola and see what she found at the Campus of Magic today? I’m going to run down to the lab and check in with Felix.”
“I’ll come with you,” Primrose said. “I’ll meet Renola after.”
“I really think it’d be best if we split up and multitask. I’ll meet you at my office in an hour.”
Primrose clearly suspected I was leaving her out of crucial information at the lab. She wasn’t wrong. Unfortunately, there was no way around it for the moment. No doubt Felix would have news for me, and I needed to learn the truth alone.
Sure enough, there was a message on my Comm asking me to stop by Felix’s office—not the lab—when I got back to the precinct. I waited until Primrose was off hunting down Renola before I circled back to Felix’s office.
I let myself into the dingy closet-sized space next to the lab that Felix had made his office. There were no windows and not much air to breathe, but it was just the way the tech genius liked it. Haphazard shelves had been nailed to the wall at all angles and then laden with a mix of gadgets, books, and papers. Felix was barely visible behind the chaos.
“Ah,” he said when he finally glanced up from the paperwork he was reviewing on his desk. “You’re back.”
“You don’t sound thrilled to see me.”
“What the hell is this?” Felix held up the Christmas card I’d adopted from my parents’ mantel.
I matched his gaze. “A handwriting sample.”
“From your brother?”
“It’s my job to work this case, Felix. Whatever it takes,” I said. “I’m running down a lead.”
“Dani...”
“You’re not getting in the middle of anything. Do your job, Felix. Did you run it?”
“I did.”
“And?”
He blew out a huge breath. “It’s a match. But I think you already knew that.”
I cursed, spun around and folded my hands over my chest so Felix couldn’t see my face as I digested the information.
“You wouldn’t have submitted this if you weren’t already sure,” Felix said softly. “What’s Rob doing back in town?”
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” I said. “He says he came back to town because of the Christmas cheer, but I’m having a hard time buying it, especially when I find his paws all over one of my cases.”
“You don’t think...”
I reached over, swiped the card from Felix’s hand. “Of course he didn’t kill anyone. You repeat that to anyone and you’re a dead man, understand?”
“I’m just doing my job.”
“I know, and I’m sorry.” I spun back to face him, expelled a long, slow breath. “It’s hard. I know he’d never kill anyone, not like this at least, but still. I can’t ask him for an alibi. He’s family.”
“An airtight alibi would make things easier for everyone.”
I leaned forward, knuckles curled onto his desk as I met his eyes. “He doesn’t need an alibi, Felix. He’s my brother. He didn’t do it.”
“Have you told him that, Detective? If not, you should give it a try.” Felix’s expression beamed into a gr
in. “Maybe then, he’ll talk.”
I LEFT FELIX’S WITH the handwriting sample in my pocket. I intended to head back to my parent’s house and return it to the mantel before anyone else noticed it gone and, while I was at it, see if my brother was up for a talk. Maybe an apology of sorts.
I’d asked Felix to give me until the morning before he turned the report in to the chief matching my brother’s prints with the notes. There was a chance I’d be recused from the case once that happened, and I needed just a bit longer. A few more hours. I was so close. If only I could find out who had known about Mason White’s connection with The Hex Files, I’d be well on my way to tying up loose ends.
I had some time before I was supposed to meet with Primrose, but I Commed her anyway and told her I’d be running late. I suspected my brother wouldn’t be in an incredibly forgiving mood, and while I hated to admit it, I needed his help.
Despite my general rule to avoid the marketplace at all costs, the last time I’d passed through, I’d run smack into my brother. Seeing as he probably wasn’t wanting to hang around home—surrounded by our mother and Christmas cookies and his annoying sister—the chances were good he’d be out and about in his old stomping grounds. It might have been a decade since he’d spent any amount of time here, but old habits died hard.
Sure enough, when I pushed open the heavy door of The Dirty Charmer, I found the bar frozen in time—just as it’d looked the last time I’d stepped foot in here to meet my brother.
Low music pulsed through the speakers in the background, and the bright light of the wintery mid-afternoon sun was blurred out by gunky windows and heavy curtains. Big boots of beer and other substances sat on a sleek bar, stools with deep grooves on the seat pulled up before them. And on one of them was my brother.
I sidled over to the empty bar stools on either side of Rob and chose the one on the left. Since I was technically on duty, I ordered a tomato juice from the bar with a side of olives. Rob didn’t even flinch. He might not have gone the cop route with his life, but he’d inherited many of the instincts from our father. He’d likely noticed my presence the second I’d stepped through the door.