“We’ll get you checked out by a witch,” he said finally, deciding that was the logical next step in investigating the spell and had nothing to do with making sure she was safe.
She rolled her eyes in that infuriating way she had. “I can take care of myself.”
“Can you?”
Her brow furrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means you look like you’re homeless and haven’t eaten in a couple of days.”
“Careful. I might start thinking you give a shit.”
“Don’t jump to conclusions. It’s just an observation.”
She nodded. “Don’t worry. You made yourself clear four years ago. I’m not likely to forget.”
“I shouldn’t have said those things. Not that way,” he admitted roughly.
Again the flush. She looked away. “Doesn’t matter. That was then. This is now. After today, you won’t have to see me again. Consider this a bad dream.”
“Fucking nightmare,” he agreed, then reached for her arm intending to drag her to the hazmat van if necessary. She deftly sidestepped, putting her hands up as if to push him away.
“What the hell, Garza? You know better. Do you want this stuff on you, too?”
Rookie stupid mistake. Damned fool. He was losing his mind. Why did she have that effect on him?
Ray just gestured for her to walk ahead of him. “Let’s get you checked out.”
“I said I’m fine.”
“That powder is evidence. That means you’re evidence, not to mention a public hazard if that stuff is dangerous. So get your ass across the street.”
“You always were bossy. I guess some things never change.”
Ray quickly fell in behind her as she started across the street.
Kayla was wrong. She’d changed. He’d changed. The world had gone batshit crazy, and everybody was fucked up. Leave it to him to be most fucked up of all.
Chapter 4
Ray
BACK AT THE HAZMAT van, Ray turned Kayla over to Logan. “Check her out. See what you can about the powder she absorbed. How long before you can clear the scene?”
“Techs are taking samples. I should be able to neutralize any lingering magic.” As he spoke, Logan’s gaze fixed on Kayla. He stretched out a hand, protected by spelled gloves. “Zach Logan.”
She looked at his hand for a long moment, then took it. “Kayla Reese.”
“So you’re the witness,” Logan said.
“So I am.”
He smiled, teeth white against his tanned skin. Kayla smiled back. Ray had an inexplicable urge to punch Logan in the head.
“What can you tell me about the magic that happened here?” Logan asked.
“Not much. I heard some noises, some words I didn’t understand, and then Wham! I got hit in the wash. Are you going to take my clothes?”
Logan eyed her up and down. “I don’t think so. The techs have collected samples of the powder. Right now, I want to neutralize the dust, at least externally. I can do that much. You’ll have to see a witch about what it does. But hey, at least it hasn’t turned you into a frog. That’s got to count for something, right?”
Kayla smiled ruefully. “I bet your cup is always half full.”
He shook his head and grinned cheerfully. “Nah. My cup’s always overflowing.” He winked. “Give me a second to collect what I need.”
The technomage climbed up inside the van, and Ray could hear rummaging. A moment later Logan returned carrying a mesh net made of gold wires.
“No need to be afraid. The mesh will cocoon you for a few seconds and then it will open. I’ll run a spell through it to burn out any active magic. It shouldn’t hurt.”
A flash of unease ran across Kayla’s face and then was gone. So—it appeared that as much as she defended the magical denizens of the city, she also feared them, or at least their magic. Good. At least she wasn’t complaisant. She needed to have a healthy respect for the dangers of magic.
Logan shook the pliable metal blanket out onto the ground. “Step into the middle,” he told Kayla.
She eyed it, and then sighed and went to stand where he directed.
“Now, I’m going to close it up around you and invoke the spell. Again, it shouldn’t hurt, and I’ll be able to free you in about a minute. Okay?”
“This your witness?”
Ray had forgotten Dix. She came up beside him and scrutinized Kayla.
“That’s right.”
She flicked on the flashlight she carried and shined it on Kayla’s face. “Wait a minute. I know you,” Dix said, eyes narrowing as she examined Kayla, who squinted and lifted her hand to shade her eyes.
“What the hell is your damage?” she demanded. “Get that fucking light out of my face.”
Dix didn’t move. “You’re Kayla Reese,” she said slowly, then a smug, knowing smile spread over her face as she turned to Ray. “I get it now. She’s why you were in such a rush to get out here.”
He didn’t bother to deny it. “You’re a helluva detective, Dix. You deserve a commendation.”
His sarcasm didn’t faze her. “Maybe this case is juicier than I thought.” She looked like the proverbial cat with the cream.
“Quiet now,” Logan said, and then to Kayla, “Relax. You’ll feel a little warmth, but that’s about it.”
“You’re sure?” Ray asked before he could stop himself.
“What’s the matter? Hoping I’d fry like a bug in a zapper?” Kayla asked.
He shrugged. “You did give me your statement. I guess it’s true I don’t have much use for you anymore.”
Logan shot him a startled look and then turned back to Kayla. “I, however, would be devastated if any little part of you got damaged.” He put a dramatic hand over his heart. “I would be forever distressed if I could not have the pleasure of knowing you better.”
Kayla’s lips twitched. “Do you plan to know me better?”
Logan grinned at her. “Most definitely.”
“Whether I like it or not?”
“How could you not like it? I’m handsome, intelligent, charming, funny, and talented.”
“You’re full of yourself, anyway. Dare I ask what sorts of talents you have?”
He waggled his eyebrows up and down. “That is something for you to discover. I promise you will not regret the effort.”
Dix rolled her eyes. “Why don’t the two of you get a room, already.”
Ray’s teeth clamped together. He shoved his hands into his pockets. Logan was flirting with Kayla, and she was flirting back. The urge to punch the technomage came back, and it was all Ray could do to hold himself still.
“Can we get on with it?” he said brusquely. “We don’t have all day to waste.”
Logan tossed him a casual salute. “Yessir.” He looked at Kayla. “Are you ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be gentle.”
Kayla didn’t answer. She stood stiffly, her feet wide as if bracing herself against a hard wind.
Logan peeled off his gloves and tossed them into a decontamination canister. A puff of smoke, and the smell of summer roses wafted through the air. That was new. Last time it had been freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Before that it had been an ocean breeze, and Ray remembered another time it was mowed grass. Logan liked to switch things up and didn’t mind wasting his efforts on silly things.
The technomage stood back and closed his eyes. He held his hands out, palms down. Ray felt magic surge. The hairs on his body prickled, and ozone filled the air. Logan opened his eyes, and yellow sparks danced in his irises. Crackling power enveloped him, turning him nearly incandescent. The bastard was powerful. Why he’d taken a shit job on the police force with cr
ap pay and bad hours, Ray didn’t know, but they were damned lucky to have him.
Logan now directed the energy he’d gathered into the mesh. It crept through each wire and link, lighting the metal up like the morning sun. The mesh rippled, and then the edges rose over Kayla’s head, sealing seamlessly into a cocoon. The brilliant yellow flashed a bloody orange, and then the mesh dropped to the ground around her feet with a musical metallic sound.
Ray couldn’t stop himself from stepping forward and reaching out to steady her. “Hey, are you okay?”
She pushed away from him. “Sorry to disappoint, but it looks like I am.” She looked at Logan. “Is that it? Are we done? I’m ready to get out of here.”
He flung forward a handful of blue sparks that swirled around her and then vanished. He nodded. “All clear. Except for what got inside you. That’s going to take a witch to sort out. My spell was just boots stomping out ants. You need someone who knows more about witch magic than I do.”
“Thank you. I appreciate your help.”
He flashed his grin again. “No problem. Now sit down. I want to check you out.”
“I’m fine.” Kayla folded her arms over chest. A clear refusal of any examination.
“You tell yourself that, honey, but we both know you’re lying. Now come on, sit. I won’t bite unless you ask me to.” He took her by the shoulders and gently pushed her down onto the bumper of the truck.
Ray studied her, looking for signs of injury. He hadn’t noticed anything before. What had he missed?
“You’re pushy,” she groused at Logan.
“Thanks for noticing.”
“It wasn’t a compliment.”
“Sure it was. You like me. Don’t try to deny it. Now, are you going to tell me where you’re hurt or am I going to have to search?”
“You’d like that wouldn’t you?” Her mouth hinted at a smile.
“Can you tuck your dick back into your pants so we can get on with this?” Dix asked. “We haven’t got all day.”
For once, Ray was in complete agreement with her.
“It appears the peanut gallery has an opinion and no manners,” Logan said to Kayla. “Where are you hurt?”
Ray tensed as he waited for her reply. He hated feeling useless, like a third wheel, but he had nothing to do until the scene was clear, and that was Logan’s show. In the meantime, he did not want to worry about Kayla. He folded his arms and began to pace impatiently.
“It’s not worth mentioning,” she said.
“I’ll be the judge of that,” Logan replied. “Well?”
She shook her head and gave a short sigh. “Fine. I got knocked on my ass on the steps. Got some bruises on my back and a lump on my head.”
“Let’s see.” Logan didn’t wait for permission but ran gentle fingers over the back of her head. Magic flared pink around his hand. “Good. No concussion.”
“I could have told you that,” Kayla said.
“I prefer to see for myself. Lean forward. I want to see the bruises.”
“No thanks.”
“It wasn’t a request.”
Her chin jutted in that mulish way she had that said she’d rather jump into a live volcano than do anything remotely reasonable. After being partners for four years, Ray was all too familiar with the look.
She stood up. “I’m entitled to say no to medical care.”
Logan made a frustrated sound. “That’s stupid, not to mention ridiculous.”
“Welcome to my world,” Ray muttered.
Kayla shot him an irritated look. “Mind your own business.”
“Today you are my business, so suck it up, Buttercup.”
She turned her back on him. “It’s not like you can fix anything,” Kayla pointed out to Logan.
“But you’d know if you needed to go to the hospital. You could have cracked a rib or a vertebra.”
“Oh, please,” Dix said. “If she wants to suffer, let her. Some people are just too stupid for their own good.”
“If I’d broken something, I’d be in pain,” Kayla argued. “I’m not. At least, not that much.”
“Jesus, Kayla, shut up and let the man do his damned job,” Ray growled.
She spun around, glaring at him. Her whole body radiated fury. “You can go to hell,” she said. “I’m done here. If this isn’t a murder, then you don’t need me. I want to leave.”
Ray shook his head. “You’re going to walk through the scene with me, soon as hazmat clears it.”
“That’s pointless. You’ve got my statement. I’ve got nothing useful to add.” She shoved at him to get out of her way.
Ray grabbed her arms. “Careful or I’ll arrest you for assaulting a police officer,” he said in a low voice. “Those bodies may not be my jurisdiction, but that spell that laid you out is. So, you will walk through the scene with me. Understand?”
She glared up at him, and then twisted out of his grip. Ray let her go. She rubbed her arms, and Ray felt a surge of unwanted guilt. As much as he wanted to shake her and demand answers to about a thousand questions, it made him nauseous to think he might have actually hurt her. His stepfather had been the kind to hurt women. Ray had sworn he was never going to be like him.
“Fine. Whatever you want,” she said.
“Good. Glad we got that settled. Now let Logan have a look at you before he starts climbing walls.” He gave her a little push.
Just then, his cell vibrated in his pants pocket. Captain Crice’s number came up on the caller I.D. This couldn’t be good. He walked back to the police cruiser to get a little privacy before he answered.
“Garza? Where the hell are you? What’s your status?” Captain Crice shot the questions like bullets, not bothering to wait for answers. “Whatever it is, drop it. I’ve got a priority case. A kidnapping.”
“Sir, I’m processing a scene of ritual magic. It involves blood sacrifice.” Blood sacrifice nearly always meant black magic, which meant the potential danger here was also a high priority. “Hazmat is clearing the scene, now.”
“I’ll send another detective to take over.”
“But sir—”
“Dammit, Garza, shut your pie hole. This isn’t a request, and it sure as hell isn’t a debate. You get your ass in gear and get going.” He rattled off an address.
Ray glanced upward, closing his eyes and suppressing a sigh. “Yes, sir. Dix is on site. I’ll leave her in charge.”
“I expect you on scene in a half hour. I’ll meet you there.”
Ray’s brow furrowed, tension tightening his gut. Whatever this case was, it was big to get the captain personally involved. “Who’s the victim?”
“Theresa Runyon along with Margaret Valentine, her daughter. Kidnappers took them right out of their home.”
Ray let out a low whistle. “Holy shit.”
“Holy shit is right. The place is a fortress. I’ve already got the family and half the city council breathing down my neck.”
“How long have they been missing?”
“Between twelve to eighteen hours.”
“And we’re only getting a call now? Shit.” Not that Ray was all that surprised. The Runyons had more money than God and a lot of secrets. They probably called in lawyers and PIs and a private army before they even thought of calling in the proper authorities. Better to get all their ducks in a row to cover their asses first. In fact, it was more surprising at this point that they’d called in the cops at all instead of handling it quietly on their own. “Any ransom demands?”
“None. Now light a fire under your ass.”
The line cut off. Ray rubbed a hand over his face, his thoughts racing. The lack of a ransom demand was ominous. Not a lot of point to kidnapping rich women if you weren’t going to sell them back to their f
amily. Which meant there had to be some other motivation for the kidnapping. Something personal. Undoubtedly the Runyons would stonewall him rather than air their dirty laundry.
This was the very definition of a juicy case. He almost smiled at the irony. Dix was going to be pissed she hadn’t caught it. A case like this could catapult his career into the stratosphere if he succeeded in getting the two women back. On the other hand, if he didn’t, he’d be walking a beat in no time, if he wasn’t booted off the force altogether.
God but he hated politics.
Urgency gnawed on him. He was almost a day behind in the investigation, and he hadn’t even started yet. He had to haul ass. Which meant leaving Kayla.
Tracking her down again would be simple enough, he told himself. He had her number.
Ray shoved his phone back into his pocket and walked back around the front of the cruiser.
“Dix! You get your wish. You’re taking over here.”
She stiffened, her hands on her hips. “I’ve changed my mind.”
“Captain’s orders. He’s assigned me a priority case. Make sure you get pictures of everything on that fountain wall.”
“I know how to do my damned job, Garza,” she declared, her voice dripping with pure venom. Or maybe it was jealousy. She’s been doing a lot of ass-kissing to make it to the top of the captain’s best detective list. Maybe she should work harder on her detective skills.
Ray cast a look at Kayla, scrabbling for something to say, something that could fix things between them. His earlier outburst that they weren’t friends had been true, but not what he wanted. He wanted her back in his life. Hell, if he was really honest with himself, he wanted her back as a partner, but that wouldn’t happen, even if he could talk her into returning to the force. Not enough manpower to assign partners. Hadn’t been since Magicfall.
That left friendship, if they could find a way to get back there. If she was even willing to open up and explain what had made her quit. He needed that more than he could say.
The Witchkin Murders Page 4